Season of Mists (& Mellow Fruitfulness), Oct 9th, 2016. (Mytholmroyd)

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ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
It is nearly time for the annual Season of Mists audax event. At 105 km, it is slightly longer than its usual 100 km because it starts and finishes in Mytholmroyd this year, rather than in Hebden Bridge. That is actually A Good Thing because it gives us a few km on the A646 to warm up before launching ourselves up the climb to Heptonstall - that used to be a real shock to the system coming only about 300 metres from event HQ!

Several of us usually get together and ride the event as a forum audax ride. It is a very tough route with hardly any flat roads, and a total of over 2,500 metres of climbing, so not really suitable for the unfit or hill-haters! (There is a shorter sister event (Mellow Fruitfulness) on the same day which might be of interest if the main event seems too long and/or hilly.)

Apart from passing through the fringes of Burnley on the way out and through Nelson on the way back, the route is rural and very scenic.

@Littgull and I have already entered. If any of you fancy joining us, you would be welcome to. I estimate that we will probably take 7 hours, give or take half an hour or so. We would go at the speed of the slowest rider, faster riders waiting at summits for the slower ones. We really don't want to take much more than 8 hours though or we would be in danger of missing out on the refreshments laid on for us at HQ. So, ideally you would be confident of tackling a very hilly 105 km (65 mile) route at an average speed (including several shortish stops) of about 15 kph (9.5 mph).

If you will be riding but prefer to do your own thing, fine - be sure to say hello to us at the start, and enjoy your ride!

If you are interested, post below. If you have any questions, fire away! I will update this post several times before the event so make sure to check back here.

SPECIAL NOTE: The weather for SoM seems to be great about 50% of years, iffy about another 25%, and bloody awful now and then. Littgull and I will ride in iffy or good conditions but NOT in awful ones, so we reserve the right to wimp out at the last minute rather than get drowned or blown off some fog-shrouded hilltop in the middle of nowhere! :laugh:

Riders:
  • ColinJ
  • Littgull
 

Buck

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
Sorry I can't make this Colin. I will be indulging my other hobby (photography ;)) in The Lakes that weekend.
 

busdennis

Veteran
Always look forward to SOM but wont be able to ride this year, it falls on my birthday and will be doing family stuff. Hope the weather is favourable for u
 
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ColinJ

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
Looks good, but I'd be unable to get to the start early enough to partake, sorry.
That's a pity but yes - it is a problem with Sunday rides when travelling by train since the first trains in the morning are often too late.

It is one of the reasons that I normally organise my rides on Saturdays, though some people have said that Saturdays are their family days!

Littgull (and others) have helped me out with lifts to rides which start too far from home for me to ride to want to ride to.
 

Kestevan

Last of the Summer Winos
Location
Holmfirth.
Not for me I'm afraid.
I had entered, but then realised it was the day after my birthday....can't say I fancy 65 extremely hilly miles the morning after the night before.
 

zacklaws

Guru
Location
Beverley
I'll be riding it again, think I have finally tempted to get someone from my club to have a go so will probably be hammering it round. Not that it will make any difference to me, I go up hills at my fastest speed as my legs can turn the pedals and carry the fat and plummet down the hills as fast as my body will go assisted by all the fat and gravity. And as there is little flat, not much chance of improving on past years. Noted Chris has a max speed of 24kms an hour this year, has it always been that slow, but it still equates to a faster time than I could manage overall.
 
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ColinJ

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
I'll be riding it again, think I have finally tempted to get someone from my club to have a go so will probably be hammering it round. Not that it will make any difference to me, I go up hills at my fastest speed as my legs can turn the pedals and carry the fat and plummet down the hills as fast as my body will go assisted by all the fat and gravity. And as there is little flat, not much chance of improving on past years. Noted Chris has a max speed of 24kms an hour this year, has it always been that slow, but it still equates to a faster time than I could manage overall.
12-24 kph has been the speed range ever since I first heard of SoM. You would have to be pretty fit to average that maximum speed. I remember one year (when I was not riding due to illness) seeing a group of lads coming back at the time equivalent to that so they obviously paced themselves to suit!

I took 6 hours to do it once with longer than necessary stops. Unless Brian and I are feeling exceptionally good on Sunday though, I would expect to take more like 7 hours. We'll see ...

I asked my friend Carrie if she was doing it this year but she is going to the Lake District for the weekend. My pal Bill might do it, but he will probably go haring off at the start, not be seen again by me until after the event!
 

Elwood123

Regular
If you'd be ok with a bit of a novice to organised cycling joining in with you I would like to come along.
Are there any restrictions on bikes on these events? I'm on an old cx thing with fat tyres.
 

zacklaws

Guru
Location
Beverley
It took me well over 7 hours last year, but I was burned out with all the rides I had done earlier in the year culminating in PBP and when that was over, lost all interest in cycling as I had no objectives any more and hardly rode again in August and September till Season of the Mists and had no go in me to get round, the fitness had gone. Its only lately I have started to get some interest back, otherwise I have only just been ticking over all year and just doing a few events I do every year to just keep in touch with it all
 

Elwood123

Regular
I took 7 1/2 hours on the wiggle aye up ride at the weekend, but that didn't have as much climbing. I'm still struggling with distance / climbing / pace comparisons. Up for a challenge though
 
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