OP
OP
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Thanks everyone - that was a really good day out on the bike!
It was nice to cycle with @Oldfentiger, @Pale Rider, @Moodyman and @EasyPeez again, and to meet @Soltydog, @13 rider and @Supersuperleeds. It was a good-sized group - plenty of people to chat to but not so many that one couldn't get round them all, or for riders to get forgotten about when delayed at junctions etc.
The weather forecast was accurate, which was fortunate because I had trusted it and travelled without extra clothing except for the lightweight gilet which I wear on all rides and only take off when riding hard at temperatures above about 20 degrees. It was chilly and overcast for the first couple of hours but conditions continued to improve through the day. We rode back in lovely warm sunshine. No rain all day. We had light winds which sometimes helped, sometimes hindered, but were never a big issue.
I don't think that there were any punctures or other mechanical problems all day.
@Pale Rider has summed the ride up pretty well, above.
The issue of 'ride ownership' occurs to me ... I didn't start the annual rides to the Humber Bridge - I believe that was @middleagecyclist? @busdennis took over from him. I took over last year when busdennis bowed out and did it again this year when he told me that he wouldn't be doing it. I would be happy to organise the ride next year too, given that busdennis said that he is a rare visitor to CycleChat these days, but I wouldn't like anybody to feel that I was 'muscling in' on this ride! I know that I would NOT be happy if someone did that to me with one of my annual rides ...
Somehow, I had overlooked the fact that there are 2 Co-ops in Howden. (Surprising in such a small town!) Having said that - I had posted a map showing the Co-op that we used. My advice is for all riders to reread THE ENTIRE THREAD immediately before the ride!
The stiff little climb to Swanland had a 300 metre section at an average gradient of 9.7% which caught a few people out. myself included! It was towards the limit of what I can handle on my singlespeed bike. Maybe we can go the NCN route from North Ferriby to the bridge next year, but the reason we didn't use the cyclepath to the bridge this time was that someone had told me that it might not be suitable for road bikes. If someone feels like checking that path out nearer the time, an informed decision could be made. We'd need to know what the surface is likely to be like in both wet and dry conditions.
We got served pretty quickly at the cafe stop this time. We had a fairly leisurely break there, chatting in the sunshine.
There had been some discussion about the decision to use the cycle paths in and out of York. Having now ridden them I think it was a good choice. The surfaces were fine apart from some lumps dues to tree routes under the tarmac. Not having to think about traffic while warming up on the way out of the city, or bother with it when tired on the way back in was good. A few minutes of concentration after the path back were needed to get us to the station.
The use of the paths and some other changes to the original route meant that we encountered less traffic but we still had to do a few short stretches of busy road. I think it would be difficult to eliminate them too, but we can look again next year.
Oldfentiger and I had parked at Moor Lane car park 3.5 km (a smidge over 2 miles) from the station SW along the A1036. It is ideal if you are driving to York from this side of the city. It only costs £4 for 24 hours and for the second year in succession there was only one other car there when we arrived and no others when we left so you are unlikely to have to search for a place! There is a huge Tesco superstore opposite which is ideally located for pre/post ride snacks and toilet visits.
I ordered my post-ride pizza on the drive back and it was waiting for me when OFT dropped me off. I stayed awake long to eat it this time, and to catch up with the cycling from France, then I went to bed to enjoy a nice long sleep for a change.
It was nice to cycle with @Oldfentiger, @Pale Rider, @Moodyman and @EasyPeez again, and to meet @Soltydog, @13 rider and @Supersuperleeds. It was a good-sized group - plenty of people to chat to but not so many that one couldn't get round them all, or for riders to get forgotten about when delayed at junctions etc.
The weather forecast was accurate, which was fortunate because I had trusted it and travelled without extra clothing except for the lightweight gilet which I wear on all rides and only take off when riding hard at temperatures above about 20 degrees. It was chilly and overcast for the first couple of hours but conditions continued to improve through the day. We rode back in lovely warm sunshine. No rain all day. We had light winds which sometimes helped, sometimes hindered, but were never a big issue.
I don't think that there were any punctures or other mechanical problems all day.
@Pale Rider has summed the ride up pretty well, above.
The issue of 'ride ownership' occurs to me ... I didn't start the annual rides to the Humber Bridge - I believe that was @middleagecyclist? @busdennis took over from him. I took over last year when busdennis bowed out and did it again this year when he told me that he wouldn't be doing it. I would be happy to organise the ride next year too, given that busdennis said that he is a rare visitor to CycleChat these days, but I wouldn't like anybody to feel that I was 'muscling in' on this ride! I know that I would NOT be happy if someone did that to me with one of my annual rides ...
Somehow, I had overlooked the fact that there are 2 Co-ops in Howden. (Surprising in such a small town!) Having said that - I had posted a map showing the Co-op that we used. My advice is for all riders to reread THE ENTIRE THREAD immediately before the ride!
The stiff little climb to Swanland had a 300 metre section at an average gradient of 9.7% which caught a few people out. myself included! It was towards the limit of what I can handle on my singlespeed bike. Maybe we can go the NCN route from North Ferriby to the bridge next year, but the reason we didn't use the cyclepath to the bridge this time was that someone had told me that it might not be suitable for road bikes. If someone feels like checking that path out nearer the time, an informed decision could be made. We'd need to know what the surface is likely to be like in both wet and dry conditions.
We got served pretty quickly at the cafe stop this time. We had a fairly leisurely break there, chatting in the sunshine.
There had been some discussion about the decision to use the cycle paths in and out of York. Having now ridden them I think it was a good choice. The surfaces were fine apart from some lumps dues to tree routes under the tarmac. Not having to think about traffic while warming up on the way out of the city, or bother with it when tired on the way back in was good. A few minutes of concentration after the path back were needed to get us to the station.
The use of the paths and some other changes to the original route meant that we encountered less traffic but we still had to do a few short stretches of busy road. I think it would be difficult to eliminate them too, but we can look again next year.
Oldfentiger and I had parked at Moor Lane car park 3.5 km (a smidge over 2 miles) from the station SW along the A1036. It is ideal if you are driving to York from this side of the city. It only costs £4 for 24 hours and for the second year in succession there was only one other car there when we arrived and no others when we left so you are unlikely to have to search for a place! There is a huge Tesco superstore opposite which is ideally located for pre/post ride snacks and toilet visits.
I ordered my post-ride pizza on the drive back and it was waiting for me when OFT dropped me off. I stayed awake long to eat it this time, and to catch up with the cycling from France, then I went to bed to enjoy a nice long sleep for a change.
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