Manchester - Llandudno 25 April 2015 featuring the Inaugural Hill Climb Sausage Challenge

[KneesUp]

Maybe the key is to do the same ride as much of the work is done? As you say not your fault the weather, would it have worked out easier with an earlier start in summer months?

Good idea. Sounds like there is still a sausage to be won.

 

[nickyboy]

Nick, did you get to Holyhead?

Yes, managed another 70 miles on Sunday. Horrible headwind but it was warm and sunny. Arse feels like it's been attacked by a cheese grater now

 

[Ootini]

Can I have my cheese grater back please?

 

[I like Skol]

Arse feels like it's been attacked by a cheese grater now

Oh! Did ootini come round to take your trousers off you then?

 

[Ootini]

Oh! Did ootini come round to take your trousers off you then?

No, but I did offer.

 

[nickyboy]

All I remember was staggering into the Travelodge at 2am, then waking up at 8am with a sore posterior. I'm very much hoping my Prologo saddle was the culprit

 

[Cubist]

All I remember was staggering into the Travelodge at 2am, then waking up at 8am with a sore posterior. I'm very much hoping my Prologo saddle was the culprit

And to think I was beginning to regret missing out on the Travelodge.....

 

[Cubist]

Nick, did you get to Holyhead? I was gutted to cut my ride short so close to home but I had a deadline and just wasn't going to make it

I'm off to pick up @Cubist 's bike now, hope it is still there where we locked it up although I can't see anyone wanting to steal such a rusty old clunker. Poor Cube can barely remember anything about the day before the accident. Apparently he thought he thought he had a wallet stuffed full of cash and a shiny red road bike

I felt guilty having to phone back to the ambulance service to tell them we were no longer where we had originally reported and were now in the pub. That Mushroom Strog I had was superb and the 2 pints to wash it down was just what the doctor ordered. Unfortunately for Cube, the medical advice for him had been nil by mouth! It really was a lovely pub

Some of it is starting to come back... I remember you two taunting me with beer...

Have racked my brains, but still cannot even start to remember the off. I have a hazy little half-memory of clipping a verge somewhere along the line, but all the damage is down my right hand side, and I have dust/soil in my helmet vents but that's about it. I can remember nothing of what sort of road I was on. Last clear of memory I had was taking the headwind off @User13710 for a mile or two after that sharp little hill with a left hander at the top... was it much further on from there?

 

[BRounsley]

Nick thanks for organising the ride. It was a huge effort to plan and I appreciated that you put it all together.

It was the nice to put faces with names. It was a shame the weather gods were against use.

Pete, sorry we got separated at the end, the lure of the hotel shower was too strong. As I walked from the hotel to pub I technically didn’t complete the ride so I’ll have to do it again!

I cycled back to Manchester on the Sunday. It was very much a weekend of two half as Sunday was sunny and a tail wind.

With a few shortcuts and also getting clapped along a few charity rides that I gate crashed I got home 4 hours quicker!!!

I currently have a very red face. Not sure if it windburn from Saturday or sunburn from Sunday.

Saturday Ride

https://www.strava.com/activities/292391501

Sunday Ride

https://www.strava.com/activities/292844980

Nick – I only used the single pair of gloves on Sunday not the double pair I used on Saturday!!!!

I hope to see people again.

Thanks Brian

 

[nickyboy]

This is the exact spot where you came off

Some of it is starting to come back... I remember you two taunting me with beer...

Have racked my brains, but still cannot even start to remember the off. I have a hazy little half-memory of clipping a verge somewhere along the line, but all the damage is down my right hand side, and I have dust/soil in my helmet vents but that's about it. I can remember nothing of what sort of road I was on. Last clear of memory I had was taking the headwind off @User13710 for a mile or two after that sharp little hill with a left hander at the top... was it much further on from there?

Skol and I rode down the bit where you came off a bit later. You can get a fair speed up on the descent and near the bottom is a resurfaced stretch of about 5m in length. But the resurfaced bit is a couple of cm higher than the rest of the road. I think you must have hit his bump without seeing it (it was dull and under trees) and lost control. Easily done.

It was about another mile or so after the left hander you remember. Can you remember shouting at the car driver near the pub and me waymarking you down the road?

 

[middleagecyclist]

Yes, managed another 70 miles on Sunday. Horrible headwind but it was warm and sunny. Arse feels like it's been attacked by a cheese grater now

Hee, hee. If you're going to do these kind of distances on consecutive days and your arse is suffering it sounds like you should try a Brooks. I remember doing a similar route - Manchester to Holyhead and return but via the Synchant pass on the way out and coming back via Prestatyn on the night section a couple of years ago (the Llanfair PG 400 audax). It's the longest i've ever ridden and will ever ride in a 24 hr period. Brooks B17 saddle at the time and no soreness the day after. I have tried other saddles on shorter distances and suffered. I'm currently using a Brooks Cambium C17 after I broke by B17. I can report good things of that too and it's not as heavy as the leather B17. It may not suit you but if it does it could make you a very happy man. You can trial Brooks saddles from Keep Pedalling in Manchester. No connection apart from a satisfied customer.

Anyway, some of you may be aware I am organising a 105 miler Saturday 27 June. Start in York at 10:00hrs, meander around the flatlands of Goole, along the Trent, up to the Humber, cross the Bridge, avoid Hull and back to York via a shorter route with fine views o'er the Vale if the weather plays ball. Two planned stops, relaxed pace, not much climbing. You are all invited.

 

[Crackle]

It's just that it took a lot of work to get it planned and I don't know if I can commit that sort of time again.

Having organised climbing trips in the past, I know how much effort you put into this and it's not just in the run-up but on the day your mind is busy with who's where, what's going on, where are we in the schedules etc, etc.. Sorting the different meet up points, pointing everyone at the hotel and chippy, planning the bail out points, sorting an emergency on the day, fielding calls from the chippy. All in all, I thought you looked pretty serene on the day. The advantage of doing all that though, is in the fact you are the centre of the ride and you should bask in a glow of satisfaction that everyone enjoyed it, despite the weather and it all went to plan. Even that bloke I paid to poke a stick in Cubists wheel after he took the piss out of my clown wheels on the 29er got it right

Did you ever find that 50quid or did you truly lose it out your back pocket?

 

[nickyboy]

Having organised climbing trips in the past, I know how much effort you put into this and it's not just in the run-up but on the day your mind is busy with who's where, what's going on, where are we in the schedules etc, etc.. Sorting the different meet up points, pointing everyone at the hotel and chippy, planning the bail out points, sorting an emergency on the day, fielding calls from the chippy. All in all, I thought you looked pretty serene on the day. The advantage of doing all that though, is in the fact you are the centre of the ride and you should bask in a glow of satisfaction that everyone enjoyed it, despite the weather and it all went to plan. Even that bloke I paid to stick a spoke in Cubists wheel after he took the piss out of my clown wheels on the 29er got it right

Did you ever find that 50quid or did you truly lose it out your back pocket?

I was pretty naffed off at losing the money. When I got to the Travelodge and took off the waterproof the money just sorta fell out of it. Result, it was like finding £50 that I didn't have before. Blew a chunk of it on 10yr old Laphroaig in the pub but that's what money's for isn't it?

 

[KneesUp]

I was pretty naffed off at losing the money. When I got to the Travelodge and took off the waterproof the money just sorta fell out of it. Result, it was like finding £50 that I didn't have before. Blew a chunk of it on 10yr old Laphroaig in the pub but that's what money's for isn't it?

Like putting on a coat at the start of Autumn that you've not worn since Spring, and finding £20 in the pocket - one of life's little pleasures.

 

[Crackle]

I was pretty naffed off at losing the money. When I got to the Travelodge and took off the waterproof the money just sorta fell out of it. Result, it was like finding £50 that I didn't have before. Blew a chunk of it on 10yr old Laphroaig in the pub but that's what money's for isn't it?

Result! I was kinda hoping that might be the case.