York-Humber Bridge-York Saturday, June 9th, 2018

[ColinJ]

***** DATE CONFIRMED - SATURDAY, 9TH JUNE, 2018 *****


[It's a long thread and the ride is not far away. I am going through everything and will make a new post at the end of the thread which I will link to here. That will have the final version of the route, the rider list etc. Make sure that you read that post and check again just before the ride in case of last minute changes.]




I was chatting to @busdennis yesterday about the 2018 incarnation of the Humber Bridge ride. He didn't seem keen on taking charge again this year so I am volunteering to do it.

After last year's ride there was talk of doing a significant variation on our normal route. Normally we ride south of the Humber, have a cafe stop near the bridge, then cross over and return on the north side of the river. We said that this year we would come up a route which involved riding out and returning on the north side, crossing the bridge to the cafe, then recrossing the bridge afterwards. I like that as long as we can steer clear of too many busy roads and keep the outward and return legs separate as much as possible.

It is an ideal opportunity to get an almost flat imperial century ride in so the route will be devised to make it 100-and-a-smidge miles. (A 'smidge' is a small number, just enough to ensure that we get the full 100 miles in!) It is an ideal ride for fixed or singlespeed riders. There will be just a few minor hills. I managed to get up everything on singlespeed last year and I am not super-fit. (If you do have to walk, it wouldn't be far!)

I'm starting the thread early to give us time to work on the route. We also need to decide on the date. It will have to be a Saturday because I will be coming over by train and Sundays are useless for early starts. I could make it 9th June, 23rd June (Too busy - York Cycle Rally) or 14th July. It will be a 09:00 start from the front of York railway station.

So - let's get to work! Express your interest below, and what dates you can do. If there is a clear majority in favour of one of those dates (from those with a commitment to ride, rather than just a vague interest!) then we will go with that date. If there is a tie, then we will go for the earlier/earliest date to give us an option of postponing the ride if the weather turned evil on us for the chosen date.

 

[Soltydog]

I'll tag along for part or maybe all of the route depending on times & shifts. Our work roster could change in May. I'll know in the next few weeks, so I'll confirm my available dates once I know. (as it stands I can't make any of the dates for the full ride )
& re the useless Sunday train times, that may be changing with the new timetable in May, but don't hold your breath

 

[DCLane]

I can make the 9th of June, others my son's racing on.

 

[mjr]

23 June is the York Rally so the area may be very busy with cyclists. Not sure if that helps (safety in numbers) or hinders (competition for train spaces).

 

[Buck]

I enjoyed last years ride @ColinJ

Not sure if I can do the June dates but the 14th might be OK as my last big ride ahead of the PRL100 on the 29th.

I’ll keep an eye on the thread

 

[Pale Rider]

Any date is OK for me.

Varying the route by staying 'northside' and popping over the bridge for lunch is a good idea.

The loop around Scunthorpe adds quite a few miles, so there may be some creative thinking needed to stay north of the Humber, get a ton, and reach the bridge roughly half way.

As a start, I wonder if we might leave York via the Knavesmire and the 'planets' path to Selby, before heading east to the bridge.

I think there's a cycle path beside the estuary through Hessle and on to the bridge.

The return loop may need to track north a bit to get the miles, possibly through Beverley and/or Pocklington.

Not doing the existing route from the bridge is no bad thing because the first few miles are a bit iffy for traffic.

 

[ColinJ]

I'll tag along for part or maybe all of the route depending on times & shifts. Our work roster could change in May. I'll know in the next few weeks, so I'll confirm my available dates once I know. (as it stands I can't make any of the dates for the full ride )

We don't have to finalise the date until nearer the time, but I would certainly like to have decided by the second half of May.

& re the useless Sunday train times, that may be changing with the new timetable in May, but don't hold your breath

We have never been able to catch trains from this valley to anywhere on a Sunday at a reasonably early time. Currently, the first train to Leeds is 09:42 so they would have to lay one on about 2.5 hours earlier, which I can't see happening!

I can make the 9th of June, others my son's racing on.

Noted!

23 June is the York Rally so the area may be very busy with cyclists. Not sure if that helps (safety in numbers) or hinders (competition for train spaces).

A very good point - I will cross the 23rd off the list! I reckon that it is almost certain that there would be competition for space on the trains.

I enjoyed last years ride @ColinJ

Not sure if I can do the June dates but the 14th might be OK as my last big ride ahead of the PRL100 on the 29th.

I’ll keep an eye on the thread

Noted!

 

[Blue Hills]

Can't do this year but would love to do it in the future sometime. Have a great ride folks.

 

[Littgull]

I'm ok for either date at present.

It was a very enjoyable ride last year especially when the sun came out really warm after the initial very wet period when we set off from York.

The routing amendments suggested sound good options to avoid busy bits and I'll look forward to seeing the agreed finalised route following input from those with more knowledge of the East Yorkshire area such as @Pale Rider and others.

 

[ColinJ]

I just reminded myself how much discussion there was after last year's ride about what this year's route would be ... @EasyPeez and @Slioch volunteered their help so tagging them there should catch their attention! Let's review what we talked about last year. I will draw a few maps and post them later in the thread.

I had forgotten that I had suggested starting at York station instead of the Minster. That would suit those of us coming in by train, but would also mean that whoever arrived first could easily find shelter/toilets/coffee. (Hopefully, shelter will not actually be required this year though because it will be a lovely sunny day!)

So, first thing to be decided - start & finish at the railway station or the Minster?

 

[ColinJ]

It seems that we could pretty much get from York to the bridge on the Trans Pennine Trail. I like the idea of doing that as long as we could achieve an average riding speed of at least (say) 11-12 mph on it? (I don't want to be getting back to York TOO late, or I would be an awfully long day out for me, Littgull and anybody else coming a long way to do the ride.

I have been on some paths where it is impossible to get any speed up due to encountering scores of families meandering about. If we would be likely to be slowed to a crawl too often then roads would be a better bet.

 

[Pale Rider]

You are right to be wary of speed on the paths.

The solar system path to Selby can be busy with peds, dogs, and 'family' cyclists not looking to make the progress we will be.

If we get away on time, we may be over most of it before too many folks are up and about.

Following route 65 - green dots on the OS map - should work.

A lot of it is on minor roads where we can crack on a bit.

Some parts are common to the Trans Pennine Trail, but I suspect route 65 routes you off the trail because parts of it are not easily ridable.

Last thing we want on a 100+ mile ride is obstacles - gates, steps, etc to negotiate.

I reckon following 65 will give us about 50 miles to the bridge.

The usual route back is, I think, 40-odd miles, so we will need to put some extra in somewhere.

Beverley, Market Weighton, Pocklington, Stamford Bridge looks to be an option - mostly minor roads.

However, anything in that direction is adding ups and downs as well as miles.

There might be a way of lengthening our usual route back through the likes of North and South Cave, which is flatter.

@EasyPeez may have some ideas.

 

[ColinJ]

Maybe keep the TPT sections down to the minimum that allows us to stick to quiet roads?

Meanwhile, bearing in mind some of the discussions that we had last year, the old route, the need to add a bit extra on to make up the distance to be lost on the outward leg etc. ... I used the excellent cycle.travel site to suggest a route back from the Humber and nudged it in the direction of the roads that I wanted it to take. It came up with what looks like a very good route via Stamford Bridge. I have played through it using the equally excellent Street View Player and the roads look good. I can't vouch for the cycle path sections not covered by SV cameras, but maybe some of you local riders could comment?

Here's a rough map (and elevation profile):

Description:

Over the bridge, Swanland-North Ferriby (first lump on profile), Melton, Welton-South Newbald (the main lump on the profile) via Riplingham and High Hunsley, Hotham, South Cliffe, North Cliffe, Harswell, Everingham, Scamland, Thornton, Allerthorpe Common, Stamford Bridge, cycle path 66 to Dunnington (IS THAT A GOOD SURFACE?), various stretches of cycle path and mainly minor roads into York.

Distance approximately 85 km (53 miles).

Given that I will be on singlespeed, I thought I'd check the stats for the main lump and they turn out to be pretty benign - (approximately) 2 km (1.25 miles) at 4.2%, 0.8 km (0.5 miles) at 3.3%, and 1.4 km (0.9 miles) at 3%.

Opinions please!

I've attached a gpx file for my proposed return leg.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I'm interested in doing this and think I can do either date. I'm going to tag @13 rider and @tallliman to see if they are interested as well.

 

[Pale Rider]

Maybe keep the TPT sections down to the minimum that allows us to stick to quiet roads?

Meanwhile, bearing in mind some of the discussions that we had last year, the old route, the need to add a bit extra on to make up the distance to be lost on the outward leg etc. ... I used the excellent cycle.travel site to suggest a route back from the Humber and nudged it in the direction of the roads that I wanted it to take. It came up with what looks like a very good route via Stamford Bridge. I have played through it using the equally excellent Street View Player and the roads look good. I can't vouch for the cycle path sections not covered by SV cameras, but maybe some of you local riders could comment?

Here's a rough map (and elevation profile):

View attachment 403756

Description:

Over the bridge, Swanland-North Ferriby (first lump on profile), Melton, Welton-South Newbald (the main lump on the profile) via Riplingham and High Hunsley, Hotham, South Cliffe, North Cliffe, Harswell, Everingham, Scamland, Thornton, Allerthorpe Common, Stamford Bridge, cycle path 66 to Dunnington (IS THAT A GOOD SURFACE?), various stretches of cycle path and mainly minor roads into York.

Distance approximately 85 km (53 miles).

Given that I will be on singlespeed, I thought I'd check the stats for the main lump and they turn out to be pretty benign - (approximately) 2 km (1.25 miles) at 4.2%, 0.8 km (0.5 miles) at 3.3%, and 1.4 km (0.9 miles) at 3%.

Opinions please!

I've attached a gpx file for my proposed return leg.

Return looks good to me.

The outward is also pretty much sorted so I reckon we have our route unless anyone else wants to change it.

I'm interested in doing this and think I can do either date. I'm going to tag @13 rider and @tallliman to see if they are interested as well.

I've done this ride five times in various company.

On three of those occasions it has absolutely chucked it down.

At least it's generally wet and warm, rather than wet and cold, so it won't be as, er, challenging, as our Spurn ride last year.