Spring Into The Dales 2011

[zacklaws]

Lets hope the weather is better than last years SOM

I don't think there's any rain left in the sky after SOM, I'm glad springs here, I can now start to get dried out

 

[potsy]

SteveH- How does this ride compare climbing wise to The Cheshire Cat one you did?

 

[skudupnorth]

Got my pen all ready !

 

[Skuhravy]

i'll be riding this one too - and looking forward to seeing the silly machine that tubbycyclist fetches along this time!

 

[Steve H]

SteveH- How does this ride compare climbing wise to The Cheshire Cat one you did?

Distance is similar, amount of climbing is much more.

The Cheshire Cat 67 miler was 67 miles (obvious bit!) and about 4200 feet of climbing. Spring into the Dales is about 68 miles (so similar distance) and with just over 8000 feet of climbing - so about twice as much. It will be my toughest ride yet and a real challenge, but perversely I'm quite looking forward to it now.

I was joking earlier in the thread about needing some extreme weight loss for the event, but just knowing I have a tough ride in a couple of weeks time has helped me focus on a much healthier diet over the last few days. Maybe this is the secret I need to apply to become more healthy - just keep signing up for challenging rides that scare me into not eating sweets and chips all week!

 

[potsy]

i'll be riding this one too - and looking forward to seeing the silly machine that tubbycyclist fetches along this time!

Tell us more Skuhravy, what silly machine has he used before?

 

[potsy]

Distance is similar, amount of climbing is much more.

The Cheshire Cat 67 miler was 67 miles (obvious bit!) and about 4200 feet of climbing. Spring into the Dales is about 68 miles (so similar distance) and with just over 8000 feet of climbing - so about twice as much. It will be my toughest ride yet and a real challenge, but perversely I'm quite looking forward to it now.

I was joking earlier in the thread about needing some extreme weight loss for the event, but just knowing I have a tough ride in a couple of weeks time has helped me focus on a much healthier diet over the last few days. Maybe this is the secret I need to apply to become more healthy - just keep signing up for challenging rides that scare me into not eating sweets and chips all week!

wow, I didn't realise it was that much more hilly no wonder you were worried

I think it's these rides that have helped me lose a bit of weight this year Steve, though I better cut out the chips for a few days and try to get a bit more off for this one, just think of all the cake we can eat on the way round

 

[Steve H]

... just think of all the cake we can eat on the way round

I'm thinking at least two pie and chips stops!

 

[zacklaws]

Its not that bad, according to my Garmin, last years total climbing was 7339' over 69 miles, which is roughly just over 1000' every 10 miles. Last year we managed a dismal 8.7mph average, to do it in just under 8 hours, so we still had over an hour before the cutoff point. In fact that was my slowest ride, I have ever done, probably had something to do with all the cafe's and photo stops. As I set the Garmin, not to autopause, I have no record of how long we actually wasted overall, but I suspect there was quite a lot.

Also overall out of the 69 miles, only 14 miles was on the flat, just over 1hour 30 mins, the rest was climbing and decending

And beside's, there's no reason to dump the chips, you'll need them on the Friday and Saturday night for your carbo loading, you'll soon burn them off on the day

Just begining to notice on my download there was a hard bit at Earby, quite steep too.

 

[tubbycyclist]

Tell us more Skuhravy, what silly machine has he used before?

I was not going to bite but I have never used a silly machine, although I have been known to turn up on a recumbent or a folder, even did SITD on the recumbent one year (including carrying it over a footbridge which hurt more than the climbing).

If your bike is playing up you're welcome to borrow the recumbent for SITD :-)

 

[ColinJ]

Last year we managed a dismal 8.7mph average, to do it in just under 8 hours, so we still had over an hour before the cutoff point. In fact that was my slowest ride, I have ever done, probably had something to do with all the cafe's and photo stops. As I set the Garmin, not to autopause, I have no record of how long we actually wasted overall, but I suspect there was quite a lot.

You're too polite - it was mainly because Alun and Yours Truly weren't fit enough to go any faster, and you and Rammylad were kind enough to stick with us until the climb out of Keighley! That last climb probably put your average speed up!

I'm pretty certain that Alun, Yours Truly, and several others (you know who you are! ) won't be going much quicker this year but hopefully this will be the final outing of the CycleChat SITD Slow Train ®.

I've ridden SITD in about 6 hours a couple of times before but always fancied trying to do it in 5! Unfortunately, even 7 hours is a fantasy time for me this year.

 

[ColinJ]

... even did SITD on the recumbent one year (including carrying it over a footbridge which hurt more than the climbing).

This one ...

And then you have the steps up to the road on the other side of the river - yikes!

(The bridge isn't on the new route.)

 

[zacklaws]

Went out for a training run today, to give my knee a real good workout for SITD and to climb a long 20% hill on the North York Moors I have heard a lot about, can't talk about it in the pub and say how easy it is unless I've done it, 116 mile round trip and 7000'+ of climbing in total, sadly I've picked the hottest day of the year to do it, and the wind was horrendous on top of the moors and most of the way home.

You soon discover how many villages don't have shops when your gagging for water in the heat, and also need a new bottom bracket now for my Madone as it went wonky today, think my bikes are rebelling with all the hills I do.

 

[potsy]

I was not going to bite but I have never used a silly machine, although I have been known to turn up on a recumbent or a folder, even did SITD on the recumbent one year (including carrying it over a footbridge which hurt more than the climbing).

If your bike is playing up you're welcome to borrow the recumbent for SITD :-)

You are most kind but I think I'd rather use my 15kg hybrid
I might need a good lie down after the ride not during it tubby

 

[ColinJ]

You soon discover how many villages don't have shops when your gagging for water in the heat, and also need a new bottom bracket now for my Madone as it went wonky today, think my bikes are rebelling with all the hills I do.

I noticed that on my Hebden Bridge to Coventry ride in 2007. I called in at a filling station shop in Glossop and expected to have no problem getting more food and water later on but I ended up riding through village after village which had no shops. I was starting to get desperate by the time I finally found a shop in Polesworth, near Tamworth.

My Basso bottom bracket is starting to rock and roll a little. I'm skint so I'm wondering whether to risk riding it for another few rides including SITD. My brain says 'no' but the moths in my wallet suggest 'yes'!