FNRttC Manchester-Blackpool FNRttC, 1st September 2023.

[Andrew Br]

Please ignore the references to Morecambe and Lancaster.
Because of the train strike we're going to ride to Blackpool then ride back to Manchester


Morecambe makes an appearance this year for the hilly, Northern FNRttC.
I'll post more info, including sign-up details, in a little while but it's probably a good time to look at train bookings.

We start from Manchester Victoria Station near the memorial to the Arena bombing.
Trains from the South come into Piccadilly Station. If you're travelling by Avanti West Coast you must have a bike reservation unless you're bringing a folding bike or you want to dismantle and cover your "big" bike. It's the same with Trans Pennine Express. As far as I know, there is no need to book bikes onto Northern Trains but it's best to check.
Beware of tram tracks in the city centre.

We will use the Euro Garages on the M65 Services for the mid-ride food stop (it's actually before half-way but we'll have done most of the climbing by then so it does seem to be half-way).


Previous threads are here:-https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/friday-night-ride-manchester-morecambe-4th-august-2017.217462/ and there are links to previous year's rides as well.

Please ask if you have any questions.
I'll post this on yACF as well.

Andrew

 

[Jameshow]

Doh I'm still away..

 

[Moodyman]

Yes, pls Andrew. £3.50 to Manc and £11.50 home. A nocturnal adventure for the cost of a packet of fags. Even a Yorkshireman can call that a bargain.

 

[Andrew Br]

Registration is open:- https://www.fnrttc.org.uk/manchester-to-morecambe-1-september

I don't want to put you off but check what the trains are doing.
It's OK to register and back out if you find that you can't get there/home but please let me know if you're not going to make it by 23.00 on Friday 1st September.
Even if only one of you can make it to the start, I'll do the ride. I can, albeit not my "preferred" option, ride back to home if necessary.

 

[Domus]

Done

 

[Domus]

Bugger. Rail strike

 

[StuAff]

Bugger. Rail strike

Bugger indeed. Though given some of the TOCs involved, it'll probably be hard to tell the difference…

 

[Andrew Br]

Yes.
Those signed up should have received an email showing options.
I'll elaborate further over the weekend; meanwhile, I'm happy to get your opinions.
I'd prefer email (reply all should work, I think) because it keeps everyone who's signed up in the loop.
Here is fine though; I'll point the others in this direction (and the yACF members as well).

 

[DCLane]

I'm hoping to be available to ride this, but would park at Morecambe and ride down to the start.

I'll book once I know for definite.

 

[Andrew Br]

If you've signed up for the ride you should have received this email:-

"As you may have seen, there's another train strike on when this ride is supposed to run.
Most of the people (that I know) who have signed up for the ride are from the Manchester area.
We have, as I see it, 3 options:-
-cancel the ride (I don't want to do this).
-ride to Morecambe then ride back (slowly, with plenty of stops) to MCR.
-change the destination to Blackpool then ride back to MCR (slowly etc....). This will save ~20 miles and is my preferred option. We can ride to Morecambe on future editions of the ride.

Cycling back to MCR will only suit the local contingent unless the "travellers" want to make a weekend of it.
I know that one rider from outside MCR is planning to stay over in the destination town (whichever we/I decide upon) and to travel home on the Sunday so the train strike isn't/shouldn't be an issue.

As I hope is clear, I don't want to cancel the ride, hence this email.
I'd like your views and I'm happy to consider alternatives that I haven't thought of.
Please let me know what you think.
Ultimately the decision is mine but I would really appreciate your input.
I'd prefer contact by email but my mobile number is given below if want to use it.
You should make a note of it anyway if/when the ride goes ahead.

I need to add: if only one of you wants to do the ride (my destination choice, probably) then I'll do it with you."

Please get back to me as soon as you can.
I'm working on a shorter route into Blackpool although that may mean that we arrive very early.
Any local knowledge of early opening cafes would be gratefully received.

 

[Andrew Br]

I'm hoping to be available to ride this, but would park at Morecambe and ride down to the start.

I'll book once I know for definite.

If you do decide to ride (whatever format the ride takes), DO NOT under any circumstances drive home without having a long rest. I would suggest at least 4 hours sleep before setting off.

 

[DCLane]

@Andrew Br - that's pretty much always what I do after a long (400km+) audax, particularly if it includes an overnight section.

 

[SA3BR]

On the manchester contingent's route home, where would be the best point to peel off for liverpool?

 

[Andrew Br]

OK, decision made, we're going to Blackpool rather than Morecambe by a new, shorter route and then there will be a ride back to MCR.
The outward route will be the same as previous years until we get to Longridge. After that we'll take a more direct route to Blackpool..
MCR to Blackpool Tower will be 95km/59 miles, round trip will be 188km/117 miles.
I'm planning to have breakfast at the Lytham St Anne's Wetherspoons (The Railway Hotel). It's 14km/9 miles from the Tower.
If we arrive there too early then we'll push on to The Grey Friar in Preston. That's 32km/20miles from Blackpool Tower.
I'm sorry about using Wetherspoons but I don't have either the time or the mental energy to seek alternatives.
In a break with the Friday's tradition, I will make the gpx of the intended route available to anyone signed up for the ride.
I believe that, during previous rail strikes, several trains did run so there is a possibility that you'll be able to get home anyway but you may have a long wait, especially as you'll have a bike. I'd advise against doing this if at all possible; leave the trains to those people who need them, don't take up space because you're on a "jolly".
I've booked a train to B/Pool Saturday 19th to do a route check back to MCR and I'm riding to B/Pool Sunday 27th, staying over and planning to ride back Monday 28th to route check both directions.
One rider from outside MCR has already booked train tickets and a B/Pool hotel with a view to getting the train home on Sunday 3rd so, as promised, I'll be doing this ride anyway.
If no-one else joins, I may look at staying over as well and going out on the town with them !
I'll send out a little more information on the route when I've done the route checks; you may want to join us en route or head home at some point on the return.
Please feel free to ask any questions.

 

[Andrew Br]

@Andrew Br - that's pretty much always what I do after a long (400km+) audax, particularly if it includes an overnight section.

Thanks DCLane.
The ride leaders are very direct on this; someone did drive home after a FNRttC and had an accident.