Spring into the Dales 2010 (Yorkshire Dales!)

[ColinJ]

Actually, the steep hill in question has speed bumps at the bottom of it! I don't know why they bothered because anybody speeding down will probably crash before even getting to them!

I know some people are cautious going down hill but I saw a few people on that hill last year going down at less than walking pace which I reckon is actually quite dangerous. Apart from people catching up with them unexpectedly quickly, they were in danger of coming to a dead stop and toppling over! (Either that or going over the handlebars...)

Right I'm off to carbo-load (drink beer) - see you in the morning folks!

 

[hulver]

I'll try and see you at the back of the group. I'll be wearing either a black yacf top, or a purple one. Depends on the weather.

I'll be on my brown langster.

 

[zacklaws]

What happens if everybody tries meeting up with their colleagues at the back, we could end up setting off from Sheffield?

Off to bed now, proud to say, I've carbo loaded with sensible things and not a drop of beer, but by this time tomorrow, I'll have had tonights share, and by 0200 when I get kicked out or later, I'll have caught up with Sundays allocation.

See you all tomorrow.

 

[ColinJ]

I'll try and see you at the back of the group. I'll be wearing either a black yacf top, or a purple one. Depends on the weather.

I'll be on my brown langster.

(I am turning the PC off, honest - I got distracted by Spider Solitaire!)

I'll be the fairly big bloke with the blue-black Met peaked helmet, amber glasses and on a blue steel-framed Basso. This one in fact...

(Hopefully we won't get snow tomorrow!)

 

[zacklaws]

Setting off now, hardly slept all night and feel a bit lethargic.

 

[ColinJ]

Setting off now, hardly slept all night and feel a bit lethargic.

(Wondering how long it takes to drive from Beverley to Hebden Bridge...) Oh - I'm not surprised that you felt lethargic at that time in the morning! It's over 90 minutes later and I feel as though I'm still half asleep.

I'm putting off eating the porridge which I know I have to eat. I only went to bed 5 hours ago and I don't feel the slightest bit hungry. Trouble is - if I wait too long I'll feel sick on the 4 mile climb at the start of the ride...

I had a funny dream which I've only just woken up from. In said dream I bumped into a group of mountain bikers who were doing stunts in a field at an imaginary Rushgarden farm but for some reason they insisted on calling it Snapdragon farm. The only reason that I can think of for the name of the farm being that in the dream is that I was reading about HTC Android phones yesterday which use Snapdragon processors. How did that get turned into MTB riders and a farm?

It's lovely here at the moment but the most recent forecasts indicate that it is going to cloud over with the risk of showers later. I'm not carrying a waterproof around all day for the odd shower. I'll risk just a lightweight shower-resistant gilet.

Ah, porridge...!

 

[PaulB]

What a disappointment I can't do either of these events today! I climbed Moel Siabod in Snowdonia yesterday and right at the base of it, we came across a pub/hotel. We couldn't resist going in for a bev but when I came out of the bar to go to the toilet, there was a table which I couldn't see right outside the door against the wall and I banged my leg, just above my right knee, into it very hard. My muscles didn't like it after the recent exertions up the mountain and my leg is very, very sore today! Boo hoo!

 

[aJohnson]

Hope you lot enjoy the day out, seems like decent weather. Planned on going out but had a sleep in so think I'll hit the turbo whilst watching Amstel Gold.

 

[Svendo]

Just got back home, Did the main ride in 5'10 including stops, about 4'45 ride time. Did most of the ride on my own inbetween a group from Rochdale Tri ahead and Huddersfield Star Wheelers behind. Passed the Tri lot when they stopped at Bolton Abbey cafe, but they passed me again when I had some toast at Rossi's cafe. I had a gel just before Oxenhope and was able to make 10 mph up Cock Hill and would have been faster down the far side if I hadn't got held up by cars unable to pass doddery descenders in the middle of the road (see post 76 para 2 above) This time I was sensible and didn't try passing on blind bends. Got back right behind the faster of the Rochdale Tri guys, having picked some off on the way up and down Cock hill.

Went long way home round Rochdale to get just over 100 miles in total, and home before 4pm! Shower, rest then walk the dog, then beer and TV methinks! Hope everyone else had a good ride, sorry I was antisocial but I wanted to press on this year and see how fast I could do it.

 

[goodspeed]

Well done Svendo, most impressed with that time, no wonder I never caught up with you. Did mine in in 6.10 with newcommer Turbo, who was convinced he was slowing me down, but i could'nt of gone much faster to be honest; 3 training rides last week (bad idea) left me with very little juice in the legs.
Well done to Turbo aswell, first event and biggest milage to date.
This was by far my best event of last year and yet another great day out today, can't wait for next year

 

[Arch]

Well, that's my Audax cherry popped, and a good day out. I did the Leap, 34 miles according to my computer, in 5 hours 15mins total, 4 hours 13 mins riding time, ave of 8.2mph, max speed 33mph! So some way to go before I'm up to LEL pace, but I did it, and I did it recumbent. I thought I was a goner at Scar top, I arrived just as all the people I recognised from the start were leaving. But I picked the pace up a bit on the next section.

I lost one flag riding between the lock up and the place where Uncle Phil was due to pick me up, so I fashioned one out of a carrier bag and some gaffer tape.

Just before the turn into Stanbury, someone on the corner said "oh, where's your flag?" I'd lost it. One better, I'd lost the pole too!

Crawling back up the hill at Oxenhope on the way back, there was the whole caboodle lying by the road! I put it back in and added some gaffer tape for the final descent.

That last bit was fun. If they'd just resurface that lumpy section.....

And big thanks to Uncle Phil for the lift.

 

[Riding in Circles]

Did you enjoy it though and how do you feel now, your speed will rise over time.

 

[Arch]

Did you enjoy it though and how do you feel now, your speed will rise over time.

Oh gosh, yes, I was very pleased with myself - I wasn't last! And there were some stunning views.

I was very slow uphill. Often down to 3mph in bottom bottom gear. The last climb (before the 5 mile descent - we need a 'face smeared back into your ears' smiley!) was hard going, one ankle started to hurt - although that stopped the instant I crested the summit, and didn't twinge at all for the brief pedal back to base. But I'm slow uphill however I ride - recumbent or upright - or on foot for that matter, I'm a low gear climber.

There was one lady started at the same time as me, I think she might have thought I was disabled. She said I was 'brave'. "Aren't you brave", was her phrase. It might just have been referring to the trike, but there was an ever so slight tone in her voice that made me wonder. She was ina bunch behind me on one of the return climbs and said "gosh, you're strong'. Yeah, that's why everyone is overtaking me? It just amused me a bit.

Anyway, the training has started. I've got 3 years to get up to speed.

 

[Riding in Circles]

You may want to consider pedals with free float, it will be kinder on your knees and ankles, Time Atac are a good choice and available for reasonable cost.

 

[hulver]

Urgh. I failed it. DNF for me.

I made it to Keighley at 5pm, 15 minutes after the control closed.

I just couldn't face the long climb back through Oxenhope, and there was no way I would have made it back. I was averaging 8mph, and there were 12 miles back to the start.

I got a Taxi back to the start.

58.9 miles (94.8km) Avg speed 8.7 mph (14kmh) while I was moving. Total time on the bike 6:46.

8 hours altogether, although I spent a lot of that walking up the hills in the second half. My legs were dead by the end of it.

I should have done the shorter ride.