# Season of Mists (& Mellow Fruitfulness), Oct 9th, 2016. (Mytholmroyd)



## ColinJ (26 Sep 2016)

It is nearly time for the annual Season of Mists audax event. At 105 km, it is slightly longer than its usual 100 km because it starts and finishes in Mytholmroyd this year, rather than in Hebden Bridge. That is actually _A Good Thing_ because it gives us a few km on the A646 to warm up before launching ourselves up the climb to Heptonstall - that used to be a real shock to the system coming only about 300 metres from event HQ!

Several of us usually get together and ride the event as a forum audax ride. It is a very tough route with hardly any flat roads, and a total of over 2,500 metres of climbing, so not really suitable for the unfit or hill-haters! (There is a shorter sister event (Mellow Fruitfulness) on the same day which might be of interest if the main event seems too long and/or hilly.)

Apart from passing through the fringes of Burnley on the way out and through Nelson on the way back, the route is rural and very scenic.

@Littgull and I have already entered. If any of you fancy joining us, you would be welcome to. I estimate that we will probably take 7 hours, give or take half an hour or so. We would go at the speed of the slowest rider, faster riders waiting at summits for the slower ones. We really don't want to take much more than 8 hours though or we would be in danger of missing out on the refreshments laid on for us at HQ. So, ideally you would be confident of tackling a very hilly 105 km (65 mile) route at an average speed (including several shortish stops) of about 15 kph (9.5 mph).

If you will be riding but prefer to do your own thing, fine - be sure to say hello to us at the start, and enjoy your ride!

If you are interested, post below. If you have any questions, fire away! I will update this post several times before the event so make sure to check back here.

*SPECIAL NOTE: The weather for SoM seems to be great about 50% of years, iffy about another 25%, and bloody awful now and then. Littgull and I will ride in iffy or good conditions but NOT in awful ones, so we reserve the right to wimp out at the last minute rather than get drowned or blown off some fog-shrouded hilltop in the middle of nowhere!* 

Riders:

ColinJ
Littgull


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## Buck (26 Sep 2016)

Sorry I can't make this Colin. I will be indulging my other hobby (photography ) in The Lakes that weekend.


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## ColinJ (26 Sep 2016)

Buck said:


> Sorry I can't make this Colin. I will be indulging my other hobby (photography ) in The Lakes that weekend.


Oh well - have fun!

Maybe next year ...?


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## Buck (26 Sep 2016)

ColinJ said:


> Oh well - have fun!
> 
> Maybe next year ...?



Hope so...will it be around the same date?


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## ColinJ (27 Sep 2016)

Buck said:


> Hope so...will it be around the same date?


I think it is always the first or second Sunday in October, depending on what date that falls on. You can check many months ahead on the audax calendar. (Next year's event is currently showing as Sun, 8th Oct but I'm not sure if that has been confirmed.)


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## busdennis (27 Sep 2016)

Always look forward to SOM but wont be able to ride this year, it falls on my birthday and will be doing family stuff. Hope the weather is favourable for u


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## si_c (27 Sep 2016)

Looks good, but I'd be unable to get to the start early enough to partake, sorry.


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## ColinJ (27 Sep 2016)

si_c said:


> Looks good, but I'd be unable to get to the start early enough to partake, sorry.


That's a pity but yes - it is a problem with Sunday rides when travelling by train since the first trains in the morning are often too late.

It is one of the reasons that I normally organise my rides on Saturdays, though some people have said that Saturdays are their family days!

Littgull (and others) have helped me out with lifts to rides which start too far from home for me to ride to want to ride to.


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## Kestevan (30 Sep 2016)

Not for me I'm afraid. 
I had entered, but then realised it was the day after my birthday....can't say I fancy 65 extremely hilly miles the morning after the night before.


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## ColinJ (30 Sep 2016)

You birthday boys should treat the ride as one of your birthday presents and shift your drinking sessions to the Sunday evening!


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## zacklaws (3 Oct 2016)

I'll be riding it again, think I have finally tempted to get someone from my club to have a go so will probably be hammering it round. Not that it will make any difference to me, I go up hills at my fastest speed as my legs can turn the pedals and carry the fat and plummet down the hills as fast as my body will go assisted by all the fat and gravity. And as there is little flat, not much chance of improving on past years. Noted Chris has a max speed of 24kms an hour this year, has it always been that slow, but it still equates to a faster time than I could manage overall.


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## ColinJ (3 Oct 2016)

zacklaws said:


> I'll be riding it again, think I have finally tempted to get someone from my club to have a go so will probably be hammering it round. Not that it will make any difference to me, I go up hills at my fastest speed as my legs can turn the pedals and carry the fat and plummet down the hills as fast as my body will go assisted by all the fat and gravity. And as there is little flat, not much chance of improving on past years. Noted Chris has a max speed of 24kms an hour this year, has it always been that slow, but it still equates to a faster time than I could manage overall.


12-24 kph has been the speed range ever since I first heard of SoM. You would have to be pretty fit to average that maximum speed. I remember one year (when I was not riding due to illness) seeing a group of lads coming back at the time equivalent to that so they obviously paced themselves to suit!

I took 6 hours to do it once with longer than necessary stops. Unless Brian and I are feeling exceptionally good on Sunday though, I would expect to take more like 7 hours. We'll see ...

I asked my friend Carrie if she was doing it this year but she is going to the Lake District for the weekend. My pal Bill might do it, but he will probably go haring off at the start, not be seen again by me until after the event!


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## Elwood123 (3 Oct 2016)

If you'd be ok with a bit of a novice to organised cycling joining in with you I would like to come along.
Are there any restrictions on bikes on these events? I'm on an old cx thing with fat tyres.


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## zacklaws (3 Oct 2016)

It took me well over 7 hours last year, but I was burned out with all the rides I had done earlier in the year culminating in PBP and when that was over, lost all interest in cycling as I had no objectives any more and hardly rode again in August and September till Season of the Mists and had no go in me to get round, the fitness had gone. Its only lately I have started to get some interest back, otherwise I have only just been ticking over all year and just doing a few events I do every year to just keep in touch with it all


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## Elwood123 (3 Oct 2016)

I took 7 1/2 hours on the wiggle aye up ride at the weekend, but that didn't have as much climbing. I'm still struggling with distance / climbing / pace comparisons. Up for a challenge though


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## ColinJ (3 Oct 2016)

Elwood123 said:


> I took 7 1/2 hours on the wiggle aye up ride at the weekend, but that didn't have as much climbing. I'm still struggling with distance / climbing / pace comparisons. Up for a challenge though


Was that the 'standard' (56 miles / 3,129 ft) or the 'epic' (91 miles / 5,544 ft) version?


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## Elwood123 (4 Oct 2016)

Epic, it was flat for the first 25 miles. So that equates to about 5000ft in 65 miles and that felt like plenty of hills.


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## PMarkey (4 Oct 2016)

I'm hoping to ride but my youngest is possibly back in hospital for five or six days so I may end up doing it as a perm when he gets out .

Paul


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## ColinJ (4 Oct 2016)

Elwood123 said:


> Epic, it was flat for the first 25 miles. So that equates to about 5000ft in 65 miles and that felt like plenty of hills.


That sounds like a good effort but Season of Mists has nearer to 8,500 ft of climbing (some at 20-25% gradient) in 65 miles so think seriously whether you would have traded in your 25 flat miles for 50% more climbs, some at 20-25% ... 

This is the profile of the event when it started and finished in Hebden Bridge. Add another couple of flat miles at the start and finish this year, since event HQ has been moved down the valley to Mytholmroyd *[NOTE Some of the event information still refers to the old start/finish in Hebden Bridge - NOT THIS YEAR!!!] ...*







As you can see, there are hardly any flat roads to recover on!

As mentioned above, Brian (Littgull) and I would like to achieve a minimum rolling average of 14 kph (9 mph) in order to get back comfortably within the time limit when food and drinks are still available at the finish. I once did the ride with someone who was struggling and we ended up getting back after the cut-off time as the HQ was being closed down. We missed out on most of the post-ride food, with just a small slice of leftover cake and some cold coffee each!

Would you would be happy to make your own way back if you needed to slow down below our cut-off speed? If so, then you would be welcome to set off with us and see how you got on.

As for the type of bike ... if you were happy to do that 91 mile ride on yours then why not do this one on it? (Slick tyres would roll better than knobblies, but I don't think the size of them would make a lot of difference.)



PMarkey said:


> I'm hoping to ride but my youngest is possibly back in hospital for five or six days so I may end up doing it as a perm when he gets out .
> 
> Paul


I hope your lad is okay, Paul. If you do ride on Sunday, would be doing our kind of speed, and would like some company - come and join us!

We will not be racing off at the front of the bunch. We will start towards the back of the field and go at our own pace. That usually means that we pick off a few stragglers along the way. If we went first, then _we_ would be the stragglers getting picked off!  

Look out for my red Cannodale near the entrance to the Community Centre at about 08:55. It has yellow decals, red and black tyres, and will have a dopey-looking tallish bloke standing next to it!


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## sackville d (6 Oct 2016)

Hi @ColinJ I shall be there.Tempted to use my carbon jobbie for a change, tempted to fit the compact from the Basso onto it rather than 51/38 at the front it usually sports. Weather looks good with a cross wi8nd/ tail wind on the return.


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## ColinJ (6 Oct 2016)

sackville d said:


> Hi @ColinJ I shall be there.Tempted to use my carbon jobbie for a change, tempted to fit the compact from the Basso onto it rather than 51/38 at the front it usually sports. Weather looks good with a cross wi8nd/ tail wind on the return.


Has the wind direction forecast changed then (it was looking like a cross/headwind until last night)? Ah, apparently it HAS! That would be better for us so let's hope it does turn out like that.

I certainly wouldn't fancy it on a 38 ring. I have done SoM with 53/39 front and 13-29 rear but didn't like the steep stuff with that gearing - it made everything hurt! I will have the luxury of 48/36/28 and 12-30 on my Cannondale this time round ...


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## sackville d (6 Oct 2016)

Yes the thought of El Bastardo (Thursden valley climb)after 50 miles is enough to get me doing some wrenching on Saturday


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## ColinJ (7 Oct 2016)

sackville d said:


> Yes the thought of El Bastardo (Thursden valley climb)after 50 miles is enough to get me doing some wrenching on Saturday


Followed by some _retching_ on Sunday! 

I did that climb into a strong headwind once while wearing a heart rate monitor. I was very very close to dismounting and walking up the damn thing but I bust a gut and made it to the top. I checked the HR data when I got home and found that I had maxed out at 199 bpm on El Bastardo!


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## sackville d (8 Oct 2016)

Yes, thank God for the control at Coldwell. To be fair I find it more of a mental challenge than a physical challenge . Sat eating cake and drinking tea at Coldwell, it can be quite a challenge just getting your arse off the seats in the garden thinking about that thing.


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## PMarkey (8 Oct 2016)

Well due to no room at the inn (bed shortage on the childrens oncology ward) I should be able to ride tomorrow but think I will sign up on the line as I have had to cancel to many rides this year due to sudden trips to hospital.

Paul


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## ColinJ (8 Oct 2016)

sackville d said:


> Yes, thank God for the control at Coldwell. To be fair I find it more of a mental challenge than a physical challenge . Sat eating cake and drinking tea at Coldwell, it can be quite a challenge just getting your arse off the seats in the garden thinking about that thing.


I see that there is still a control at Coldwell even though the cafe is no longer open. I assume that Chris C has managed to persuade them to allow us use of their car park.

I didn't like stopping there for long because my legs had always stiffened up before tackling the Thursden climb. The stop seemed too late in the ride with only a very quick ride back once that climb has been tackled, and all that food waiting for us at event HQ.



PMarkey said:


> Well due to no room at the inn (bed shortage on the childrens oncology ward) I should be able to ride tomorrow but think I will sign up on the line as I have had to cancel to many rides this year due to sudden trips to hospital.
> 
> Paul


If you can ride, are not in a hurry, and would like some company then watch out for Littgull and me by the door to the community centre at about 08:55. I will be on my large red Cannondale. I am probably more recognisable now from my avatar picture which I updated from the 10 year old one that I had been using. I may be wearing those sunglasses or clear glasses. I will be wearing blue & white shoes and a grey helmet which has a peak. 

My pal Bill will also be riding with us to start with though I suspect that he will leave us behind once he has warmed up. In fact, he told me that he intends to bypass Heptonstall and ride the longer but easier route of Lee Wood Road, the 'Heptonstall bypass' so we might not see him again after that.


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## zacklaws (8 Oct 2016)

If I recall at least the past two years at Coldwell, we have had the use of the kitchen for hot drinks and cakes etc for about £1.50 for one of each along with the toilet facilities and usually get our brevets stamped in the car park. Cannot remember the last time I used the cafe there on SOM, maybe never as the more I think about it, Chris's helpers have dished food out there. Think the last time I used it though was on one of your hilly rides Colin.


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## ColinJ (8 Oct 2016)

zacklaws said:


> If I recall at least the past two years at Coldwell, we have had the use of the kitchen for hot drinks and cakes etc for about £1.50 for one of each along with the toilet facilities and usually get our brevets stamped in the car park. Cannot remember the last time I used the cafe there on SOM, maybe never as the more I think about it, Chris's helpers have dished food out there. Think the last time I used it though was on one of your hilly rides Colin.


I think you are right, but the cafe only officially closed at the end of March this year - LINK.


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## ColinJ (8 Oct 2016)

For 10 years I have been meaning to add summit waypoints to my GPS tracks. My GPS is really dumb so it only shows me a black line to follow, which gives me no indication how far it is to each summit, or how high each one is.

I am very familiar with the SoM route so I don't really need that information tomorrow, but it might be useful for pacing myself on tough unfamiliar climbs in the future.

I finally worked out how to do it so I will be testing it on the SoM ride to see how much difference it makes to me. I hate grovelling up a climb and not knowing how much more suffering there is to come. I think I'd prefer to be able to see that I have (say) 2 km to climb 200 metres. Of course, it may have the opposite effect and do my head in knowing that I am only 1/4 (whatever) of the way up ... 

Anyway, I have got organised this evening and sorted out everything in advance so I don't have to rush around early in the morning.

Meet you outside Lidl, Brian, and at the community centre HQ anybody else who wants to ride with us or just say hello!


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## Littgull (8 Oct 2016)

That sounds like advanced level GPS programming to me, Colin. I'm still stuck in the ultra novice category when it comes to the tech stuff.

All prepared and raring to go! Porridge box and bowl out ready on the kitchen table. A couple of very light short showers in Littleborough tonight so hopefully clearing the way for a dry (as forecasted) day tomorrow.

See you at Lidl.


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## ColinJ (10 Oct 2016)

That was fun!

Brian (@Littgull) and I met in Todmorden and rode over to Mytholmroyd together. My pal Bill was at event HQ but he went on ahead and we didn't see him again all day. I bumped into a former colleague and said hello to him but he didn't ride with us. Paul (@PMarkey) introduced himself and did the ride with me and Brian.

There was a good turnout, no doubt inspire by the forecast of good weather. I would be surprised if less than 100 riders took part. 

It was a chilly start down in the valley but a few kms down the road, the stiff climb from Hebden Bridge to Heptonstall warmed us up.

The sun was out and it was pleasantly warm for the time of year in the sunshine, but there was a fairly strong breeze blowing which made conditions feel quite nippy in the shade and on the descents.

We had a shortish stop at the control at Country Kitchen cafe in Waddington. The climb of Waddington Fell seemed easier than in recent years so perhaps I am starting to get some of my old fitness back after all? Early days yet though - I was overtaken by lots of riders and Brian was pulling away from me on most climbs. Paul was having problems, but we didn't discover what the cause was until we got back to Mytholmroyd. More on that later ...

We took another break at Slaidburn, where Brian had lunch. Paul and I just had drinks and I polished off a cereal bar.

The road from Slaidburn is like a rollercoaster, going up and down several times until a rapid descent to Chatburn.

After that we nipped over the A59 to Downham, and then did yet another long climb (with steep sections!), this time round the northern end of Pendle Hill to Twiston Moor, followed by another fast descent, to the hamlet of Roughlee. That is immediately followed by another stiff climb, but just a short one, before another rapid descent, to Barrowford.

We rode across a bridge over the M65 and then up to Nelson.

From Nelson there is a long, draggy climb to Coldwell Activity Centre. We actually got there a few minutes after the official cut-off time but we got to use their toilets and get some water for the run back.

The nasty climb at Thursden was as nasty as usual! It always will be nasty, unless one day we got a stonking tailwind to help us up it, and I have never had one of those up there.

After the summit, the ride back to Hebden Bridge and on to Mytholmroyd felt like a welcome relief. There are a couple of small climbs but it is mainly downhill or flat.

We arrived back at HQ just in time to get some snacks before things got packed away. We met @zacklaws standing outside and he kept an eye on our bikes for us while we went inside.

Paul discovered what had been slowing him down on the ride. And wearing out his back tyre ... His seatpost had slipped down, which had plonked his Carradice saddlebag on top of the rear mudguard and pushed that down onto the tyre. There was a groove worn into the surface of the tyre by the resultant rubbing!

Littgull and I had easy rides home, unlike Paul who had to get back up to Queensbury which is at an elevation of 300+ metres, north of Halifax.

Brian watched my bike in Todmorden while I dashed into a supermarket for supplies.

I did 127 km (79 miles) in total, with around 2,700 metres (9,000 ft) of climbing, including lots of steep stuff!

Most of my photos didn't turn out but I have rotated and cropped one to get this shot of the Ribble Valley from the Nick o' Pendle. It shows the kind of scenery we had ridden over to and what the weather was like for most of the day. (We had just a few spots of rain late in the ride, but that was that. My friend Bill said that he got soaked when he arrived back in Mytholmroyd a few hours before us!)


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## Littgull (10 Oct 2016)

ColinJ said:


> That was fun!
> 
> Brian (@Littgull) and I met in Todmorden and rode over to Mytholmroyd together. My pal Bill was at event HQ but he went on ahead and we didn't see him again all day. I bumped into a former colleague and said hello to him but he didn't ride with us. Paul (@PMarkey) introduced himself and did the ride with me and Brian.
> 
> ...



Enjoyable report by @ColinJ and enjoyable ride and company too. Nice to meet and ride with Paul(@PMarkey as well.

Colin and I were saying as we rode through Widdop Moor that in weather like that and good quality of light the north west of England can rival anywhere else in the world for the quality of cycling. The autumn colours were an absolute delight and certainly motivated us as we took the strain of the steep climbs. A great day out on the bike.


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## Pale Rider (11 Oct 2016)

ColinJ said:


> I did 127 km (79 miles) in total, with around 2,700 metres (9,000 ft) of climbing,



Good job, particularly by @PMarkey who by the looks of it did the beastly ride with some extra resistance training thrown in.

Meanwhile, I was doing a 53-mile out and back up the leafy Tyne valley with a whopping 882...feet of climbing.

And it wouldn't have been that much, but we cracked on a few miles from Wylam to Prudhoe which is where the 'hills' are.


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## Starchivore (11 Oct 2016)

Sounds like a great ride. I was following the thread with interest- but Sunday I was engaged in a family event so couldn't come. I would have been interested to see how I would do, as I haven't done more than 10 miles at a time for an embarrassingly long while, as I mainly just cycle commute at the moment.

Chris Crossland's rides always seem to be murder! But great routes though.


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## ColinJ (11 Oct 2016)

Starchivore said:


> Sounds like a great ride. I was following the thread with interest- but Sunday I was engaged in a family event so couldn't come. I would have been interested to see how I would do, as I haven't done more than 10 miles at a time for an embarrassingly long while, as I mainly just cycle commute at the moment.
> 
> Chris Crossland's rides always seem to be murder! But great routes though.


@Littgull and I are planning to ride out to Waddington again in the first half of November, if you fancy joining us for that one?

I need to confirm details with him and will start a thread after doing that. It will probably be about 50 miles from Todmorden, or nearer 60 miles including the extra from Hebden Bridge.


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## Starchivore (11 Oct 2016)

ColinJ said:


> @Littgull and I are planning to ride out to Waddington again in the first half of November, if you fancy joining us for that one?
> 
> I need to confirm details with him and will start a thread after doing that. It will probably be about 50 miles from Todmorden, or nearer 60 miles including the extra from Hebden Bridge.



I do fancy that, yeah. I've a couple of things on in November but if I can then I'd gladly come. I've never been to Waddington but I've cycled nearby when at uni in Lancaster, pootling through Dunsop Bridge and Whitewell.


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## SteCenturion (21 Oct 2016)

Nice thread this one Colin.

Having previously been tempted but never actually achieved a ride out with yourself & crew, I am now a little in awe of this ride.

Mission Statement .....

To train to peak physical & mental fitness & take this ride by the scruff of the neck .....

2017 is my year




I think.

Edit.

Just checked, I am only 29 miles ish from Toddy, so an hour & a bit drive out of rush hour, no excuses then.


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## Pale Rider (23 Oct 2016)

SteCenturion said:


> Nice thread this one Colin.
> 
> Having previously been tempted but never actually achieved a ride out with yourself & crew, I am now a little in awe of this ride.
> 
> ...



@SteCenturion - go for it.

I've ridden with @ColinJ, @Littgull and a few of the others who turn out, and you won't get more agreeable cycling company.

There's no 'side' to any of them, so you can be sure of a warm welcome.

It's a Colin ride, which means there will be hills, but have a careful look at the profile yourself.

As leader, I think Colin sometimes over-states the difficulty a little bit because he doesn't want anyone to turn up and find they struggle.

There's usually a short-cut/bail out option, and you can be sure the company will do their best to help you around.

I didn't think a few words of encouragement or a wheel to follow would make much difference - until I benefited from it.

So even if the ride looks a bit too much for you on your own, there's a good chance you will complete it with the group.


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## ColinJ (23 Oct 2016)

It is looking like Brian and I will be doing a much easier ride from Todmorden to the cafe in Waddington and back on Sat, 5th November with Sun, 6th held in reserve in case of bad weather on the 6th. It WILL have some hills but not be as ridiculously hilly as SoM. The clocks will have gone back by then so we plan to set off at 09:00 to give ourselves plenty of time. I will start a new thread for it very soon so watch out for that if you are interested in joining us.


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## Pale Rider (23 Oct 2016)

ColinJ said:


> It is looking like Brian and I will be doing a much easier ride from Todmorden to the cafe in Waddington and back on Sat, 5th November with Sun, 6th held in reserve in case of bad weather on the 6th. It WILL have some hills but not be as ridiculously hilly as SoM. The clocks will have gone back by then so we plan to set off at 09:00 to give ourselves plenty of time. I will start a new thread for it very soon so watch out for that if you are interested in joining us.



I shall keep an eye open.

I'd like to do the London Brighton with @User and chums that weekend, but realistically I'm struggling to face the long drive.

Tod is relatively handy from the caravan and your ride would be a nice compensatory treat for missing Adrian's.


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