The Cumberland Challenge
Gobonabike
Posts: 8
Due to a late surge in enquries we have decided to keep entries open until 29th August.
The friendliest Sportive in the country is on Sunday 5th September,105 and 50 miles.
Visit www.thecumberlandchallenge.co.uk
The friendliest Sportive in the country is on Sunday 5th September,105 and 50 miles.
Visit www.thecumberlandchallenge.co.uk
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hi am looking fwd to this as hav heard nothing but good reports about this ride
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Anyone else doing it? I can't wait, should be good weather.
NB event also known as the Brampton PestFest to at least one local.0 -
I've done it every year since 2006 and every year it has rained. hailed or otherwise been a battle against the elements. Despite this I keep coming back for more and this year is no exception. Good forecast for tomorrow apart from the fact that there could be a bit of a South Easterly which will mean a head wind for the first and last legs.
Its the friendliest event on the calendar.0 -
DNF
Things were going ok, got to Garrigill into the stiff beeze, then making relatively good time on the downwind section back towards Brampton, with one or two groups forming to keep the pace up.
Then turned left near Hallbankgate and onto minor roads towards Kirkhouse.
About a dozen of us descending into a left-hander ...
Bang! From nowhere, instanteouneously hit pure gravel on the corner and both wheels shot out from underneath me as if riding on a plate of marbles. Went down hard on my left-hand-side and stopped abruptly. Dazed and winded for a few minutes, started assessing damage to myself, badly cut knee, major gravel rash and suspected broken collar-bone. I recall hitting my head, but no concussion, the helmet definitely saved me there. (the helmet was compressed and cracked in a few places).
A few of the local residents had been watching and said they had seen quite a few near misses. A kind couple took me into their house and tidied me up a bit and gave me a lift back into Brampton (many thanks).
Got folks to pick me back up and take me to Carlisle A&E. X-ray showed broken clavicle near to the shoulder. The gravel rash looks like I have been shot-blasted down the left hand side. Had to go back to see Consultant this morning, I said I had experienced pain in the rib area overnight, another x-ray revealed broken rib as well. He suggested leaving clavicle for 2 weeks before deciding whether i need a Op.
So will be out of action for a while, and I was supposed to be flying out to portugal on holiday today, but there you go, accidents happen, and thats the first 'proper' crash i have had in around 8-9 years of riding. And many aspects of cycling are about overcoming adversity.
I'll recover and I'll be back !
Just need to make sure its not soon and wait for the clavicle to fully heal.0 -
Sorry to hear about the accident! get well soon.
I had a great day out on the first dry Cumberland Challenge I've experienced. As always organisation was first class. You can always tell when an event is put on by a thriving club by the number and efficiency of the marshalls. The clear conditions meant that the views of the distant hills on the Scottish section were visible for the first time I can remember in all the previous times I've done the ride. The headwind made for a different sort of ride. The ride out to Garrigill was hard work but was balanced out by a tailwind which sped us on our way all the way back to Brampton, and across the border into the wild ups and downs which preceded the feed at Nicholforest. The last leg is a normally a real blast which can be time trialled all the way back to the finish, but this time the winf got its revenge. I hammered it away from the feed until a left turn brought me into the teeth of a very stron South Easterly. A group of 4 formed and three (!) of us worked together to try and maintain foreward momentum. When the last mile arrved there was nothing left for the customary final blast to the line. I had hoped to get round in 6 hours 15, but had to settle for 6 hours 20. The wind had had its final say.
I'm sure I'll be back again next year!0 -
Snaffledog - I saw you on the ground and asked if you were okay and you replied yes but clearly you were not giving your injuries. I have crashed on a sportive before and know how bad it feels to come off at a high speed. Hope you recover soon.
Nick - Glad you got one dry outing of the event and I entered this one after you and Alan Nelson told me how good it was. Thought I saw you in the cafe with two mates at the end but was unsure if it was you or not so did not approach.
I had a great day and the event marshalls, organisation etc were excellent and thats the last two that I have done recently that were a class above the average sportive in every way. The course did not suit my style of riding at all and the only time I got into a decent rythm on a climb was hartside pass and I passed a lot of riders here. I like climbs to get my teeth into but the constant up/down of small climbs is not for me.
Still I managed 6hrs16min and really had to dig deep for the last 10miles into that head wind and passed a few people here who had bonked and had nothing left and could not even hold onto my wheel as I tried to help a few people here. I was aiming for sub 6hrs but really pleased with my time as it was a real tough day out coupled with that head wind.Brian B.0 -
Sorry to miss you Brian. I was in there with Simon and Richard, so it would have been me that you saw.. I was so knackered I wouldn't have recognised anyone myself! Hope to catch up some time. I was aiming at 6.15 and thought I was going to make it with something to spare until I turned into the headwind!0
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Knee pain and a fcked up front wheel meant I bailed at half time. Annoying but I enjoyed what I could. Many thanks to the mysterious stranger in an Italian jersey who towed me up Hartside past everyone else. Punctured on the descent yikes.
Did anyone see the llama at the foot of the climb to Hartside?0 -
Yup! Saw the Llama - or was it an Alpaca? Pretty popular round here. Don't know why. Topped off a good day. Sorry to hear of the morning's casualty - I believe the gravel also caused a couple of punctures 1-2 miles downroute. Glad I had gatorskins.0
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Glad you all enjoyed it,sorry about the injuries Snafflledog.
We managed to deviate from the usual Cumbrian rainshine this year,looks like we may have lost our claim to be the sportive with the worst weather.We will strive to return to normal next year.
Thanks to all riders from the organisation,and from the Eden Valley Hospice and The Great North Ambulance for the help in raising much needed cash.0 -
I know the exact area of gravel you meant I came onto it at 25mph+ to find a marshal waving me down and a car in the middle of the road. was a close call.
Sorry to hear you went down sounds very sore!!
this was my first time doing anything road bike related, only had the bike since start of August, saw this in the local paper and thought why not.
I just done the shorter 57 mile ride but the most id covered at any pace was 36mile, so I was still nervous. I did feel however i could have carried on but probably not at the same pace.
I managed the route in 3h 28 which I was pleased with, had a target of 4hours and didnt really know what to expect.
So now Ive been bitten by the bug Im keen to get out trainging and do more.
Id like to say thanks to all the marshalls who done a top job, the nice feed station which was welcome at the end and also to the riders who were nice and friendly.
Andy - were you the guy packing up next to the range rover outside the school? If so I breifly spoke to you I was in the yellow clio. Knee pain rings a bell as that what the guy said at the time.0 -
Quote - "A group of 4 formed and three (!) of us worked together to try and maintain foreward momentum"
I think I was the non-worker (old guy, Border City kit). I was completely stuffed - sorry!0 -
MikeW ? 65 year old tester,sitting in! Shame on you.
6.21 not bad for an Bugger.0 -
mikewest wrote:Quote - "A group of 4 formed and three (!) of us worked together to try and maintain forward momentum"
I think I was the non-worker (old guy, Border City kit). I was completely stuffed - sorry!
No, it wasn't anybody in Border City Wheelers Kit, and I think he wasn't an old guy,
( I can't be certain about his age, because he was at the back all the time). I can confirm that one of the prime workers in the group was in Border City Wheelers kit and told me that his passenger had been on his back wheel since Brampton.
I wasn't able to work as much as I should have done, because my legs had packed up 5 miles from the finish!0
