'Totally Wyred' - a flattish imperial century from Whalley on Sunday 1st April.

[ColinJ]

The popular Fylde/Wyre flattish century forum ride from Whalley will take place again on Sunday, 1st April, 2012. Meet at Spring Wood picnic centre car park at 09:20 with a view to setting off at 09:30. (Those times are BST, the clocks having gone forward the week before.)

We will avoiding most of the coastal towns this time, and use a downstream toll bridge rather than the ferry to get across the Wyre. We will still call in at Bonds for ices, and Knott End for our main cafe stop. This route comes in at 162 kms (101 miles) with Bonds after 67 kms (42 miles) and Knott End cafe after 90 kms (56 miles). Map on Bikely.

I've also come up with a shorter option in case of disappointing weather on the day: The shorter version of the route takes a more direct route to Elswick, cuts out Knott End, and inserts a cafe stop at Scorton instead - total distance 117 kms (73 miles) with Bonds at 54 kms (34 miles), Scorton cafe stop at 77 kms (48 miles). Map on Bikely.

 

[italiafirenze]

The original date was best for me but as this is my "home event" i'll do my best to make either of the others, the Saturday probably being best, though neither ideal.

Perhaps a rethink of the section between weeton and staining on chain lane, it looks a small back road but it's a rat run between Poulton/Thornton and the Tesco/Whitehills area. Rideable solo or in a two but not great for a big group, I'd suggest either going farther out toward the prom (who cares about wind!) or go straight through weeton to singleton then elswick and make up the distance elsewhere.

The alternative isn't brilliant but much less traffic and much more common to see groups of riders. The road is wider and offers better visibility.

 

[Edge705]

Col I agree with Italiafirenzi you would be better doing wrea green to weeton to singleton to great ecc - Just before the 34.1 miler do a right instead of left follow that road all the way mile road in singleton basically you cut out staining you'll have to make up 3'ish miles elsewhere. In all honesty it would'nt be that bad on a Sunday but its not the best of roads car wise as chain lane is a rat run between Blackpool and Poulton - otherwise the rest around wyre is pretty straight forward - Knott end will be a nice stop if the weather is nice. Green dicks lane and lambs lane in pilling are not the best width wise and road wise but get little traffic and are more than acceptable for road bikes - Looks good Col but I'll probably ride out to Whalley and come back to Knott end spending the cafe stop at knott end with all of you and then nipping on the ferry to Fleetwood and home - If theres any forum ride before that before then I'll look to join that as well - well done col looks good

 

[ColinJ]

Perhaps a rethink of the section between weeton and staining on chain lane, it looks a small back road but it's a rat run between Poulton/Thornton and the Tesco/Whitehills area. Rideable solo or in a two but not great for a big group, I'd suggest either going farther out toward the prom (who cares about wind!) or go straight through weeton to singleton then elswick and make up the distance elsewhere.

That's the kind of thing I need to know!

I've changed the route to go straight from Weeton to Singleton, and have done a longer diversion round Garstang to make up the distance.

 

[Steve H]

I'm Cheshire Catting so can't do 25th. Would be ok for next two dates and happy to bribe / influence you with a lift Colin!!

 

[ColinJ]

I'm Cheshire Catting so can't do 25th. Would be ok for next two dates and happy to bribe / influence you with a lift Colin!!

Excellent - thanks Steve!

Let's make it Sunday, 1st April then and hopefully the weather won't make fools of us that day! (Apologies to those who prefer a Saturday, but there are others who prefer Sundays - I'll do a Saturday forum ride on March 17th)

 

[Alun]

Count me in Colin, I don't mind which date. As long it's sunny!

 

[ColinJ]

Okay, here's the rider list so far ...

• ColinJ
• Steve H
• potsy
• Alun
• Edge705 (from Whalley to cafe at Knott End)
• italiafirenze

Kevin (tubbycyclist) might be able to make it but he is going to a mate's party the night before so he might be the worse for wear. In case he doesn't make it, will one of you with a GPS and doing the full distance volunteer for backup navigational duties? Last time it was very handy having Kevin there too so one of us could lead the way, and the other could hang around at the back, keeping an eye on fellow stragglers!

I can do many of our more familiar rides from memory but I'd be in danger of getting lost in the Fylde/Wyre districts if something went wrong with my GPS out there. (Mind you, we should have the local knowledge of Edge705 and italiafirenze anyway.)

 

[oldfatfool]

Yeh count me as a probable, usual weather disclaimer, as I might turn it into a 200 and start from home.

 

[ColinJ]

Yeh count me as a probable, usual weather disclaimer, as I might turn it into a 200 and start from home.

Closer to a 300 - I reckon you'd be doing approximately 280 kms or 173 miles! (Don't forget - there'd be a total of another 41 miles to and from Whalley as well as double the distance between your place and Hebden Bridge!)

 

[wormo]

Can I join in. Will be my first ride with you guys. Grew up in Lytham.

 

[Globalti]

Note for the cafe at Scorton: it's notorious for bike thefts being easy of road access, crowded and popular with cyclists who may have to sit indoors, out of sight of their bikes.

I'm around on 1 April, I might be interested as Whalley is my nearest start point for rides.

 

[italiafirenze]

Can I join in. Will be my first ride with you guys. Grew up in Lytham.

It was my first ride last year, you won't regret it. A very nice bunch of people.

Don't fall over though, they won't let you forget it.

 

[potsy]

It was my first ride last year, you won't regret it. A very nice bunch of people.

Don't fall over though, they won't let you forget it.

Aww, did you fall over? Don't think it's been mentioned much

Colin, I'll put the route on my Garmin for back-up, though you might want to get a back up for the back up if you follow me, my sense of direction is not exactly to be relied upon
And it's not easy to be navigator when you're at the back all the time

 

[ColinJ]

Can I join in. Will be my first ride with you guys. Grew up in Lytham.

You'd be welcome wormo!

Note for the cafe at Scorton: it's notorious for bike thefts being easy of road access, crowded and popular with cyclists who may have to sit indoors, out of sight of their bikes.

I'm around on 1 April, I might be interested as Whalley is my nearest start point for rides.

Hopefully we will be doing the full century, in which case we will use the cafe at Knott End. We discovered the garden out the back last year and sat outside in the sunshine, keeping a very close eye on our bikes which we leaned against the hedges and walls a few feet away.

Kevin (tubbycyclist) enjoys a healthy hearty meal!

If conditions are not so good and we opt for the shorter route on the day, I think we will use The Barn at Scorton. We could sit in the covered outdoor cafe area at the side of the premises and keep an eye on our bikes.