TDF '14 - Sage 1 finish - info and a big ask...

[TonyEnjoyD]

Mods, I apologise if I have put this in the wrong section...

Hi,

Myself and three colleagues were looking to get as near to the TDF Stage 1 finish on the day as we could, however, the prices have gone mental and the roads within a good few miles will be mental too.

As an option, we are looking to drive (from Newcastle) to about 20-30 miles North or West of Harrogate then ride in on our bikes.
Then came the realisation that even on bikes it would be a nightmare close to the finish, so:

Anyone gone any better suggestions (keep em clean please?
or
Would anyone within say 20-30 mintes walk of the finish, be generous enough to let us four poor badly done to cyclists lock our bikes in your back-garden, shed, garage until after the race then we'll cycle back to our cars?

Thanks all.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Quadruple room in YHA in York for the Friday before is £99 with shared bathroom, so £25 each. It's about 20 miles to Harrogate, so public transport or cycle.
The roads are unlikely to be any more "mental" than usual

 

[screenman]

Quadruple room in YHA in York for the Friday before is £99 with shared bathroom, so £25 each. It's about 20 miles to Harrogate, so public transport or cycle.
The roads are unlikely to be any more "mental" than usual

Not sure about that last line, closure etc. let alone the massive amount of bodies that want to be there.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Not sure about that last line, closure etc. let alone the massive amount of bodies that want to be there.

I suppose it comes down to whether they make a balls of it or not. No need for there to be any real disruption on the surrounding roads into Harrogate apart from on the route itself.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

And there are still rooms in Independent hostels in York, about £35 per person seems to be the asking price

 

[Tommy2]

Harrogate is usually a nightmare when the great Yorkshire show is on, total gridlock and the TDF is expected to bring in many times more people than the show, I reckon it's gonna be a nightmare.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Harrogate is usually a nightmare when the great Yorkshire show is on, total gridlock and the TDF is expected to bring in many times more people than the show, I reckon it's gonna be a nightmare.

Are the organisers of Le Tour Yorkshire or whatever they are calling themselves not priding themselves on "getting it sorted"? Which I'd hope includes not making a mess of traffic to make sure that everyone who wants to be there experiencing it actually gets to do so.

 

[Hacienda71]

Try to get on one of the decent climbs less mental than the finish, but far more exciting than a huge peleton whizzing past at 30 mph on the flat.

 

[400bhp]

Has anyone plotted a gpx route of the stages? I'd like to see the exact elevation so (if I decide to) I can watch on some incline or other.

 

[Tommy2]

Think there are a couple on garmin connect.

 

[Leodis]

Still not sure where to watch Stage 1 from, going to bike over with a ruck sack and see but buttertubs is too far out

 

[DCLane]

I'm riding up to my parents near Settle on the Friday, watching Stage 1 somewhere between Kettlewell and Hawes, then riding back home afterwards.

For Stage 2 my club's putting a camper up Holme Moss 2 weeks beforehand, so I'll be there with them.

 

[Leodis]

Nice, popping to York on day 2 to watch the start off. Might pop to Otley or somewhere before there

 

[Globalti]

Hebden Bridge by train looks the easiest option.

 

[ColinJ]

Hebden Bridge by train looks the easiest option.

Apart from having to squeeze onto the train with the 20,000 other people who have the same idea!

The best bet would be to forget the train, and definitely forget the car - come in by bike on one of the hilly roads. The valley roads will be a nightmare.

I live 250 metres from the route and I reckon that I might have to leave the house 3 or 4 hours before the riders get here to secure my place. When I went to watch the TdF pass down a non-descript section of Kent road, even there the crowds were building up over 90 minutes beforehand!