Winter Warmer ride - Hebden Bridge this Saturday (Feb. 13th)

[ColinJ]

Hi folks. I know it is short notice but with the weather the way it is, there doesn't seem much point in booking things up weeks in advance. Cut to the chase...

I just received a PM from Calum...

Hi Colin,

I think the time has come for a winter meet up! If you and some others are up for it, I was thinking this Saturday for a Hebden Bridge forum ride? It really doesn't have to be a big one, the harsh winter and a lack of cycling for months has resulted in me being not that fit at all! Maybe 35-45 miles?

If you fancy it, then we ought to start a thread up on the main site! I've said Saturday, as i'm supposed to be going out on Saturday night, so early Sunday morning is unlikely to happen. Plus it's a friend's birthday.

let me know if you fancy it!

Cheers,

Calum.

It sounds like a good idea to me - I'm pretty unfit myself at the moment!

The forecast is looking okay for Saturday so, does anybody fancy joining us? I'm thinking a 10:00 start.

I'd like to redo the route that I tackled with the then Rigid Raider (now Globalti) in December. I clocked it at 38 miles with 5,000 ft of hills (61 km, 1,500 m). See my blog write-up.

If you were looking for an excuse to get your bike out from its winter layoff, here it is! Book now, or forever kick yourself for missing out!

Usual ColinJ ride rules apply, which can be summarised as 'Survival of the Unfittest'! I.e. race off up the hills if you must but then you'll have to wait for me to arrive at the summits and you might get a bit cold!

Participants
ColinJ
Calum
Svendo
bromptonfb
bokonon
zacklaws
colly

and possibly also...

Crimmey (if being a new dad doesn't get in the way!)
longers (just to say 'hi' at the start)

Meet at Market Place car park at 09:45 to await arrival of Calum and bokonon who might be coming by train:

It's a long stay car park and is only about 30p/hour. I'd suggest paying until 17:00 just to be on the safe side (wardens patrol here and issue £60 fines!)

We intend to set off as soon as possible after 10:00 am. If anybody wants to turn up unannounced, fair enough but we won't hang about long unless Calum rings me to say that the train is running late! We will be heading up the Keighley Road towards Oxenhope so if you arrive a few minutes after we've set off - chase us!

 

[zacklaws]

I'm off Saturday and this sounds really tempting to come across and have a go, I'm just a bit put off with the long distance to travel for only a short ride and if its anything like it is here weatherwise at the moment, I cannot get out due to a sprinkling of snow and ice on the roads, and the local hills which I can see in the distance look even worse. I even doubt if it will be OK for my clubride this saturday and sunday, but I have not looked at the weather yet so things may be getting better.

I've two night shifts to do and I'll ponder on it. My heart is in doing it, common sense says no.

 

[Calum]

Balls to common sense! I don't think it's gonna be that bad, i've done a few rides of similar length recently and haven't had any problems with ice and snow. We can always stick to B roads and avoid the lanes if things get a bit dicey.

 

[ColinJ]

I'm off Saturday and this sounds really tempting to come across and have a go, I'm just a bit put off with the long distance to travel for only a short ride and if its anything like it is here weatherwise at the moment, I cannot get out due to a sprinkling of snow and ice on the roads, and the local hills which I can see in the distance look even worse. I even doubt if it will be OK for my clubride this saturday and sunday, but I have not looked at the weather yet so things may be getting better.

I've two night shifts to do and I'll ponder on it. My heart is in doing it, common sense says no.

Well, you'll be welcome if you do come along.

I can see your point about the travel-distance/ride-length ratio. There is a very obvious 20 mile loop that could be added on to get some more miles in - Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd, Cragg Vale (England's longest hill), Blackstone Edge, Littleborough, Todmorden, Hebden Bridge. It's extremely easy to navigate because it basically 4 right turns in obvious places so even if the rest of us weren't up for it you'd have no problem finding your way round that.

If I had the legs to do some extra miles and conditions were okay, I'd take you up to Blackstone Edge but come back by a more scenic route over the local hilly lanes.

Take on board though that it won't be a quick ride. I'm still about 15 stone so I go uphill slowly but I do at least go downhill quickly!

If the weather lets us down, we could do a repeat of this ride to Waddington and back which is on busier valley roads which won't be icy.

 

[Svendo]

Just PM'd Colin, I'm up for this, warm up for NWP the week after. I can show off my repaired frame although I'll have to clean it first!
Could be snowy you know. I did the lanes above Mytholmroyd and Sowerby on Monday ('over the edge' route but turning left up Steep Lane to get back to the farm turning on Cragg Vale.) , mostly fine but some slightly slidey moments where the snow hadn't melted off yet.
If we do the first route I've not done the lanes north of Stanbury yet, so that'll be new for me. I've always gone straight on to Wycoller when I've ridden round that way.

 

[Bokonon]

If I can get a suitable bike together, I'll give it a go. What's the maximum climb gradient likely to be?

 

[Calum]

Hi Bokonon, i'll probably be on the 9:08 train if you wanna meet at the station, it'll get us there at 9:55, just in time!

 

[ColinJ]

Just PM'd Colin, I'm up for this, warm up for NWP the week after. I can show off my repaired frame although I'll have to clean it first!
Could be snowy you know. I did the lanes above Mytholmroyd and Sowerby on Monday ('over the edge' route but turning left up Steep Lane to get back to the farm turning on Cragg Vale.) , mostly fine but some slightly slidey moments where the snow hadn't melted off yet.
If we do the first route I've not done the lanes north of Stanbury yet, so that'll be new for me. I've always gone straight on to Wycoller when I've ridden round that way.

Yes, the weather might play a big part in deciding the final route. We have an option to ride to Waddington instead if snow and ice force us down off the hills. I reckon we should be okay, but you know the weather round here!

If I can get a suitable bike together, I'll give it a go. What's the maximum climb gradient likely to be?

If we come back via the steep bugger at Thursden on the way to Widdop - a short stretch of about 25%! There are quite a few hills at 10-15% on the proposed route.

 

[trio25]

Can't make saturdays at the moment as working saturday mornings.

Will be up for a Colin special at some point though!

 

[ColinJ]

I've just been told that there is still a lot of ice on some of those hills. We might have to do the Waddington ride instead for safety's sake.

If we do go up on the hills as planned, we will have to be very careful on the descents!

 

[colly]

Thanks for the pm Colin.

I like the idea but I am not sure if I will be able to make it.
I have some work to get finished before Monday and if I don't get it finished by Friday it will have to be done on Saturday.
Even plodding on and knocking off at 10 pm tonight I am still behind.

SO. I will have more idea by tomorrow night so will let you know then.

If I AM able to make it then the van will be available for bikes and lifts as per previous jaunts.

 

[Crimmey]

thanks Col, would love to come however I just became a dad on Wednesday and I dont think mummy will appreciate me being out on bike so soon. I will try though

 

[dan_bo]

Congratu-bloody-lations Crimmey and co!

 

[ColinJ]

Thanks for the pm Colin.

I like the idea but I am not sure if I will be able to make it.
I have some work to get finished before Monday and if I don't get it finished by Friday it will have to be done on Saturday.
Even plodding on and knocking off at 10 pm tonight I am still behind.

SO. I will have more idea by tomorrow night so will let you know then.

If I AM able to make it then the van will be available for bikes and lifts as per previous jaunts.

Well, I hope you can make it. If not, don't forget the mini-North-West Passage on the 20th!

thanks Col, would love to come however I just became a dad on Wednesday and I dont think mummy will appreciate me being out on bike so soon. I will try though

Oh, I can see that it might not go down too well! Congratulations and even if we don't see you this time, there will be plenty more local rides to come.

 

[ColinJ]

PS The Saturday forecast has changed to light drizzle and about 5 degrees C. Friday night is supposed to be around about freezing but not a deep frost so with a bit of luck there won't be too many huge sheets of ice about and the drizzle will help to melt what there is. OTOH - any ice that we do encounter will be wet and very slippery!

Unless something extreme happens, let's hit the hills but - LET'S BE REALLY CAREFUL TO WATCH OUT FOR ICE - ESPECIALLY ON THE DESCENTS!

I'll take a head count on Friday afternoon and phone the cafe at Coldwell to book us a table. There was some nice soup laid on when I rode up there with Alun and colly at the end of November, and we topped that up with a little snack...