Todmorden/Whalley-Conder Green (near Glasson Dock), 100 miles/100km, Sat 24th Mar 2018

[mythste]

Ah, I did so enjoy this last year! I'm a definite maybe at the moment.

Was Carrie the unassuming lady cyclist who had my hanging out my rear end on the way back?

 

[ColinJ]

Ah, I did so enjoy this last year! I'm a definite maybe at the moment.

Was Carrie the unassuming lady cyclist who had my hanging out my rear end on the way back?

Indeed - a real 'pocket rocket'!

Unfortunately, she had a serious accident in Switzerland a few months after that, from which she is still recovering. This is an x-ray of her leg afterwards ...

She is back on her bike and has done 50 mile rides but this one will be the longest ride for her since the accident. She is already fitter than me again, but she won't be riding flat out on the way back this time. She will ride with me and other slowish riders. If some of you want to race back after the cafe stop again that is fine as long as you take responsibility for your own navigation!

100 mile riders from Todmorden:

• ColinJ
• @Littgull
• Bill? (non-CycleChat pal of ColinJ)
• @mythste - a definite maybe (though might be for the 100 km option?)

108 km riders from Spring Wood, Whalley:

• @rusty bearing (if ride takes place on 24th, as planned)
• Carrie and Kevin (non-CycleChat pals of ColinJ)

Guest appearances:

• @Domus at the cafe stop? (If the timing is right)

 

[Blue Hills]

Can't be along for this colin for obvious reasons but just to say all the best for the ride. Hope to do it in the future sometime. Good to see someone doing a "plan it and they will come" ride.

 

[ColinJ]

Can't be along for this colin for obvious reasons but just to say all the best for the ride. Hope to do it in the future sometime. Good to see someone doing a "plan it and they will come" ride.

Thanks.

We may well repeat the ride from Whalley to Wray that we have done the past few years, but no date for that one yet. I have to find out when other things are happening and fit around them.

 

[Domus]

Love to meet up with you all but I don't expect my motley crew to get there for that time. 15.00 would be more like it.

Have a good ride.................and save some cake for us

 

[ColinJ]

Love to meet up with you all but I don't expect my motley crew to get there for that time. 15.00 would be more like it.

Have a good ride.................and save some cake for us

No, we will have to be well on the way back by then.

I hope that you have a good ride too!

 

[doughnut]

Afraid my 50-50 has turned into a 0, Colin. Broke my arm last week while enjoying my new hang glider so I'm out of action for anything for a few months.

 

[ColinJ]

Afraid my 50-50 has turned into a 0, Colin. Broke my arm last week while enjoying my new hang glider so I'm out of action for anything for a few months.

I just spotted it on the Llandudno thread! Heal as quickly as you can.

My pal Bill (who might be doing this ride) had a scary hang gliding crash. He wasn't badly hurt but gave it up after that.

 

[ColinJ]

The weather forecast for Saturday has been improving so it looks like the ride should go ahead then as planned, in which case the rider list is currently ...

100 mile riders from Todmorden (Set off at 08:00 from outside Tod Chippy, by the bus station):

• ColinJ
• @Littgull
• Bill? (non-CycleChat pal of ColinJ)
• @mythste - a 'definite maybe' (though might be for the 100 km option?)

108 km riders from Spring Wood picnic centre, Whalley (Set off as soon as possible after 09:30):

• @rusty bearing
• Carrie and Kevin (non-CycleChat pals of ColinJ)

 

[Littgull]

The weather forecast for Saturday has been improving so it looks like the ride should go ahead then as planned, in which case the rider list is currently ...

100 mile riders from Todmorden (Set off at 08:00 from outside Tod Chippy, by the bus station):

• ColinJ
• @Littgull
• Bill? (non-CycleChat pal of ColinJ)
• @mythste - a 'definite maybe' (though might be for the 100 km option?)

108 km riders from Spring Wood picnic centre, Whalley (Set off as soon as possible after 09:30):

• @rusty bearing
• Carrie and Kevin (non-CycleChat pals of ColinJ)

Yes, forecast looking good @ColinJ and really looking forward to the ride, the company and clocking up my first imperial century of 2018.

 

[rusty bearing]

All geared up and ready, see thee at Spring wood. I can taste the beans at Conder green already

 

[ColinJ]

THE GOOD NEWS:

(a) rusty bearing IS coming along.

(b) I got a call from Kevin. He is bringing Helen, another non-CycleChatter. Kevin was asking me about the 2 metre height restriction barrier at the entrance to the Spring Wood site. It is still showing in the Street View pictures but Kevin drove his campervan in there last year so maybe it was taken down more than a year ago? Anyway - if you drive over in a tall vehicle and the barrier IS in place, you should be able to go across the lights and halfway down Accrington Road towards Whalley. There are always vehicles parked down there so it is obviously permitted, and there should not be a problem finding a place.

And now for THE BAD NEWS:

@Littgull made a spirited attempt to take @I like Skol's 'Most dramatic forced ejection from bicycle caused by idiotic right-turning driver' crown, but failed on the grounds that he didn't end up in hospital and his bike survived the impact! He did not completely get away it, however, and is feeling too battered to ride tomorrow. GWS, Brian; I am sure that you will joining us for other rides later in the year.

 

[Littgull]

Thanks @ColinJ. I'm hugely disappointed to be missing this ride but at least my injuries should clear up quickly as they are very minor compared to @I like Skol and @doughnut whose unfortunate mishaps I've only just become aware of. GWS chaps. Cripes we are falling like nine pins! This is the second time in 9 months I've been 'taken out' by a taxi driver.

If it was just the swollen left hand and little finger and slightly sore knee I'd still be riding but my major source of discomfort is at the top of my chest where I landed on the handlebar bar end. When I breathe in there is some pain and tightness so I will need a few days for this to heal and recover.

Have a really great day out tomorrow folks and I hope to be riding with you soon.

 

[I like Skol]

Jeez, the world is going mad! Stay safe peeps and I hope the remaining riders have a great day.

 

[ColinJ]

Today went well!

Bill and I did a nice steady warm-up ride from Todmorden to Spring Wood and got there with a few minutes to spare. Carrie, Kevin, Helen and @rusty bearing were waiting so we managed to set off by 09:35, which is pretty prompt by our standards.

There was a slight headwind at times on the way out but then we had a slight tailwind on the way back, so that was good.

The weather started off as advertised - fairly mild, overcast. The roads were still damp from overnight rain. We had some light, chilly rain over the top of the Trough of Bowland, but it didn't last. After that, we got lucky - the sky cleared and by the time we got to our cafe stop at Conder Green we were able to sit outside in sunshine.

The cafe has been upgraded since last year. The wall beyond the outside tables now has glass panels on top of it acting as windbreaks, without blocking the sun/views.

Bill had already decided to ride back solo and he set off before us. He wanted to be home by 5 pm and there was no way that I was going to manage it. I think he rode back via the Trough of Bowland in the opposite direction to our outward leg. We stuck to my route and came back via Scorton, Inglewhite and Longridge.

We stopped off at the Sainsbury's store in Longridge for a short break. Rusty wanted to get home in daylight so he said his farewells and rode on ahead of us as far as Ribchester, before leaving my route and heading back.

Carrie said goodbye to us in Whalley. She is stopping with a friend in Clitheroe for the weekend.

Kevin, Helen and I rode back up to Spring Wood, where I said goodbye to them and headed for home. As expected, I ran out of daylight and did the last 30 minutes in the dark. It was pretty nippy once the sun went down.

I got exactly 100 miles in today. I hadn't built up sensibly to this distance, having only ridden about 400 miles in total since Christmas, but I got back ok. I am pretty tired now though!

I couldn't be bothered to go out and buy the big post-century pizza that I had promised myself. I made do with a big bowl of muesli and some mixed nuts and raisins instead.

Spring Into The Dales next weekend! I hope the weather is as kind to us for that as it was today.