Spring Into The Dales
vermooten
Posts: 2,697
Anyone else doing it? In strictly mathematical terms it shoudl be tougher than the Lakeland Loop - 3 miles shorter but 200-300m more climbing. Yee-ha!
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I should be doing it again - this will be my 4th time. It's a really nice route, except perhaps the bit through Keighley on the way back.vermooten wrote:Anyone else doing it? In strictly mathematical terms it shoudl be tougher than the Lakeland Loop - 3 miles shorter but 200-300m more climbing. Yee-ha!
Unless you use SPD pedals, it would be worth taking cleat covers because we have to dismount and cross a footbridge, then carry the bikes up some steep steps.
Hill-wise, there's everything from long steady climbs (7 km out of Hebden Bridge for instance), to moderately long 10-12%, and even short sharp buggers upto 20%-25%.
I always seem to encounter a headwind on the final climb out of Oxenhope and by then my back is usually killing me so I have to really grovel. This year will definitely hurt because I've done virtually nothing since Christmas and have piled the weight on
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There's always a good spread laid on at the HQ at Salem Mill (next to HB co-op). Unfortunately it is on the top floor and my legs are always a bit wobbly by then.
I just hope that the weather is good for us. We've just had more wintry showers in Hebden Bridge today.
Also recommended - Chris Crossland's sister event in October Season of Mists. That's equally scenic and probably even harder.
A third, Hebden Bridge-based event (new this year) which should appeal to those of a masochistic nature - The Hebden Bridge Star. I've got a very good idea which climbs that one will be doing and they are brutal!0 -
I shall be there with luck, it will be my third time on this ride.
I have also done the season of mist before.
The Hebden Star ride looks interesting!0 -
I shall be there with luck, it will be my third time on this ride.
I have also done the season of mist before.
The Hebden Star ride looks interesting!0 -
I'm in. First time for me.0
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Google route map and GPS downloads here
http://www.danialwebb.com/outlinesnorth.html
(like he says though, beware if this year's route has changed...)
Last year it was a scorcher, got home and my face looked as though I'd been staring into a furnace all day. Suspect the weather might be more like April this year...
Didn't do Lakeland Loop, but think this might be a chunk easier than Hardnott & Wrynose.
I finished last year knowing I'd done a tough ride but not absolutely knackered, which is more enjoyable than not being able to walk for days.
There's one hill about halfway which caused me a bit of grief (after Grassington, you drop down through some woods, through a ford which looked heart-stoppingly slippery but was fine, then you've got a bit of a climb : I was forced to stop by a berk in a Discovery who stopped to let an oncoming car pass, then rolled back into my path...hill-starting and clipping-in was a pain)
The foot suspension bridge Colin talks about is wild - you can't imagine that the route sends you that way, but it is an audax not a sportive !
(although lots of people in club/team replica kit going for it at the front if you want to race it, through to people enjoying it slow-and-scenic further back - a good mix)0 -
I've got my route sheet - the route is unchanged.andy_wrx wrote:Google route map and GPS downloads here
http://www.danialwebb.com/outlinesnorth.html
(like he says though, beware if this year's route has changed...)
Thanks for the link. I have some good GPS files which I'll send in. A Mere 200 and The Pendle Pedal for starters.
It certainly was! We had more of a Summer into the Dales last year - I was overdressed and sweated buckets.andy_wrx wrote:Last year it was a scorcher, got home and my face looked as though I'd been staring into a furnace all day. Suspect the weather might be more like April this year...
Unfortunately we then had a long Autumn into Summer...
The weather is still very changeable over here. We had wintry showers again an hour ago but now the sun is back out. Currently, the forecast for Sunday isn't looking too good - cold, wet and windy!
I walked through the ford because I crashed in one once and don't fancy doing that again.0 -
What an amazing route! The hills!! Utterly fantastic, sooooo windy, shame it started raining towards the end. Yes yes yes. Coincidentally my time was 5h26m which is the exact same time as I got last Sunday in the Lakeland Loop. This was 3 miles shorter but had 300m more climbing. Progress is being made.0
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It is a really nice route. It is virtually identical to one I used to do before I discovered SITD. I actually prefer a few of ChrisC's SITD variations so I don't do my original route any more.vermooten wrote:What an amazing route! The hills!! Utterly fantastic, sooooo windy, shame it started raining towards the end. Yes yes yes. Coincidentally my time was 5h26m which is the exact same time as I got last Sunday in the Lakeland Loop. This was 3 miles shorter but had 300m more climbing. Progress is being made.
As for today... I'm ashamed to say that I didn't ride :oops: ! I've lost a lot of fitness, am overweight and have a sore back and I couldn't face riding what for me would have been over 6 very uncomfortable hours in a nagging cold wind. What a contrast from 2007, when I really enjoyed myself in the sunshine.
I'm going to do the SITD route with andy h 1 later in the year when the weather will (hopefully) be a bit more inspiring. If anybody fancies joining us for that, they would be welcome.
I'm going to have to get a few decent rides in this week or I'll have trouble with the Kirklees Sportive next weekend...0 -
Great ride. To fit that much climbing into that distance is excellent. My legs are v tired this morning.
I think I might take my Bianchi, with lower gears, for the Kirklees sportive next week.0 -
Brings back memories, did this a few years ago, a super route with some testing climbs.
Having just moved to south east Auckland, NZ currently having difficulty finding a decent circular route that doesn't include any dirt roads. Some nice riding and hills south of where I am but not many roads, a minor road over the hills I tried at the weekend ended up being a dirt track, and was pretty tricky on skinny road tyres.0 -
Don't forget to tackle Chris Crossland's sister event at the other end of the year - Season of Mists. It's certainly as good as SITD, and maybe even slighty tougher - 2555 m of climbs in 100km :shock: ! The SITD stats are 2205m in 110 km.SunWuKong wrote:Great ride. To fit that much climbing into that distance is excellent. My legs are v tired this morning.
I think I might take my Bianchi, with lower gears, for the Kirklees sportive next week.
PS Oops, sorry - I forgot that I'd already posted about that earlier!0
