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

[ColinJ]

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

Was that the 'standard' (56 miles / 3,129 ft) or the 'epic' (91 miles / 5,544 ft) version?

 

[Elwood123]

Epic, it was flat for the first 25 miles. So that equates to about 5000ft in 65 miles and that felt like plenty of hills.

 

[PMarkey]

I'm hoping to ride but my youngest is possibly back in hospital for five or six days so I may end up doing it as a perm when he gets out .

Paul

 

[ColinJ]

Epic, it was flat for the first 25 miles. So that equates to about 5000ft in 65 miles and that felt like plenty of hills.

That sounds like a good effort but Season of Mists has nearer to 8,500 ft of climbing (some at 20-25% gradient) in 65 miles so think seriously whether you would have traded in your 25 flat miles for 50% more climbs, some at 20-25% ...

This is the profile of the event when it started and finished in Hebden Bridge. Add another couple of flat miles at the start and finish this year, since event HQ has been moved down the valley to Mytholmroyd [NOTE Some of the event information still refers to the old start/finish in Hebden Bridge - NOT THIS YEAR!!!] ...

As you can see, there are hardly any flat roads to recover on!

As mentioned above, Brian (Littgull) and I would like to achieve a minimum rolling average of 14 kph (9 mph) in order to get back comfortably within the time limit when food and drinks are still available at the finish. I once did the ride with someone who was struggling and we ended up getting back after the cut-off time as the HQ was being closed down. We missed out on most of the post-ride food, with just a small slice of leftover cake and some cold coffee each!

Would you would be happy to make your own way back if you needed to slow down below our cut-off speed? If so, then you would be welcome to set off with us and see how you got on.

As for the type of bike ... if you were happy to do that 91 mile ride on yours then why not do this one on it? (Slick tyres would roll better than knobblies, but I don't think the size of them would make a lot of difference.)

I'm hoping to ride but my youngest is possibly back in hospital for five or six days so I may end up doing it as a perm when he gets out .

Paul

I hope your lad is okay, Paul. If you do ride on Sunday, would be doing our kind of speed, and would like some company - come and join us!

We will not be racing off at the front of the bunch. We will start towards the back of the field and go at our own pace. That usually means that we pick off a few stragglers along the way. If we went first, then we would be the stragglers getting picked off!

Look out for my red Cannodale near the entrance to the Community Centre at about 08:55. It has yellow decals, red and black tyres, and will have a dopey-looking tallish bloke standing next to it!

 

[sackville d]

Hi @ColinJ I shall be there.Tempted to use my carbon jobbie for a change, tempted to fit the compact from the Basso onto it rather than 51/38 at the front it usually sports. Weather looks good with a cross wi8nd/ tail wind on the return.

 

[ColinJ]

Hi @ColinJ I shall be there.Tempted to use my carbon jobbie for a change, tempted to fit the compact from the Basso onto it rather than 51/38 at the front it usually sports. Weather looks good with a cross wi8nd/ tail wind on the return.

Has the wind direction forecast changed then (it was looking like a cross/headwind until last night)? Ah, apparently it HAS! That would be better for us so let's hope it does turn out like that.

I certainly wouldn't fancy it on a 38 ring. I have done SoM with 53/39 front and 13-29 rear but didn't like the steep stuff with that gearing - it made everything hurt! I will have the luxury of 48/36/28 and 12-30 on my Cannondale this time round ...

 

[sackville d]

Yes the thought of El Bastardo (Thursden valley climb)after 50 miles is enough to get me doing some wrenching on Saturday

 

[ColinJ]

Yes the thought of El Bastardo (Thursden valley climb)after 50 miles is enough to get me doing some wrenching on Saturday

Followed by some retching on Sunday!

I did that climb into a strong headwind once while wearing a heart rate monitor. I was very very close to dismounting and walking up the damn thing but I bust a gut and made it to the top. I checked the HR data when I got home and found that I had maxed out at 199 bpm on El Bastardo!

 

[sackville d]

Yes, thank God for the control at Coldwell. To be fair I find it more of a mental challenge than a physical challenge . Sat eating cake and drinking tea at Coldwell, it can be quite a challenge just getting your arse off the seats in the garden thinking about that thing.

 

[PMarkey]

Well due to no room at the inn (bed shortage on the childrens oncology ward) I should be able to ride tomorrow but think I will sign up on the line as I have had to cancel to many rides this year due to sudden trips to hospital.

Paul

 

[ColinJ]

Yes, thank God for the control at Coldwell. To be fair I find it more of a mental challenge than a physical challenge . Sat eating cake and drinking tea at Coldwell, it can be quite a challenge just getting your arse off the seats in the garden thinking about that thing.

I see that there is still a control at Coldwell even though the cafe is no longer open. I assume that Chris C has managed to persuade them to allow us use of their car park.

I didn't like stopping there for long because my legs had always stiffened up before tackling the Thursden climb. The stop seemed too late in the ride with only a very quick ride back once that climb has been tackled, and all that food waiting for us at event HQ.

Well due to no room at the inn (bed shortage on the childrens oncology ward) I should be able to ride tomorrow but think I will sign up on the line as I have had to cancel to many rides this year due to sudden trips to hospital.

Paul

If you can ride, are not in a hurry, and would like some company then watch out for Littgull and me by the door to the community centre at about 08:55. I will be on my large red Cannondale. I am probably more recognisable now from my avatar picture which I updated from the 10 year old one that I had been using. I may be wearing those sunglasses or clear glasses. I will be wearing blue & white shoes and a grey helmet which has a peak.

My pal Bill will also be riding with us to start with though I suspect that he will leave us behind once he has warmed up. In fact, he told me that he intends to bypass Heptonstall and ride the longer but easier route of Lee Wood Road, the 'Heptonstall bypass' so we might not see him again after that.

 

[zacklaws]

If I recall at least the past two years at Coldwell, we have had the use of the kitchen for hot drinks and cakes etc for about £1.50 for one of each along with the toilet facilities and usually get our brevets stamped in the car park. Cannot remember the last time I used the cafe there on SOM, maybe never as the more I think about it, Chris's helpers have dished food out there. Think the last time I used it though was on one of your hilly rides Colin.

 

[ColinJ]

If I recall at least the past two years at Coldwell, we have had the use of the kitchen for hot drinks and cakes etc for about £1.50 for one of each along with the toilet facilities and usually get our brevets stamped in the car park. Cannot remember the last time I used the cafe there on SOM, maybe never as the more I think about it, Chris's helpers have dished food out there. Think the last time I used it though was on one of your hilly rides Colin.

I think you are right, but the cafe only officially closed at the end of March this year - LINK.

 

[ColinJ]

For 10 years I have been meaning to add summit waypoints to my GPS tracks. My GPS is really dumb so it only shows me a black line to follow, which gives me no indication how far it is to each summit, or how high each one is.

I am very familiar with the SoM route so I don't really need that information tomorrow, but it might be useful for pacing myself on tough unfamiliar climbs in the future.

I finally worked out how to do it so I will be testing it on the SoM ride to see how much difference it makes to me. I hate grovelling up a climb and not knowing how much more suffering there is to come. I think I'd prefer to be able to see that I have (say) 2 km to climb 200 metres. Of course, it may have the opposite effect and do my head in knowing that I am only 1/4 (whatever) of the way up ...

Anyway, I have got organised this evening and sorted out everything in advance so I don't have to rush around early in the morning.

Meet you outside Lidl, Brian, and at the community centre HQ anybody else who wants to ride with us or just say hello!

 

[Littgull]

That sounds like advanced level GPS programming to me, Colin. I'm still stuck in the ultra novice category when it comes to the tech stuff.

All prepared and raring to go! Porridge box and bowl out ready on the kitchen table. A couple of very light short showers in Littleborough tonight so hopefully clearing the way for a dry (as forecasted) day tomorrow.

See you at Lidl.