Sat, 3rd June, 2017 - my annual 200 km Cheshire forum ride.

[ColinJ]

I went to the mapping software and did it properly!

I have attached the modified GPX file Dunham-Marina with the diversion to avoid the roadworks.

 

[doughnut]

Looks like I'm ok for this ride Colin. I will be driving into Manchester and meeting you at Victoria Station.

 

[ColinJ]

Looks like I'm ok for this ride Colin. I will be driving into Manchester and meeting you at Victoria Station.

Excellent - I was beginning to think that you had forgotten and was going to tag you as a reminder!

So, currently ... riders:

• ColinJ (Manchester Victoria)
• Littgull (Manchester Victoria)
• doughnut (Manchester Victoria)
• @skudupnorth (where are you meeting us - Dunham?)
• GuyBoden (from junction of Artists Ln/Congleton Rd near Alderley Edge as far as Venetian Marina cafe)

Cheshire has plenty of room for more riders, so feel free to add your name to the list. (@potsy - that includes YOU! We will be close to your neck of the woods and plan a quick cafe stop near Goostrey.)

You could do what Guy is doing and just join us for part of the route, though obviously we can't commit to arriving at or leaving places mid-route at exact times. All being well, we will be fairly close to the times posted earlier but punctures (etc.) can always cause delays.

The forecast for Saturday looked a bit iffy yesterday but has improved a lot since then. It is currently for sunny intervals and a 30% chance of showers about the time we should be leaving Venetian Marina. With our twisty-turny loop we should get a good mixture of crosswind/headwind/tailwind, fortunately with mainly a cross/tailwind for the last 70 km back to Manchester so we can try and crack on then.

Anyone planning to meet us at Dunham - let us know so we can look out for you! We will be coming down School Lane which becomes Woodhouse Lane and then the B5160. We will turn left onto the B5160 opposite Smithy Pool where the road name changes to Smithy Lane. Meet you there at about 08:50.

 

[skudupnorth]

I will meet at Dunham

 

[skudupnorth]

At the junction with Charcoal Ln where the old Oak tree is

 

[ColinJ]

At the junction with Charcoal Ln where the old Oak tree is

I was going to say that unlike certain people, I don't know the location of every tree in Cheshire, but Streetview makes it pretty obvious!

@Littgull and @doughnut - how bothered are you about doing Swiss Hill (the steep cobbled climb at Alderley Edge)? Guy and Skud won't be doing it. If you are looking forward to it then I will come on my Cannondale and we will stick to the original plan. If not, I'll ride my singlespeed and we can divert at Wilmslow to avoid it.

 

[Littgull]

I was going to say that unlike certain people, I don't know the location of every tree in Cheshire, but Streetview makes it pretty obvious!

View attachment 354991

@Littgull and @doughnut - how bothered are you about doing Swiss Hill (the steep cobbled climb at Alderley Edge)? Guy and Skud won't be doing it. If you are looking forward to it then I will come on my Cannondale and we will stick to the original plan. If not, I'll ride my singlespeed and we can divert at Wilmslow to avoid it.

@ColinJ - Not important to me about riding up Swiss Hill. Happy to avoid it.

 

[skudupnorth]

I was going to say that unlike certain people, I don't know the location of every tree in Cheshire, but Streetview makes it pretty obvious!

View attachment 354991

@Littgull and @doughnut - how bothered are you about doing Swiss Hill (the steep cobbled climb at Alderley Edge)? Guy and Skud won't be doing it. If you are looking forward to it then I will come on my Cannondale and we will stick to the original plan. If not, I'll ride my singlespeed and we can divert at Wilmslow to avoid it.

Ha, Ha This area was my local for many years and this tree is an iconic landmark

 

[doughnut]

I'm ok about missing the cobbles. Still got that slightly bent spoke from the Glasson ride, so was a little bit concerned about the rough stuff.

 

[GuyBoden]

@ColinJ

If you're not riding up Swiss Hill, I'm meet up at Dunham Massey at the Oak Tree on Charcoal Road/School Lane with @skudupnorth before 8:50am.

Here:

 

[ColinJ]

That sounds like a plan then - no Swiss Hill, 3 of us from Manchester, and 2 from Dunham!

I have come up with an amended route through Wilmslow which avoids Alderley Edge and still keeps the total distance from Manchester at about 200 km

I have attached the (I hope!) final amended GPX file for the route from Dunham to Venetian Marina.

I think that I should be able to ride at least 198 km of the 200 km on the singlespeed and am going to have a go at the rest too, though I have spotted a couple of short, steep ramps that might defeat me.

 

[k_green]

i'm in from victoria if you don't mind a tag-along.

 

[ColinJ]

i'm in from victoria if you don't mind a tag-along.

Tthat's good - I was getting you mixed up with Freds Dad and thought you were working! So, 4 from Victoria and 2 from Dunham, unless there some more riders sign up by tomorrow.

Litgull and doughnut already have the number of my ride phone. I'll send it to you, skud and Guy by PM.

 

[k_green]

my train's due in at 7:19 to Victoria.

 

[ColinJ]

my train's due in at 7:19 to Victoria.

Ok, just 2 minutes after the one that Littgull and I are arriving by. Make your way to the entrance on Victoria Station Approach and (hopefully!) you will find us standing there with doughnut!

@doughnut and @Littgull - could you make sure that your GPS devices have the 2 route files loaded? I have reattached the final versions below so make sure that you use these not one of my earlier versions.

My GPS has been extremely reliable over the years but it is always possible that it could fail on one of these rides. I wouldn't have a clue where I was on this ride without it. (I have put the routes on my phone in case of emergency but I don't have a bar mount for it and it would be a pain to have to keep stopping to check the phone.) It's good to have other GPSs on the ride for backup.

The route from Piccadilly to Dunham is in the Marina to Piccadilly file - you'd just have to navigate from the end towards the beginning!