# Season of Mists, Oct 3rd, 2010



## ColinJ (13 Sep 2010)

I can't believe it, but it is already time to be thinking about  Season of Mists again! I hope to be riding it, despite having had a pretty poor cycling year so far and currently suffering from a bad cold. Hopefully, I will get over that and have enough time to get some fitness back before SoM.

So, are any other CycleChatters planning to ride the event this year?

(My blog report of last year's SoM)


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## zacklaws (14 Sep 2010)

I'm planning on doing it, had my leave booked for months for that day.


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## Beaker39 (14 Sep 2010)

After doing SITTD, which was great and also my first ever Audax, I have already entered this one as well. It will be tough but I'm really looking forward to it.


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## ColinJ (14 Sep 2010)

Beaker39 said:


> After doing SITTD, which was great and also my first ever Audax, I have already entered this one as well.  It will be tough but I'm really looking forward to it.


Yes - it _is_ a tough little event. It is 10% shorter than SITD but it somehow manages to cram 10% more climbing in!

We've been lucky with the weather the past 3 years but sooner or later SoM is going to be run in adverse conditions and then it will be _really_ hard work! 

The event has the same Hebden Bridge HQ as SITD and the same legendary post-event catering crew.


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## aJohnson (14 Sep 2010)

I'd love to... but I haven't been on the bike in a while 

Wouldn't mind doing the Rake again this year so I better get on it soon.


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## Beaker39 (15 Sep 2010)

Is there an electronic current version of the route for this? I like to convert it to miles before I print it out


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## PaulB (15 Sep 2010)

I'd love to do this but I always feel a bit annoyed that it is on the same day as the Helwith Bridge Duathlon. And it is again this year, unfortunately.


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## ColinJ (15 Sep 2010)

Beaker39 said:


> Is there an electronic current version of the route for this?  I like to convert it to miles before I print it out



I've just put it on Bikely for you (there was one version of the route already there but it had a couple of mistakes on it) - official Season of Mists route.


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## Beaker39 (16 Sep 2010)

Thanks Colin


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## zacklaws (18 Sep 2010)

I'm a bit slow off the mark myself, thought I had time to send of entry form today, but I see that it is within the two week limit for doing such by the time mail is picked up on Sunday now. I presume though that you can enter on the day same as "Spring into the Dales"?


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## ColinJ (18 Sep 2010)

zacklaws said:


> I presume though that you can enter on the day same as "Spring into the Dales"?


I may be doing that myself this year. I want to get a few rides in to see how I've got over my recent chest infection before committing myself. 

I'd suggest contacting the organiser (Chris Crossland) beforehand to let him know that you are coming (contact details via the link in my original post). It would be a bit unfair for loads of us to just descend on him at the last minute. If we tell him to expect us then at least he has an idea of how many extra cards to bring along and how much food will be required.

If I do ride, it will be slowly - I've neglected my cycling this year and am pretty unfit so I'll be conserving my strength and just ambling round at an easy pace and aiming to take 7-8 hours. Anybody who likes the sound of that is welcome to come along with me and let my GPS do the navigating. (I pretty much know the route by now anyway, but it's nice to have backup when getting tired!).


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## dan_bo (18 Sep 2010)

If I can bear to look at the bike after the three peaks next week i might do this- it has a nice title.


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## Svendo (18 Sep 2010)

I'm a possible, not working that weekend. Need to check with my domestic supervisor! I'll be entering on the day, but do my best to let them know beforehand (for catering numbers). I can confirm that the spread at the end is a proper slap-up buffet, with the best homemade cakes!


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## ColinJ (18 Sep 2010)

dan_bo said:


> If I can bear to look at the bike after the three peaks next week i might do this- it has a nice title.


Don't let the title fool you dan_bo, it's a pretty hard ride! I'm not sure that it is a good one for the old fixie - take a look at the profile...








Do you actually own a multi-geared bike?


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## Jacqui (19 Sep 2010)

Typical I am away that weekend as would have maybe had a go .

Probably the slowest but would have been good experience . Today was probably my first weekend since March without a bike ride and just can't remember what I used to do .

Hope everyone had a good day and the weather kinder than today.


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## OvertheHill (20 Sep 2010)

Looking forward to this after SITD which Mr Beaker and I did got us into Audaxing. Quite a few of us from North Cheshire Clarion doing this - the post-ride catering has swung it I think!


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## ColinJ (20 Sep 2010)

OvertheHill said:


> Looking forward to this after SITD which Mr Beaker and I did got us into Audaxing. Quite a few of us from North Cheshire Clarion doing this - the post-ride catering has swung it I think!


I think I might have bumped into you with andy_wrx at The Dalesman cafe in Gargrave on SITD?


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## dan_bo (20 Sep 2010)

ColinJ said:


> Don't let the title fool you dan_bo, it's a pretty hard ride! I'm not sure that it is a good one for the old fixie - take a look at the profile...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yeah the crossers been back for a couple of months now thankfully- I learnt my lesson last time bud!


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## OvertheHill (20 Sep 2010)

ColinJ said:


> I think I might have bumped into you with andy_wrx at The Dalesman cafe in Gargrave on SITD?



Yes that's right Colin


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## andy_wrx (21 Sep 2010)

Yes, we came over the hill into the wrong-rose county...


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## Alun (22 Sep 2010)

Colin,

I'll have a go at this with you and and any others that are up for it.
I've been working away for a while and on holiday so I'm a bit off the pace at the moment, but I'll get a few miles in beforehand.
Will we need lights?


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## ColinJ (22 Sep 2010)

Alun said:


> Colin,
> 
> I'll have a go at this with you and and any others that are up for it.
> I've been working away for a while and on holiday so I'm a bit off the pace at the moment, but I'll get a few miles in beforehand.


Excellent!

One thing I haven't mentioned yet is that the route goes straight up the Heptonstall Road from the start. That's 1.9 km at 10% gradient, so I always nip up and down the valley for about 15 minutes first to warm up. It's usually very cold in the valley at that time and it just kills me to ride up steep hills like that with stiff, cold legs. 

I'll aim to get to HQ at about 08:20 to sign up, and will then ride off towards Todmorden and come back at about 08:50 ready for the start of the event.



Alun said:


> Will we need lights?


If we do, then we must have been having a very bad day!  

The route is 100 km long and the minimum event speed is 12 kph so we should be back in 8 hrs 20 mins or less i.e. by 17:20 at the latest. I'd actually hope to be back some time between 16:00 and 17:00. The local sunset time on October 3rd is 18:39 so we'll have plenty of daylight hours.


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## andy_wrx (23 Sep 2010)

ColinJ said:


> One thing I haven't mentioned yet is that the route goes straight up the Heptonstall Road from the start. That's 1.9 km at 10% gradient, so I always nip up and down the valley for about 15 minutes first to warm up. It's usually very cold in the valley at that time and it just kills me to ride up steep hills like that with stiff, cold legs.



That's part of the fun of it !

Together with everyone else, do the illegal right turn at the lights, then go stonking up that hill, with the chatter around you being replaced by panting.

Almost as good is coming back down across the cobbles (my bike says Roubaix on it...)


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## ColinJ (23 Sep 2010)

andy_wrx said:


> That's part of the fun of it !


Not for an unfit 15 stone-plus rider it ain't! 



andy_wrx said:


> Together with everyone else, do the illegal right turn at the lights, then go stonking up that hill, with the chatter around you being replaced by panting.


Or in my case, a strangled wheezing from deep down in my lungs, sufficient to alarm fellow cyclists at a range of 100 metres.



andy_wrx said:


> Almost as good is coming back down across the cobbles (my bike says Roubaix on it...)


My bike doesn't, so I bear left at Slack Bottom (_titter, titter_) and bomb down through Lee Wood instead. It's a more exciting finish to the ride than the rapid plummet and heavy braking down from Heptonstall.


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## Sysagent (23 Sep 2010)

Mmm...


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## ColinJ (23 Sep 2010)

Sysagent said:


> Mmm...


Go on - you _know_ you want to...


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## andy_wrx (24 Sep 2010)

Do it anyway, whether you want to or not !


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## Rammylad (24 Sep 2010)

Would love to be with you chaps but i've opted for the Helwith Bridge duathlon. It's just so unfair to have three tempting local events (3rd = Accrington 10k) on the same day. Like a big box of chocolates and you're only allowed one. Enjoy and have a great day.


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## ColinJ (24 Sep 2010)

Rammylad said:


> Would love to be with you chaps but i've opted for the Helwith Bridge duathlon. It's just so unfair to have three tempting local events (3rd = Accrington 10k) on the same day. Like a big box of chocolates and you're only allowed one. Enjoy and have a great day.


Thanks, and the same to you (and PaulB) on the duathlon.

Perhaps we could do the SoM route as a CycleChat forum ride some time in the future, maybe a few weeks after SITD next year?


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## Rammylad (26 Sep 2010)

ColinJ said:


> Thanks, and the same to you (and PaulB) on the duathlon.
> 
> Perhaps we could do the SoM route as a CycleChat forum ride some time in the future, maybe a few weeks after SITD next year?


That sounds good to me Colin ~ whenever you fancy.


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## Sysagent (28 Sep 2010)

No Garz?

I am now 75% certain I will be doing this, the only issue being I have a wedding do the night before, but I could elect to drive...


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## ColinJ (28 Sep 2010)

Sysagent said:


> No Garz?
> 
> I am now 75% certain I will be doing this, the only issue being I have a wedding do the night before, but I could elect to drive...


Sorry, if you do _Season of Mists_, it will have to be on your bike! 

I haven't touched a bike for 23 days and didn't ride much in the couple of months before that so I must be really unfit. I'm certainly heavier than I've been for 15 months.

I've been doing some hill walking but I can't see that having maintained my cycling fitness.

Looks like another sufferfest for me!


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## zacklaws (30 Sep 2010)

Weathers not looking too good for Sunday, but its 3 days away so it will probably change.


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## ColinJ (30 Sep 2010)

zacklaws said:


> Weathers not looking too good for Sunday, but its 3 days away so it will probably change.


I'm watching the forecast carefully! If it turns out to be for foul weather then I'll probably skip SoM this year. The idea of 7 hours of grovelling in strong winds and heavy rain isn't very appealing!

Still, the forecast for the next few days is for alternating days of sunshine and rain so if the wind picks up or slows down we could end up with sunshine on Sunday instead of Saturday or Monday. I'll decide on Saturday evening whether I'm going to do the ride.


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## bigjim (1 Oct 2010)

Forecast is persistant rain for sunday.


ColinJ said:


> I'm watching the forecast carefully! If it turns out to be for foul weather then I'll probably skip SoM this year. The idea of 7 hours of grovelling in strong winds and heavy rain isn't very appealing!
> 
> Still, the forecast for the next few days is for alternating days of sunshine and rain so if the wind picks up or slows down we could end up with sunshine on Sunday instead of Saturday or Monday. I'll decide on Saturday evening whether I'm going to do the ride.


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## ColinJ (1 Oct 2010)

bigjim said:


> Forecast is persistant rain for sunday.


It's changed on the BBC and Met Office forecasts - now they suggest that it will be sunny, mild, and not too windy. 

I'll make a final decision tomorrow.

I looked out the window today when it was pouring down and was very glad not to be out climbing over Waddington Fell or one of the other big hills on the SoM route.


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## Sysagent (2 Oct 2010)

Sunday Chance of Rain. Overcast. High: 12 °C . Wind South 14 km/h . 30% chance of precipitation (water equivalent of 2.09 mm). 




Sunday Night Chance of Rain. Overcast. Low: 4 °C . Wind West 7 km/h . 30% chance of precipitation (water equivalent of 1.33 mm).

Weather Underground

Also there is a weather station at Clowbridge here:-

Clowbridge

And Higham here:-

Higham


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## ColinJ (2 Oct 2010)

The BBC and Met Office pretty much agree with that. Sunshine to start with, chance of a few showers later. That's what it was like last year and it was fine. I'm in! (Subject to entry on line being accepted.)


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## Alun (2 Oct 2010)

Yep, I'm in too!


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## zacklaws (2 Oct 2010)

Alun said:


> Yep, I'm in too!



I'm still in too. I've done just under a 1000 miles this month in preparation for this ride so regardless of the weather I'll be turning up. Don't know what I'm wearing yet to make myself distingishable in the crowd for those who don't know me, but I'll be on my Trek Madone, blue and white.

I'll post in morning just before I set off, and hopefully I will not have to have a waterproof top on as I have a feeling somehow that one of my yellow water proof tops will not stand out in the crowd. If I have time tonight I may even cut out a pair of C's in fluroscent red to stick on my helmet.


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## ColinJ (2 Oct 2010)

zacklaws said:


> I'm still in too. I've done just under a 1000 miles this month in preparation for this ride so regardless of the weather I'll be turning up.


You've done nearly 1,000 miles already in October - Jeez, you should turn pro! 

I've done less than 200 miles since the start of August so I will definitely not be riding quickly! In fact, I will probably spend half the ride wondering why I subject myself to such pain without having prepared myself for it.

Anybody who fancies a scenic GPS-navigated hilly meander - wait at the back for me!

Right, I'd better go and wash my kit and get those new Crud Roadracer 2s fitted to my bike.


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## zacklaws (3 Oct 2010)

I'm all ready of set off, just put the bike in the car and cannot believe how warm and still it is outside, i think I have put too much on and I'm cooking, I even considered a base layer, glad I did not now but I will bring it with me as it may be cooler inland. Weather forecast does not look too bad on the BBC, but another one says heavy rain all day.

For those who don't know me, I will be in a red top and red and black helmet and I have added a pair of C's in fluroscent red each side of my helmet above the ears and a fluroroscent red spot in the front center. Unless its raining at start, then it will be a yellow top, probably just like millions of the others.

Hopefully meet you all at the start.


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## ColinJ (3 Oct 2010)

Aargh - it's raining quite heavily here and it looks like it will be most of the time that we will be out! I think I might regret doing this ride...  

Now the decision is, what to wear? It might be too warm to wear my heavy duty waterproof jacket but too wet to wear my lightweight one. Perhaps I should wear a gilet _plus_ the lightweight jacket; at least I could take one of them off if the weather clears up.


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## dan_bo (3 Oct 2010)

I'm wearing my duvet for this one- enjoy!


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## Sysagent (3 Oct 2010)

I awoke at 6am and it was tipping it down here, went back to bed for an hour and it was coming down even harder, so bollards to doing 100km in this, there won't be any pleassure in it at all for sure...


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## ColinJ (3 Oct 2010)

I saw Svendo and andy_wrx at the start and they rode off, probably not to be seen again today.

I met up with Alun, battered and zacklaws and we (eventually!) set off together. Several things were immediately apparent:


Zack's training has obviously paid off. He had no problem whizzing off ahead of us on the climb to Heptonstall.

The rest of us were riding slowly even early on, and would only slow down more as the route got tougher.

It was wet. Very wet. Even wetter than that! We were going to have hours and hours of that water torture!
Zack was having to wait for us all the time, and he was going to end up getting hypothermia if he didn't just get on with his ride. We set him free before we got to the top of the Long Causeway.

By the time we got to Mereclough, we had a decision to make:


Continue on our way and complete the ride as planned.
Switch to the shorter Mellow Fruitfulness route.
Accept that we weren't enjoying ourselves, couldn't even see where we were going, were soaked to the skin and getting colder by the minute so it would make sense to cut our losses and head back to Hebden Bridge.


We chose option 3!

I know it might sound wimpish, but conditions were really awful and we were riding very slowly. It was obvious that we'd really be struggling later. A puncture or other mechanical problem would have been seriously unpleasant. 

We headed down to the A646 and followed it back to event HQ in Hebden Bridge.

The river was getting very high and riders coming in after us told us that it had by then flooded the road. The flood warning siren was sounding in Hebden Bridge itself. From the upper floor HQ, we watched the river water level rising. Whole trees had been washed into the river and smashed into several pieces - it was quite spectacular!

We hung around for a while, trying to warm up, chatting, and attacking the post-ride catering, for once before the fast riders got back.

Just before we left, Svendo arrived back, looking fresh and cheerful, total time including stops about 5 hrs 20 minutes. Oh, to be young and fit like that!

I think we did the right thing. We gave it a go, but it wasn't for us today. Big respect to those riders who went ahead and did the whole route!

Now then - Alun, battered and I still fancy tackling the route, only in better weather consitions so we are proposing to do it either Sunday 10th October, or if the weather is bad then, put it back to Sunday 17th. If you fancy joining us, take a look at the new thread - here


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## zacklaws (3 Oct 2010)

Well I got round, think it was my sense of humour that did it, the first half was easy but then it became more difficult, not so much the hills, but I lost the nerve for rapid descents down the hills, I think it was the fact that I had worn my brake pads out quiet badly in the first half so braking become very poor along with the roads which seemed to be in a very poor state. There was a lot of debris washed onto the roads in a good few places along the route in the later half. At one point it was just a great pile of shingle strewn across the road that had washed down from a farm track, another descent I was in agony holding back on the brakes, the road was a torrent of water and at one point plowed into a pile of very fine black pebbles that had me shimmying all over the road. When I got back to my car, I discovered that I had not clamped my brakes down after fitting my front wheel, which accounted for my poor braking, lesson learnt.

At 35k, I started to catch other riders up.

It did not also help as when I was slow, my glasses steamed up badly, so I was peeping over the top and on a few occasions overshot my turn as I could not see the Garmin. At one point I had to completly descend to the bottom of a steep hill after missing my turn and come back up it again as I would never have got going again halfway up and manage to clip in.

The route itself also went tits up at Coldwell and I had a big offset on it and missed a lot of turns and had to keep coming back to find the proper turn, the variation of the route and were I actually was, was quiet significant in places, this virtually continued to Hebden Bridge, whereupon I got totally lost as I could not fathom it out where the actual turn was. Fortunatley after going sight seeing for about 3 miles and realising Hebden Bridge was behind me, I changed Navigation mode, turned around and found the finishing point, looking at my Garmin download, I was almost halfway to Todmorden. Then I realised what that PCO was trying to tell me at the flooded road bit, "your off the wrong way".

Then just as I got to Hebden Bridge, the sun came out. Even my water proof jacket, just before Coldwell, started being waterproof as I could see water droplets beading on the sleeve , instead of a sieve, I cannot fathom that out actually.

According to my Sportstracks download, it was a maximum of 73.8mm/h precipitation and an average of 10.3mm/h.

I did suffer one injury, which I did not know about till I stripped off in the kitchen to throw it all in the washer, I must have had my "sack" trapped in my tights as one side is as sore and red as hell and untouchable, plus all my jelly babies melted in my back pocket, they were just a load of slush

Anyway got to go my tea's ready, I've just had the call.

Hope to see you on the next one, but not this month ride, and well done for attempting it. I could do with some common sense at times.


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## Steve H (3 Oct 2010)

Respect to you guys for giving it a go today. I've never seen rain as bad in Yorkshire as it was today. Flash floods all over the place, rivers definitely a few feet higher today. I got completely drenched walking my kids from the car park to the swimming pool entrance (20 yards of walking), so on a bike you must have been soaked to the skin.


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## Svendo (3 Oct 2010)

Hi all, Thanks for the name checks Colin!
I can assure you apperances are deceptive, I was knackered and was only cheerful because I'd been looking forward to the sandwiches and cakes for the whole second half! Did I mention my ride time was 4hrs42mins? Think I was in the second group back, behind a Condor CC guy, who'd 'passed us in the pits' at Coldwell by not stopping for a brew. To be fair, his group had be slowed by waiting for slower members and a broken chain on Nick O'Pendle.
It was very wet, to the extent that at Thursden I aked the chapI'd been cycling with, Mike in a VC jersey 'has it actually stopped raining?' and he said 'NO!' I'd just got numb to it! I was wet through but had just enough kit to remain mainly warm, which is OK once you've come to terms with wetness. Impressed at how good my lightweight showerproof Endura Rebound jacket is.
Zacklaws is right, it was treacherous in places, I think I found the same gravel patch he did and that thing where you see a hazard and think 'I wonder if I should avoid it?' as you ride right over it! Think I wore though about £10 worth of brake pads all round, was able to tighten them up by a good 5 turns of the nut and still have good clearance at the end of the ride.
I had to wait about a bit after I got back to GFs house as she was still out, there was plenty of deep flooding between Hebden Bridge and Todmorden, the river was pounding away at the walls and bridges it was flowing past and through. Closed to cars but passable by bike, Hehehe. Traffic going south was also being diverted up Bacup Road, because further on at Walsden, just south of Gordon Riggs Garden Centre, the road was blocked by a flood but also tons of hardcore. It was flowing down Allescholes Road, which is being repaired so I think it was the contractors big pile of it that hed been washed down. When I cycled past (again, passable by foot and bike only) there were big stones and quater bricks being washed down the main road, and ITV Calender there filming it. Walked past with the dog later at about 5.30pm and the water had stopped and there was a digger and sweeper clearin the road, but loads of mud where it'd been flooded. Still not passable by car.
I had a great ride all round, character building as they say, and a satisfying glow afterwards. There were some spectacular views, not far obviously, but dramatic with the low clouds and mists and beautiful countryside.


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## zacklaws (3 Oct 2010)

Svendo said:


> There were some spectacular views, not far obviously, but dramatic with the low clouds and mists and beautiful countryside.



I never really noticed many spectacular views as I was that steamed up most of the ride and too focused on the road looking for obstacles, it was only when I was back at the HQ, looking at the slide show when I had to keep asking where about's was that because I could not recall being there or seeing it.

I must have missed most off the flooding, Hebden Bridge area, as it was clear between there and half way toTodmorden about 1530, in fact my little off route excursion, I'm going to log as "cooling down" and not as a wrong turning.

Overall I did 68.29 miles, in 5hrs 59mins, climbing 7112 feet.

I was actually hoping the first checkpoint had some Contador brand Spanish meat pies to help me get to the finish a bit quicker, but sadlly I had to part with £1.55 on a raisin slice as a substitute and hope they might be Spanish raisins.


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## Beaker39 (4 Oct 2010)

All I can say is that was blinkin hard work, gulp!



9 of us set out and 8 finished. We encountered 1 puncture and 1 mechanical and LOTS OF RAIN !!! Finished about 4ish and was a very satisfying ride but probably the hardest I have done to date.

Look forward to giving it another bash next year and with any luck it won't be so wet.


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## ColinJ (4 Oct 2010)

Update on the flooding...

_Look North_ showed footage of the flooded A646 with police sending traffic back from the Hebden Bridge turning circle.

Upstream, the river washed away some retaining walls and several back gardens in Todmorden! The home owners had to be evacuated in case their foundations started to be undermined! 

It's a lovely day here today - isn't that just typical! 

Anyway, must dash - my pitiful 22 miles yesterday need to be topped up...


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## zaid (4 Oct 2010)

Well done to all of you guys for doing so many miles in that.

I had to make a 30k round trip to Airdale Hospital during the worst of it in the morning and that was bad enough!


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## ColinJ (4 Oct 2010)

What a difference a day makes...

October 3rd










Oct 4th


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