Season of Mists 2009

[ColinJ]

Hi all.

I thought I'd start a thread about this year's Season of Mists audax event which will be taking place from Hebden Bridge 5 weeks on Sunday (October 4th). It is a very scenic (read mega-hilly!) 100 km tour of the local hills. Highly Recommended!

Last year's event

It is organised by Chris Crossland who also does Spring Into The Dales which a few of us got together for earlier in the year.

Given the difficulty of the route, I'd suggest doing what we did for SITD and meet up at the start. and then go round in 2 groups - one for the faster CycleChat riders, and one for me and other slower riders or those nursing hangovers or just happy to take their time (Svendo?).

Do you fancy it, and are you likely to be riding in athletic class, or tourist class?

 

[aJohnson]

I may be up for it, Hebden Bridge is fairly close by. (20miles)

 

[Noodley]

Did it earlier this year

As you know since we met when I was almost collapsed in a heap after I had finished ....

 

[ColinJ]

Did it earlier this year

As you know since we met when I was almost collapsed in a heap after I had finished ....

Ah yes - you did it with MSeries as a 'permanent' on the Saturday and promptly abandoned the idea of riding Spring Into The Dales the next day, and buggered off back to Scotland!

 

[andy_wrx]

Ahah ! Thanks for the reminder, Colin.

I was wanting to do something at the start of October and was toying with the idea of the Autumn Epic that day, even though I thought it the most hugely over-hyped, nothing-out-of-the-ordinary sportive when I did it a couple of years ago.

I'd already rejected spending £25 on the new Tour of the Pennines sportive the day before.

So this is just what I'm after - if Season of Mists is as good as Spring into the Dales, I'm up for it.

Event website
http://www.westyorkshiresr.org.uk/

Map, GPS files, etc here
http://www.danialwebb.com/outlinesnorth.html

Athletic class if it's dry, struggle-round class if it's wet...

 

[ColinJ]

So this is just what I'm after - if Season of Mists is as good as Spring into the Dales, I'm up for it.

Event website
http://www.westyorkshiresr.org.uk/

Map, GPS files, etc here
http://www.danialwebb.com/outlinesnorth.html

Athletic class if it's dry, struggle-round class if it's wet...

It's the same organiser, start/finish and catering! (which of course is A Good Thing). 10% more climbing crammed into 10% less distance, with some of those climbs a 'bit on the hard side'!

A reminder of the route profile...

Spot The Flat Bits!

One piece of advice for those who haven't ridden the event before... take a good hard look at the first couple of kms! I'd suggest signing in in plenty of time and then going out and doing 20 minutes up and down the valley to warm-up before tackling the Heptonstall climb. I nearly brought my breakfast up the first time I did rode SoM.

The last two years were blessed by really good weather, but I'm not counting on it this year!

 

[andy_wrx]

'The Heptonstall climb' means down to that U-turn thing where you'd turn-back to the traffic lights if you wanted to go that acute-angled road, but rather than that you go up the hillside and over towards Widdop...?

Yummy ! That is a nice trick to play on cold legs

It's the same organiser, start/finish and catering! (which of course is A Good Thing)

Yes, I know it's Chris Crossland, and that spread at the finish is something to behold - I've been to wedding receptions which weren't as good !

 

[ColinJ]

'The Heptonstall climb' means down to that U-turn thing where you'd turn-back to the traffic lights if you wanted to go that acute-angled road, but rather than that you go up the hillside and over towards Widdop...?

Yummy ! That is a nice trick to play on cold legs

Technically, we should use the turning circle but it's pretty quiet at that time on a Sunday morning, so usually the whole group of us just turn straight up the hill, having stopped whatever traffic there is (and yes, there is often some red light jumping but at least it gets us out of the way in one go!)

Where we come to the fork in the road, we go straight up to Heptonstall, rather than the longer, easier way through the wood.

After Heptonstall, we go through Colden and Blackshaw Head and take The Long Causeway to Burnley.

We do Widdop Road in the other direction towards the end of the ride, including this bastard climb at Thurden!!! (Just when you don't need it - with tired legs, soon after stopping at the control at Coldwell Activity Centre!)

Last tough climb of the day!

 

[longers]

I'll be sending an entry off. Bit shocked that October is only five weeks away.

 

[ColinJ]

I'll be sending an entry off. Bit shocked that October is only five weeks away.

Ditto (twice). I saw quite a few brown leaves on the ground on my MTB ride this afternoon. Where did the time go?

 

[PaulB]

I've just got back from going up that very hill.

Unfortunately, I am on the Helwith Bridge Duathlon that day so will not be able to do it but I would if I could and I'm a bit jealous of all those who are doing it. Wish it was the following week!

 

[Noodley]

Ah yes - you did it with MSeries as a 'permanent' on the Saturday and promptly abandoned the idea of riding Spring Into The Dales the next day, and buggered off back to Scotland!

Absolutely!

Thanks for the pic of the last climb, brought back fond memories...

 

[Scoosh]

In the full sized image of that climb, I see a road continuing in an undulating upward direction over in the left distance.

Do you go that far ???

 

[pubrunner]

Hi all.

I thought I'd start a thread about this year's Season of Mists audax event which will be taking place from Hebden Bridge 5 weeks on Sunday (October 4th). It is a very scenic (read mega-hilly!) 100 km tour of the local hills. Highly Recommended!

Last year's event

It is organised by Chris Crossland who also does Spring Into The Dales which a few of us got together for earlier in the year.

Given the difficulty of the route, I'd suggest doing what we did for SITD and meet up at the start. and then go round in 2 groups - one for the faster CycleChat riders, and one for me and other slower riders or those nursing hangovers or just happy to take their time (Svendo?).

Do you fancy it, and are you likely to be riding in athletic class, or tourist class?

I'm very tempted by this event; I've just come back from a few days in Yorkshire and I (& the Missus & Kids) thought it was bloody brilliant. Stunning scenery, friendly people - it was ace ! We wish that we could have stayed longer.

Problem is, I'd possibly be older than most others from this forum; certainly less fit and slightly overweight. Is there a 'cut-off' time for this event ?

I only have a very old steel framed bike, at which you'd be able to sneer or laugh , but it got me round the 100m Cheshire Cat this year - my first and only event thus far. To be fair, the bike is not the limiting factor, but rather my state of fit/fatness. It would be great to meet some of you fellas, if only to wave you off as you vanish out of sight .

 

[Noodley]

Do you go that far ???

Yes, and the road looks as if it stops in mid air at the very top when riding up towards it.