Hell of the North
John C.
Posts: 2,113
Any one up for this 100 miler from Darlington on 2 September. The ride goes up Swaledale over a couple of bumps and back to Darlington, entry on the day is a whole six pounds which includes a T shirt. That must be the bargain of the year.
Further details from Jeff Dawson on 01325 388427
Further details from Jeff Dawson on 01325 388427
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I think me and Diogenes and a few others are down for this."A cyclist has nothing to lose but his chain"
PTP Runner Up 20150 -
Be good to see old Dodgy again
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Already arranged to have the day off work, definately doing it.0
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Signed up for it, along with a couple of the weekend warriors.
Nice to see some familiar faces.
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yeah.....myself and a few more Ferryhill wheelers should be there, hoping for better weather than last year. :roll:0
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I owe a thankyou to the ferry hill wheelers , a couple of years ago they dragged me round in my best time to date. (my pic. was taken going up Brough incline)0
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Do they take entries on the line? Any website/links with info? Have looked but not found anything..but thats nothing new!0
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I did it last year on my mountain bike. You won't have seen me as I was behind you all
The headwind for the first 60 miles was terrible, especially on the MTB. It took me ten hours and it hurt. A lot. I'm doing it again this year - I'll be o my blue Solitude drop-bar ss MTB.
I've not managed to find any more details on the web. A map of last year's route are linked from my blog (http://mactually.co.uk/?p=138). Apparently it doesn't change from year to year.
Last year, registration was at the Dolphin Centre. You had to go round the back because of the building work, but I assume it'll be the front this year as it's all finished. Can't remember the registration time, but I'll try to find it tonight.
If I find anything out, I'll post it on the Darlington Cycling Campaign blog, http://bikedarlington.blogspot.com/.0 -
Regestration isfrom 08.30- 09.30 at the Dolphin Centre, you can enter on the day for a fee of 6 pounds which inludes a T shirt or 2 pounds fifty without.
It looks a better forcast this year, lets be honest it can't be much worse. For those interested I'll be on a white Kenesis Racelight with blue Mavic wheels and if its sunny i'll have the same top on as in my picture.0 -
Thanks to Miketually and JohnC if the weather is Ok i'll pick up it from Malton. Look out for 3 flourecent green ankle bands and a bright orange Kona.
If I dont make it everyone have a good ride amd remember no pain no hemeroids.!
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Thanks John C. I've put the info on the Darlington Cycling Campaign blog, as we often get traffic from people searching for info on Council events - http://bikedarlington.blogspot.com/2007/08/hell-o-north-2007.html.
I'm hoping it won't hurt as much this year. I was on a heavy bike last year, which I made heavier by fitting a rack and a pannier to carry enough food and water for the day as I wasn't sure what would be open. I tipped 2 litres of water down a drain in Hawes last year! This year I'm on a lighter bike, and will be travelling much lighter!
I'm a little worried that I've not done a ride longer than 65 miles this year, but that was on similar hills to the Hell O' The North, and was with a fixed gear. A slightly lower gear, and a freewheel, should mean I can get around. I'm not going to be breaking any recods though...0 -
miketually wrote:It took me ten hours and it hurt. A lot. I'm doing it again this year - I'll be o my blue Solitude drop-bar ss MTB
Will be interested to hear your time for this year, and whether it hurts less :-)0 -
nickcuk wrote:miketually wrote:It took me ten hours and it hurt. A lot. I'm doing it again this year - I'll be o my blue Solitude drop-bar ss MTB
Will be interested to hear your time for this year, and whether it hurts less :-)
The forecasted wind speed doesn't look too bad - that was my main problem last year, that and carrying too much stuff with me. The comfier bike with a better position (custom frame, drop bars, bigger wheels) more than makes up for the lack of gears. Eight hours, same level of pain?
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Not going for a fast time as I'm with a group of slower riders and I'd rather stick with the group and have a natter. As for the weather it looks like it is into wind all the way to the Moor Cock and then Big ring time
Hope a few of you will recognise me or my bike and say Hi. and i'll look out for you as you come past :oops:
Food and liquid can be bought in Richmond , Hawes, Kirby steven and Middleton in Teesdale. so no need really to carry to much. I usually stop for full breakfast at the far end of Hawes on the right hand side then have a quick sign in and leg stretch at K.S. then a cake stop in Middleton (this is a social ride ). 0 -
Just seen latest forecast . Take a waterproof
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John C. wrote:Not going for a fast time as I'm with a group of slower riders and I'd rather stick with the group and have a natter. As for the weather it looks like it is into wind all the way to the Moor fool and then Big ring time
Hope a few of you will recognise me or my bike and say Hi. and i'll look out for you as you come past :oops:
Food and liquid can be bought in Richmond , Hawes, Kirby steven and Middleton in Teesdale. so no need really to carry to much. I usually stop for full breakfast at the far end of Hawes on the right hand side then have a quick sign in and leg stretch at K.S. then a cake stop in Middleton (this is a social ride ).
I'll keep an eye out for a white bike with blue wheels. I'm hoping to be near the front of the queue, so I get an early start. I'll wave when your leisurely social group passes me.0 -
Started at 8:45 and finished at 5:20, so 8 hours and 35 minutes this year. Much less painful than last year!
There was a white Kinesis with blue rims outside the cafe in Middleton when I went through, and it passed me on the road to Staindrop. Sound like that was you?0 -
I like these big rides, you go through so many different emotions in a relatively short period of time. A pessimist would say never again after riding for 3 1/2 hours into a strong wind in the rain, an optimist would say only 5 more miles and we turn so the wind will be on our backs ,the rain has stopped, and that was the best bacon butty I've had since last year.
The forecast had been for a band of rain to go from West to East so with any luck we'd ride through it and then dry for the rest of the day. So what to wear ? I've got a new Altura night vision jacket, it's meant to be bright, wind proof but not waterproof, so I gave it its first outing.
We, Mark John, Chris, Steve, Tony and myself all signed on successfully and set off from Darlington and it was quickly obvious we were going into a strong headwind so when a group of Ferryhill Wheelers eased passed us we jump on board, the trouble is in a big group you can only see your immediate surroundings so as long as I could see someone from our group I kept going. As one by one the point riders gave up and went to the back it would be my turn next, another group then came past and we all jumped on their tail and let them do the work. As we got to Middleton Tyers I realised I was the sole loiterer so I let the group go and waited a couple of minutes for a regroup. By this time the rain had started, yippee. We'd lost Mark and John so after a short wait we decided to carry on to Richmond and wait there. As we waited Chris Tony and Steve put on waterproofs but as my new top was too bulky to go in my saddle bag I had to stick with that, I didn't want to have my waterproof on as well as my new top. After a while we set off again without John and Mark, We new Marks view on cycling in the rain and wondered if they'd abandoned the ride. From Richmond it was a case of, OK it's raining and blowing a gale but lets just get to the cafe in Hawes , so I did my best to ride point and if I could get another rider to do the work for me so much the better. We looked through the rain at where the spectacular scenery should be and cracked jokes to the fact.
Hawes arrived and the Cafe entered and I saw friends I last saw on rides a year or so back, As I stripped off and waited for my Bacon and egg butty I realised I was completely dry under my new top.Not bad for a jacket that is only meant to be shower proof. After the delicious bacon and egg butty Chris ushered us all out, just as Mark and John arrived saying never again.
Here we fell in with a father and son from the Middlesborough area, Taylor is only 13 and this was his first 100 miler. Well actually we met them just before Hawes and at our suggestion they entered the cafe and purchased some of their fine fair. Father whose name I have forgotten was looking rather anxious as Taylor was leaving him quite a bit, the loiterers here took the role of mother hen and gathered the pair up into our clutch. With the Moorcock reached a turn in direction, the rain stopping and the fact that we had an 8 mile down hill spirits were revived.
We clocked in at Kirby Steven and headed out to Brough with a strong tail wind, the next challenge would be Brough incline, about 4-5 miles of uphill. Taylor was worried and after a lecture from yours truly about riding hills he ignored it all and set off in the middle ring, after the first little rise he asked with a glint in his eye, was that it, the answer , no we haven't started yet didn't go down very well, eventually he found his granny and with encouragement from me we climbed, I gave him the option of calling me any name he liked as we crawled up the hill, but up the hill we went, and a very tired Taylor started the decent to Middleton in Teesdale where we stopped for tea and cakes. Taylor now was into new territory as 75 miles was the furthest he'd ridden before. Refueled we set off at a steady pace for the last hill of the day Eggleston Bank, Taylor quickly went for his granny and made the top, by now the views were spectacular and the strong wind was pushing us along at a fine speed. Steve and I lead point and quickly got a telling off, We talk, the speed goes up as do the gears and people get left behind, Emma would have kept us apart and Steve would have had an ear bashing. He'll get one anyway when she finds out he's been off roading on HER bike, luckily Uncle Tony was there to straiten the wheel. Oops, I wasn't meant to mention that. So we made our way via staindrop back to Darlington , 100 miles, 2 1/2 thousand feet climbed and old acquaintances remade, Big Julian has another new bike (he rides in plus fours) Dave from the Swaledale out door Club did the London-Edinburgh-London ride again this year, Old Dodgy was wearing a New Wave heart and blood Shirt, looks good in wight. My new top ? it got a bit warm when the pace went up but it breaths well and will get a lot of use over the next few months, I'd recomend it. It is a top I'll be able to wear on these longer rides as I won't have to worry about what the British weather is going to throw at me.
Well done Taylor
Back next year ? Try stopping me.
The question will be, can I keep up with a 14 year old ? DeleteReplyForwardMove...
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Nice to see you again John.
Its a wonderful run but the headwind out did for me. Fortunately the wind held its direction and we made decent time once over the climb out of Brough. As someone once said there are only a few climbs in the first half, the rest is just up! Will I do it again, ask me later when the pain has subsided.
Chapeau to young Taylor, a hell of a way to break your ton duck.
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Well done to Taylor!
I spotted that heart and blood top several times during the ride; it kind of stands out, doesn't it?
My right knee is a funny shape this morning. It started to hurt really badly somewhere around Eggleston.0 -
Was a great ride, thoroughly enjoyed it, although i'll remember next time to bring a waterproof I think. My time was roughly 6:49, but I did spend the first 25 miles chasing Diogenes and co (I got lost going in to Darlo and set off at about 9 :oops: ) That climb out of Brough was great, would love to try it without having to cycle 50 odd miles into a headwind first."A cyclist has nothing to lose but his chain"
PTP Runner Up 20150 -
Fantastic report, John. I am already mapping out this route to give it a try myself at the end of September, when I have some free time.
Been too busy patrolling around the Bransdale area keeping out the Hoi Poloi, on my MTB, ever since you blew your mouth off about the RUDDY place on C+ Forum!!!!
I too have a Altura Night Vision jacket, they are a fantastic piece of kit, mine kept me bone dry all through last winter, regardless of whatever the weather could throw at me.0 -
Royal Dragoon wrote:Been too busy patrolling around the Bransdale area keeping out the Hoi Poloi, on my MTB, ever since you blew your mouth off about the RUDDY place on C+ Forum!!!!
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Don't let gunner catch you0 -
Iquote]
Don't let gunner catch you[/quote]
John, I smell a rat, I suspect Royal Dragoon and Gunner are one and the same.
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The same thought had been going through my mind 0
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Just looked at his profile, has to be a gunner in camouflage. I bet it's a black night Vision Jacket he has, with a Kevlar lining, night sights in the back right pocket and a powerful extending gun in the left pocket. Be warned this man must not be approached he is highly dangerous. 0
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8) 8) 8) 8) 0
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Was up in Farndale yesterday, followed by Rosedale, stayed away from 'The Dale'. Honest
Beware Gunners about0
