Ride out of Leeds - Sunday the 7th.

[Calum]

If needs be, we could simply head down the main road from the car park. - It's pretty much all down hill and would take 15 mins tops to get to Otley.

 

[colly]

Right, well you definitely don't want to be starting the ride at 11:00 then so I need to get over there on time!

I'd PM'd Steve H to see if I could get a lift with him but he hasn't been on CycleChat since 28th July so there's a good chance that he is off on his summer hols somewhere.

I've been looking at other options. As I mentioned before, cycling through Halifax/Bradford/Leeds doesn't appeal to me, so ...

Plan 'A' is to cycle to Halifax and catch a train from there. The first one on Sunday morning gets in to Leeds at 09:42 so with a lift from Leeds station from colly, a 10:00 ish start would be on. (colly - if we did that and my mate comes along, will he be okay for a lift too?)

Plan 'B' would be to cycle via Bingley to Otley and meet you all there. It would add about 22 km and 650 m of climbing to my day and it would mean an early start but it might be fun if the weather was okay. How long do you reckon it is going to take you to get to Otley? I guessed that you'd be there about 10:45 if you set off from the car park at 10:00 sharp. I think I could get there in about 2 hrs 15 mins but call it 2 hrs 30 mins to be on the safe side. That would mean leaving Hebden Bridge at about 08:15.


You're young - you'll survive!

Yes Colin there would be room for one more. So it's 9.45 at Leeds station then ?

 

[potsy]

Have been keeping an eye on this ride just in case, but , I am working Sunday night so I won't be able to make it.
Go easy on Colinj, he won't have me to be the back marker this time

 

[ColinJ]

If needs be, we could simply head down the main road from the car park. - It's pretty much all down hill and would take 15 mins tops to get to Otley.

We don't wanna do that, do we?

Yes Colin there would be room for one more. So it's 9.45 at Leeds station then ?

Thanks - Yes. I'll make sure my mate gets here in time to ride to Halifax with me if he is coming along.

I think plan 'A' probably makes more sense because plan 'B' involves more fitness and a bum that is good for 70 lumpy miles which mine currently isn't! It's a shame though, because cycling to Otley would be the 'proper' choice for a fit cyclist.

I'll keep plan 'B' in reserve in case the rail company decide to run a rail replacement bus from Halifax at the last minute (which wouldn't take bikes). Currently, the National Rail website shows that the train will be running as planned.

Go easy on Colinj, he won't have me to be the back marker this time

Good point - the problem being that, for once, everybody else knows which way we will be going! Normally, people are forced to wait for me because I'm the one who plotted the route and has the GPS ...

 

[colly]

Just re-plotted it to iron out any anomalies but apart from taking us through Ripley itself, a detour of, oh at least 200yards, it's just about the same as before.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/591099

So bang it into your gps Colin and no matter if the rest of us keel over you will still find your way.

 

[ColinJ]

Just re-plotted it to iron out any anomalies but apart from taking us through Ripley itself, a detour of, oh at least 200yards, it's just about the same as before.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/591099

So bang it into your gps Colin and no matter if the rest of us keel over you will still find your way.

Hmm ... Is Ripley where the cafe stop is then? If not, it hardly seems worth getting off the A61 for the sake of a few hundred yards (this coming from an A-road hater)!

You forgot to remove the anomalous little u-turns on the A61 near Eccup Reservoir.

PS Note to self: You have a rear wheel puncture ColinJ - make sure you fix it before Sunday!

 

[colly]

You forgot to remove the anomalous little u-turns on the A61 near Eccup Reservoir.

No that's a necessary because there is no right turn at that junction.

I could have taken us round the back roads via Manor House Lane to Eccup but that would mean crossing the A61 where it is a real dodgy crossing. Traffic is fast and you can't see what's coming from either direction so I opted for the safer route.

 

[Bokonon]

 

[ColinJ]

No that's a necessary because there is no right turn at that junction.

I could have taken us round the back roads via Manor House Lane to Eccup but that would mean crossing the A61 where it is a real dodgy crossing. Traffic is fast and you can't see what's coming from either direction so I opted for the safer route.

Ah, that's where local knowledge comes in! I couldn't tell that from my OS map but it is obvious when you zoom in on the Google map.

When you took us round Eccup last time, I found the A61 crossing to Manor House Lane extremely dodgy so I agree with your decision!

What about Ripley then - is that the cafe stop?

Is that "Hi there, I'm in" or "See ya lads, I'm busy"?

 

[colly]

Yes Ripley is about the right distance into the ride and I think it will be less 'rammed' than Knaresborough.

Of course if Sir Thomas Ingilby is reading this and fancies a ride out with us on Sunday perhaps we could call into his for a cuppa.

http://www.ripleycastle.co.uk/

 

[Calum]

Yes Ripley is about the right distance into the ride and I think it will be less 'rammed' than Knaresborough.

Of course if Sir Thomas Ingilby is reading this and fancies a ride out with us on Sunday perhaps we could call into his for a cuppa.

http://www.ripleycastle.co.uk/

The 'crazyness' of Knaresborough on a Sunday might be too much to bare! By the way, i'm liking the castle idea!

 

[ColinJ]

The 'crazyness' of Knaresborough on a Sunday might be too much to bare!

Gosh - nobody mentioned that this was a naked bike ride! I don't exactly look my best just wearing SPDs and sunglasses these days!

 

[Calum]

HAHAHAHAHA! Cycle chat with a twist? I don't think any of us will be 'looking our best' if temperatures don't exceed 20 degrees...

 

[Bokonon]

Is that "Hi there, I'm in" or "See ya lads, I'm busy"?

 

[Calum]

Pretentious git!