Mytholmroyd, Sunday 5th April - hilly 36/52 mile forum ride

ColinJ

andy_wrx wrote:

Sorry Colin, rub-out my pencil-in, I've decided to do the Ironbridge 200 instead.

As I'm doing Fred Whitton, I want it for distance/endurance training, and whilst there'd be considerably more climbing on yours, it might be a bit more start/stop (and so it should be, it's supposed to be social !) whereas I can treat the audax as a training ride and set my own pace all the way round.

Next time...

Okay Andy. Enjoy the 200.

My ride definitely will be a bit stop-start because I'm not fit enough to ride at the pace of most of the others uphill.

It's nearly 3 years since I first met some of you off the old C+ forum and none of you have ever seen me go uphill quickly! It seems so long ago that I was fit enough to climb well (2001) that I've almost forgotten it myself...

MatthewBulmer

Just come back from doing the first part of this route (only managed to get out at 4pm so didn't have enought time to do it all.) What a brilliant route - the weather was gorgeous, which also helped. I'm off work next week so, if the weather holds ,I think I'll do the whole things on Weds. The PikeEnd/Blue Balls/Scout Road section is great. Out of interest, can you remember how long the second loop took you last time you did it?

johnbirkby46213

ColinJ wrote:

Nickwill wrote:

I'm a possibility Colin, it would be good to catch up with you again!
I'm just not sure of my plans at the moment!

I was just thinking that the other day when you posted pictures of your new bike!

I'll put you down as a maybe.

Woho
that is one seriously nice looking bike - like a bike should look in my humble opinion. I hate the look of my bike but love the way it rides and fortunately for me, I don't have to look at it whan I'm on it, and when I'm not on it, it hides away in the garage so as not to offend anyone.
Colin (and Blonde et al)
My mom died just a couple of months ago and I've not been able to get dad out of the house (in Yorkshire). However he has agreed to come down to flatshire next weekend. Don't see that i can leave him to do the ride - so I'm sort of happy that at last I can get him "out" but very sad that he is coming on the "social" weekend. Enjoy the ride all. Please send in a report so I can read all abartit.

ColinJ

johnbirkby46213 wrote:

My mom died just a couple of months ago and I've not been able to get dad out of the house (in Yorkshire). However he has agreed to come down to flatshire next weekend. Don't see that i can leave him to do the ride - so I'm sort of happy that at last I can get him "out" but very sad that he is coming on the "social" weekend. Enjoy the ride all. Please send in a report so I can read all abartit.

I was very sorry to hear about your mother John. It's good that you've persuaded your dad to travel down to see you. I hope you have a nice weekend with him.

I'll be writing a report on the ride in my lard-buster blog.

There will be other gatherings in the future, I'm sure and I'll be seeing you soon on the Brian Robinson Challenge (former Kirklees Sportive).

By the way - I'm thinking of doing the Cotswold Challenge from Meriden in May. It coincides with one of my family visits to Coventry so I might take my bike down on the train (I don't fancy doing it on the singlespeed that I keep down there!). Would you be interested in joining me for that?

ColinJ

MatthewBulmer wrote:

Just come back from doing the first part of this route (only managed to get out at 4pm so didn't have enought time to do it all.) What a brilliant route - the weather was gorgeous, which also helped. I'm off work next week so, if the weather holds ,I think I'll do the whole things on Weds. The PikeEnd/Blue Balls/Scout Road section is great. Out of interest, can you remember how long the second loop took you last time you did it?

I'm glad you liked it Matthew. Those quiet lanes are some of my favourites too. Incidentally, there's a whole network of them between Blue Ball Lane and Scout Road. There are many possible variations. There's a killer little combination at Mill Bank where the road plunges straight down and then rears back up again. If you wanted to test yourself out on some steep little hills away from traffic you could go round in all kinds of strange little loops round there.

You'll like the second loop too because it is more of the same, though the hills are more severe. The downhill bits are very fast, but for me the uphill bits are very slow so I reckon we probably took at least an hour and a half to do the 16 miles, maybe even two hours. You'd have to be very fit to do it in an hour.

sm1thch1ld

Just spotted your post (looking for the photo of the signpost at the foot of cragg)

Myself and two other lads from Halifax might get across for the ride on sunday - we've all ridden all of the climbs before (though not all in one sitting). Not done much riding so far this year so hopefully this will kickstart our training, and we can always drop off halfway round.

Hope to see you on Sunday.

Nick

ColinJ

sm1thch1ld wrote:

Just spotted your post (looking for the photo of the signpost at the foot of cragg)

Myself and two other lads from Halifax might get across for the ride on sunday - we've all ridden all of the climbs before (though not all in one sitting). Not done much riding so far this year so hopefully this will kickstart our training, and we can always drop off halfway round.

Hope to see you on Sunday.

Nick

I hope you can make it Nick.

johnbirkby46213

ColinJ wrote:

There will be other gatherings in the future, I'm sure and I'll be seeing you soon on the Brian Robinson Challenge (former Kirklees Sportive).

By the way - I'm thinking of doing the Cotswold Challenge from Meriden in May. It coincides with one of my family visits to Coventry so I might take my bike down on the train (I don't fancy doing it on the singlespeed that I keep down there!). Would you be interested in joining me for that?

Colin I've pm'd you as regards riding the Brian Robinson. I have a cunning plan! BUT I'm giving up attending my village's Beer Festival for that

As it happens, I'm booked onto Cotswold Challenge so might even be able to pick you up near Cov and take you there. We can chat that thru' on the BR - tho' not on any of the hills!!

Svendo

Hi All,

I'm up for this ride, have the weekend off and unless I go out saturday night I'll be there. Might get train, 1st of day arrives at 9.55, or ride out from rochdale via calderdale. choices choices, rush on train or try to ride slowly.
I'll be on my silver focus and showing off my hard earned tourmalet top. I'll not be trying out my new 11-23 cassette, but sticking with current 12-27!

P.S. if the Trawden grovel is the 20%+ bit in 2 goes with boulders that then goes past widdop reservoir, they had a helicopter carrying concrete about above there on monday. Wondered what they were doing but couldn't see anything obvious on google maps that it might be. secret bunker?

ColinJ

Svendo wrote:

Hi All,

I'm up for this ride, have the weekend off and unless I go out saturday night I'll be there. Might get train, 1st of day arrives at 9.55, or ride out from rochdale via calderdale. choices choices, rush on train or try to ride slowly.
I'll be on my silver focus and showing off my hard earned tourmalet top. I'll not be trying out my new 11-23 cassette, but sticking with current 12-27!

P.S. if the Trawden grovel is the 20%+ bit in 2 goes with boulders that then goes past widdop reservoir, they had a helicopter carrying concrete about above there on monday. Wondered what they were doing but couldn't see anything obvious on google maps that it might be. secret bunker?

Okay, I'll add you to the list of 'possibles'.

We won't be going round to Trawden on this particular ride, though I do ride there a lot.

ColinJ

MatthewBulmer wrote:

Just come back from doing the first part of this route (only managed to get out at 4pm so didn't have enought time to do it all.) What a brilliant route - the weather was gorgeous, which also helped. I'm off work next week so, if the weather holds ,I think I'll do the whole things on Weds. The PikeEnd/Blue Balls/Scout Road section is great. Out of interest, can you remember how long the second loop took you last time you did it?

If you did that ride Matthew, what did you think of the second loop?

ColinJ

Svendo wrote:

if the Trawden grovel is the 20%+ bit in 2 goes with boulders that then goes past widdop reservoir, they had a helicopter carrying concrete about above there on monday. Wondered what they were doing but couldn't see anything obvious on google maps that it might be. secret bunker?

As I wrote above - we won't be doing the Trawden loop at the weekend, but I did ride it this afternoon and sure enough, the helicopter was in action...



There were some workmen standing at the bottom of the nasty climb so I asked them what they were doing. They said that they are constructing a bridleway. It is currently shown on the OS map as a footpath. That will be an interesting addition to my local MTB routes. I reckon that it will either join up with the Mary Towneley Loop or come out on the road into Worsthorne.

MatthewBulmer

MatthewBulmer wrote:

If you did that ride Matthew, what did you think of the second loop?

Decided to do a recce of the western part of the Brian Robinson route whilst the roads were quiet mid-week. Ended up being a nice 65 miler in perfect weather. Will probably do the whole of your route on Good Friday.

When I did the first loop last week I think I did that bit that you mentioned were you drop into and out of Mill Bank. I also took a wrong turn and came out by the pub in Triangle. I then went about 100m up the main road and turned left to get back on route - boy, that was steep!

ColinJ

MatthewBulmer wrote:

When I did the first loop last week I think I did that bit that you mentioned were you drop into and out of Mill Bank. I also took a wrong turn and came out by the pub in Triangle. I then went about 100m up the main road and turned left to get back on route - boy, that was steep!

Easily done. You should have taken a left shortly after the old Blue Ball (it used to be a pub but it is a private dwelling now).

Part of my first loop pretty much follows the West Yorkshire Cycle Route from Ringstone Edge reservoir to Mytholmroyd so follow the cycleway signs with WYCR on them.

On the second loop, I miss out the WYCR section through Hebden Bridge to Midgley and rejoin it at the top of Midgley Road.

ColinJ

The forecast is okay for tomorrow - mild, dry and some sunny spells, not too windy. See ya at the community centre in Mytholmroyd at about 09:50!

Svendo

I've been a good boy and not gone out tonight, so i'm a deffo.
Just cleaned bike so as not too embarrass myself.

Think we could solve the worlds energy problems by burning oily muck from my chain mixed with hair from my shaggy border collie, both of which seem to be in infinite supply. Or at least exceed my patience in extracting them.
Next chain WILL have a breakable link.

ColinJ

Svendo wrote:

I've been a good boy and not gone out tonight, so i'm a deffo.
Just cleaned bike so as not too embarrass myself.

I'm about to be a bad boy and have a few drinks so I will probably have a hangover tomorrow!

I also haven't cleaned my bike, even though it needs it. I'll try and do it before I set off in the morning.

johnbirkby46213

ColinJ wrote:

I'm about to ...... have a few drinks ....

Yes you probably will

ColinJ wrote:

I also haven't cleaned my bike, ...... I'll try and do it before I set off in the morning.

Nah ya won't! :shock:

ColinJ

johnbirkby46213 wrote:

ColinJ wrote:

I'm about to ...... have a few drinks ....

Yes you probably will

ColinJ wrote:

I also haven't cleaned my bike, ...... I'll try and do it before I set off in the morning.

Nah ya won't! :shock:

Hic - time for bed!

At least I scraped some gunk off my jockey wheels before turning in...

johnbirkby46213

well Colin (and Blonde et al) you certainly had a fantastic day for your ride. I snuck out just before dad got up and went for a 40mile commiseration ride - wow talk about still air! I looked up and counted 10 vapour trails and only 2 of those were currently being "drawn"! Bet the views etc were fantastic with the sun outon your hilly-bits.
Dead jealous but pleased to get a quick one in for myself.
Look forward to the reports.

JB

ColinJ

johnbirkby46213 wrote:

well Colin (and Blonde et al) you certainly had a fantastic day for your ride. I snuck out just before dad got up and went for a 40mile commiseration ride - wow talk about still air! I looked up and counted 10 vapour trails and only 2 of those were currently being "drawn"! Bet the views etc were fantastic with the sun outon your hilly-bits.
Dead jealous but pleased to get a quick one in for myself.
Look forward to the reports.

JB

Well it was a fantastic day for cycling but Blonde and most of the et als were enjoying it somewhere else!

Still, five people joined me so we had a nice little group. I've just written it up on my blog - ride report.

I hope your dad has been okay and I'm glad you managed to get a few miles in yourself.

PS Nice to ride with you Svendo - we must do it again some time!