Cut gate and beyond...

tubaonwheels

I'm gonna make the most of this decent weather and have my first crack at Cut gate tomorrow (Sat 17th). I need some miles and hills in my legs for Gisburn Dirty dozen so will be trying to keep moving most of the time.
Planning on also going up to Hope cross, jaggers clough, Edale (cafe stop), Mam Tor, Rushup edge, Bradwell, back over to Ladybower another cafe stop) and back over Cut gate.
If anyone fancies joining me for all or part of ride, I will be setting off from Langsett barn at 8.00 a.m. - I'll be in my silver Motorhome and riding my red and white Cube.
Steve.

Giggsmaster

Now then Steve. I noticed you were interested in buying a Cube, how us it. Is it the Reaction, I was looking at that myself couple of months ago.

tubaonwheels

Ayup mate, yes it is the reaction. It's a fine steed, nice and light and goes where I point it (most of the time). A definate improvement on my old tank! I shall have to re-visit the incline this summer to see if it seems any easier

tenchi

Now that sounds a good ride How long does it take you to complete it including cafe stops?

hoochylala

Thats a pretty epic ride you had planned there! How did you get on? How long did it take to complete? Rode Cut Gate at the weekend and it was absolutely fantastic - may of ended up passing you!

tubaonwheels

Hi Hoochy and tenchi, sorry about delay in replying but my internet has been down since Saturday.

It was an epic ride!!! And rather a foolish one as it turned out......
Got over Cut gate ok (2 minor falls and bits of walking) and up to Fairholmes for a cuppa, then went up the steep climb (Hagg side?) along side of wood and down the Hagg farm descent, all was going well up to this point, then - after crossing Manchester Road I came a cropper negotiating (badly) a fallen tree, over bars and fell heavily on my left side, cuts and grazes on leg hip and arm, but worst of all landed heavily on ribs and was badly winded - gasping for breath for a few mins.

Had a rest for a while and continued carefully to bottom of hill (near the beast), I thought I would carry on a bit and see if I could "ride it off", followed easy track at bottom of woods for a mile or 2 then decided to try the climb, managed ok taking it very steady, so thought the damage can't be too bad. Continued to Hope cross the Jaggers clough, but when I got to Edale road I realised it was not a great idea... as I was sarting to stiffen up all around my left hand side.
Decided it was wise to head back on road, so went back to Ladybower via Thornhill and Yorks bridge, considered the option of sticking to road over the Strines would not be wise so headed back to Fairholmes for another cuppa and a pastie...

The break did me no good at all, my whole upper body was now seizing up, stayed on the tarmac side of res. to slippery stones, and things were okay if I kept going nice and steady, but as soon as I started climbing cut gate I knew I was in for a rough time. Very painfull, descent not much better as every bump was killing.. got back to van eventually, after 42 miles and nearly 7 hours! I even had to ask a passer by to release my handbrake for me!


Conclusions:-
I was an idiot to contemplate this route on my own!
I was a total plank trying to ride it off!
In future a ride of this length would be better starting from ladybower, where there would be more escape routes.

I am now having to take time off work to recover, a few hard lessons have been learned!
As the saying goes 'there is no fool like an old fool' :oops:

tenchi

:shock: Hope your injuries are only minor!

Not may people would have kept going for as long as you did, that in its self is an achiement. It will keep the conversation going in the pub for a while

Not been up Cut gate for a long while, has all the repair work been finished?

tubaonwheels

Yep, it appears to have changed a bit since I last went over it.
A few years since I last did it, and that was running, let me tell you its a lot easier to run it than bike it!

Radioactiveman

Glad I read this post the gisburn dirty dozen sounds good

sniper68

tenchi wrote:

Not been up Cut gate for a long while, has all the repair work been finished?

The repairs were finished a while back and have settled in nicely 8) We rode it last weekend and it was suprisingly dry 8)

RE the fallen tree we climbed up past it,way too heavy to move.meant to call in and tell the rangers at the VC but forgot :roll:

hoochylala

Wowzers, that really did turn into an epic ride - I didnt see anyone looking too worse for wear when I was up CutGate so must of missed you

Hope the injuries are all right and you will be back out on the bike asap. Cut Gate really is riding well at the moment, didnt realise there has been reapir works, but saying that last time I was up there is was just a boggy mess so prob would not of noticed!

sniper68

hoochylala wrote:

didnt realise there has been reapir works, but saying that last time I was up there is was just a boggy mess so prob would not of noticed!

That shows how well they've settled in 8) There was a section on Cutgate proper and then from the bottom of Mickledon edge to Langsett/North America woods.The repairs have a yellowy look to them that stuck out like a sore thumb when new but are blending in nicely now.They've been down about a year now.