NW Passage

[ColinJ]

I forgot to add - I've love to extend my usual Hawes circuit out to Ripon sometime around June or July...

In theory, time to lose 10-12 kgs

In my case - 19 kgs!

 

[Garz]

12 weeks @ ~ 2lbs per week is two stone and very do-able. Would make a lot of difference and if your ahead of plan the 19kg's wont be far off!

 

[ColinJ]

12 weeks @ ~ 2lbs per week is two stone and very do-able. Would make a lot of difference and if your ahead of plan the 19kg's wont be far off!

Well, strictly it is 12 weeks at 2.33 lbs/wk but it was a '~' not a '=' so I forgive you!

19 kgs in 12 weeks is ~ 1.6 kgs/wk or 3.5 lbs/wk. It's doable but pushing it. If someone had kidnapped my family and was going to shoot them unless I lost that amount of weight, I'd make sure I did.

At this time of year, I don't think I want to do what is necessary to achieve that rate of loss - approximately 200 miles of cycling a week as well as a significant reduction in my food intake and no booze at all.

Anyway, I'm not going to start weighing myself until next Monday (the day after the forum ride to Waddington). I want to let my body get used to my drastically reduced booze intake and see where that leaves me.

PS Actually, I meant the end of June, so that is over 18 weeks away and very doable indeed - about 1 kg/wk or 2.2 lbs/wk.

 

[Fiona N]

To aid Colin's and my efforts - let's plan on a Kendal-Hawes-Ripon-Patley Br-Settle-(bypass the A65 north or south) - Kendal sometime in July. That also gives the P-B-P qualifyers time to get their rides out of the way and potentially gives us a pool of strong riders who could assist with pacing on the easier bits.

I'll have a think about the route but basically I have two ways of getting to Hawes from Kendal (well, from close to Oxenholme Station rather than Kendal town centre):

The short but steep route goes cross country past Killington services and the reservoir to hit the Kendal-Sedbergh road, then through Sedbergh and straight up Dentdale - a lot of climbing and some of it pretty strenuously steep. This route could be made somewhat less strenuous by swopping Garsdale for Dentdale as the climb over the pass on the way to Hawes is longer but gentler and, although it's notionally an A road, it's not exactly busy - or big for that matter - and it is very pretty.

The other route is longer but rather lovely, with fewer steep hills and more long gradients, going south to cross the Lune River east of Lancaster, then up the Lune valley towards Wennington and across to Ingleton (where I usually stop for an early coffee) then up the long climb up to Ribblehead to join the Sedbergh route at Dentdale head from where there is a superb descent into Hawes.

From Hawes, I usually return via Kirby Stephen (normally the direct route but occasionally, if I'm feeling good, over the evil Butter Tubs climb to Thwaite and Muker) but taking the longer variants gives a route of barely 150km. Extending the route from Hawes to Ripon, Patley Br, Grassington and Settle would come in at over 200km, especially if to avoid the A65 back from Settle you started adding in detours.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

ooooh, i like the sound of the 200km, especially avoiding the ever busy a65.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

To aid Colin's and my efforts - let's plan on a Kendal-Hawes-Ripon-Patley Br-Settle-(bypass the A65 north or south) - Kendal sometime in July. That also gives the P-B-P qualifyers time to get their rides out of the way and potentially gives us a pool of strong riders who could assist with pacing on the easier bits.

I'll have a think about the route but basically I have two ways of getting to Hawes from Kendal (well, from close to Oxenholme Station rather than Kendal town centre):

The short but steep route goes cross country past Killington services and the reservoir to hit the Kendal-Sedbergh road, then through Sedbergh and straight up Dentdale - a lot of climbing and some of it pretty strenuously steep. This route could be made somewhat less strenuous by swopping Garsdale for Dentdale as the climb over the pass on the way to Hawes is longer but gentler and, although it's notionally an A road, it's not exactly busy - or big for that matter - and it is very pretty.

The other route is longer but rather lovely, with fewer steep hills and more long gradients, going south to cross the Lune River east of Lancaster, then up the Lune valley towards Wennington and across to Ingleton (where I usually stop for an early coffee) then up the long climb up to Ribblehead to join the Sedbergh route at Dentdale head from where there is a superb descent into Hawes.

From Hawes, I usually return via Kirby Stephen (normally the direct route but occasionally, if I'm feeling good, over the evil Butter Tubs climb to Thwaite and Muker) but taking the longer variants gives a route of barely 150km. Extending the route from Hawes to Ripon, Patley Br, Grassington and Settle would come in at over 200km, especially if to avoid the A65 back from Settle you started adding in detours.

there you go potsy & colin, a target to aim for and plenty of time to get fit enough, are you up for the challenge?

 

[ColinJ]

there you go potsy & colin, a target to aim for and plenty of time to get fit enough, are you up for the challenge?

I'm busy working out the logistics of getting there and back, plus looking at the route Fiona suggested with possible variations. A quick plot on Memory map indicates that it would be well over 200 km if Ripon and Pateley Bridge were included but I'd be wanting to bring it in as close to 200 kms as possible!

It couldn't be a Sunday if people were going to travel by train. They just don't run early and late enough to give time for an unhurried 200. There's also a limit on how many bikes can officially be carried per train, and I wouldn't fancy just turning up and hoping they'd let me on so I'd want to book. A return ticket from Hebden Bridge is £35! It is possible to save a bit by buying multiple single tickets in advance, but the cheapest combination I could find was about £27. Still a bit steep for me in my current impecunious state!

I think realistically, it would involve driving there and back so I wouldn't be able to do it unless perhaps Kevin offered me a lift.

I like the idea of Oxenholme, Sedbergh, Dentdale, Hawes ... (then numerous possible variations) ... and then Settle, (avoid the A65 so maybe?) Keasden, Wray, Gressingham, then the B6254 via Kirkby Lonsdale to Oxenholme?

Fiona - is the B6254 ok?

I can see lots of possible variations for the middle section from Hawes (assuming we don't go the Swaledale route over Butter Tubs) ...

• Hawes, ... Ripon, Pateley Bridge, Grassington, Hetton, Airton, Settle?
• Hawes, Abbey Hill, Leighton, Lofthouse, Nidderdale, Pateley Bridge, Grassington, Hetton, Airton, Settle?

• Hawes, Fleet Moss, Langstrothdale, Wharfedale, Littondale, Arncliffe, Malham Tarn, Settle?
• Hawes, Fleet Moss, Langstrothdale, Wharfedale, Threshfield, Hetton, Airton, Settle?
• Hawes, Aysgarth, Bishopdale, Wharfedale, Littondale, Arncliffe, Malham Tarn, Settle?
• Hawes, Aysgarth, Bishopdale, Wharfedale, Threshfield, Hetton, Airton, Settle?
• Hawes, Wensley, Carlton, Coverdale, a very careful descent of Park Rash!!!, Wharfedale, Littondale, arncliffe, Malham Tarn, Settle?
• Hawes, Wensley, Carlton, Coverdale, a very careful descent of Park Rash!!!, Wharfedale, Threshfield, Hetton, Airton, Settle?

I don't mind plotting these variations and seeing what they come out at in terms of distance and ascent if you like?

Could we agree on the ride out to Hawes and the ride back from Settle, then discuss the various options?

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

don't worry about getting there, i have a trailer for the car and i'm sure my misses wouldn't mind me nicking it for a day.

 

[potsy]

I'd be looking to drive there too, just over an hour I reckon.
We'll have to get some serious training/dieting done for it to be feasible though, something to aim for anyway.

 

[ColinJ]

I'd prefer to be under 13 stone to do a ride like that, but TBH, I was 14 stone when did my very hilly 141 mile Hebden Bridge to Coventry, Coventry to Hebden Bridge rides in 2007 and I was okay. Let's face it - Shaun is still 16 stone-ish and he's riding strongly so it is more a question of fitness than fatness.

Our extra weight should only make us about 20% slower when climbing, and will make long descents easier. It's the lack of hard miles which is really making me suffer.

 

[potsy]

I'd prefer to be under 13 stone to do a ride like that, but TBH, I was 14 stone when did my very hilly 141 mile Hebden Bridge to Coventry, Coventry to Hebden Bridge rides in 2007 and I was okay. Let's face it - Shaun is still 16 stone-ish and he's riding strongly so it is more a question of fitness than fatness.

Our extra weight should only make us about 20% slower when climbing, and will make long descents easier. It's the lack of hard miles which is really making me suffer.

At least

I wish I could have just one day where I am magically 12 stone, just to see how much difference it would make, the lightest I've been since cycling is 14 stone, no way I could even think of doing that ride at my current weight

 

[ColinJ]

At least

I wish I could have just one day where I am magically 12 stone, just to see how much difference it would make, the lightest I've been since cycling is 14 stone, no way I could even think of doing that ride at my current weight

Magically losing the weight would make a big difference, but how about magically being really fit as well, what would that feel like?

Let me put it to you this way ...

I'm big and unfit now and struggling on steep hills even with my 30/28 bottom gear. Even before its wheel bearings went kaput, I was hardly ever riding my Cannondale because I was struggling on steep climbs with it's 39/29 bottom gear.

Back in 2001, however, I got my weight down to 11 st 10 lbs. I done a winter of hard turbo-training and from late winter onwards I got back on the road and started putting some hard rides in. That year, I had a 12-23 cassette on rather than the 14-28 I now use. Climbs I struggle on in 30/28 now, I was climbing easily in 39/23. I didn't use the granny ring on my bike all year!

Being slim and fit on a bike is a great feeling!

I've suffered on the Manchester 100 lots of times. People will tell you it is a pan-flat route, but it isn't - it is flattish! There are lots of little climbs in it which are nothing when you are fit, but just completely kill your speed when you are not. Most years I was getting blown out the back of the bunch every time we hit one of them. In 2001, I was sprinting up them. It was fantastic.

We both have time to be in that kind of shape come July. It will be hard work, but let's go for it!

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

potsy, have i ever left you behind? you are already capable, subject to the weather. the ride us 3 did was far harder in that weather than the july ride will be. you have more than enough time. grow a pair.....

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

and for the record, i'm nearer 17 stone....

 

[mcshroom]

and for the record, i'm nearer 17 stone....

and unfortunately I trump everyone at 18st

Looks like I'm going to have to put some serious work in if I'm ever going to ride with you lot. Even if I have a 28x32 to grovel in