Longest Ride! Thursday 16th Oct 2008

Big loose rocks and lots of walking!

For some reason Adam had decided that we should do the longest ride route in reverse. We normally take on this epic route on the longest day in the summer, it nearly always rains and it is typyfied by wide traks with large loose rocks scatterred everywhere. These rocks are supposed to help with erosion i think

Tonight was no exception with regard to the weather. As we approached Hope and turned toward Edale the wipers had to be switched omn on the van. Great.

After last weeks pathetic performance by myself, I had considered selling the bike and my lights, and just going in the summer months. I thought I could maybe put the money towards a sea kayak.

In the end I decided that I would do the route opposite to everyone else, and when we met, i would turn back and just do the last decent. I had Andy in the van with me though, and my plan wasn't to be! He talked me into doing the whole ride, no-one would commit to waiting for me though, I didn;t need to ask to find this out.

I decided in the end to set off as soon as I was ready and wait for the others at the top of the 1st climb (Chapel Gate) a Killer WALK! The erosion from motor bikes, off roaders walkers horse and of course mountain bikes, has left this byeway in a sorry state. It is now immpossible to ride on any of the steeper sections, and you are in a scar so deep you cannot see over the sides! I;ll get a picture up when I next go in the daylight.

So, off I went. I rode the road section and turned on to the track, the rain really started now, straight in my face. I pushed on though and was roughly half way when i looked back and saw the others coming up the road section. Just as I reached the last steep climb to the top 3 mountain bikers came the other way, one of whom had got the new HOPE lights on, he had unfortunately lost the power to it after 5 mins or so and was using a tiny little commuter light to pick his way down.

when the guys caught me I had got the rest I need and was raring to go. one of the group had gone missing though, Louise had turned back after unsuccsesfully trying to walk up the mud with the 'wrong' shoes, and couldn't see in the dark as her glasses had rain on them.

he rest of this route needs to be ridden to be understood, it is mostly car width track as I said previous, punctured with large loose stones and rocks. The desent from the sweetie stop on the NW slope of Mount Famine was amazing with big drainage ditches and loose stones it was an exiting blast after the long slog to the top.

A very long walk up to the fringes of Kinder Scout now awaited. ( Kinder is the highest 'mountain' in the Peaks). At the top the final descent to the cars unfolds as Jacobs Ladder. Most of this is now cover in natural stone, but laid by man to help protect the route of the start of the Pennine Way. It was pretty much un eventful except for the strain on the thumbs and forearms at the bottom. everyone seemed to be complaining. Probably didin't help that we had cold wet hands to deal with.

After a cruise along the valley to the cars we headed to Edale and the Nags head for refreshments. They had Monster Munch, Pepperammis, and chocalate (as well as beer) so we had quite a feast (well done to all that managed the hot peperammis).

Distance: 12 miles?

Ascent:

Bike ridden: NS Bikes Surge

My performance: Much better with the head start, 85%

Monsal Dale to Topley Pike Circle

Well, after a 2 week lay of due to work I managed to get out biking this week.

I thought i'd get out early and maybe do the 1st climb before the others, it wasn't going to be that easy though, I hadn't done this ride before!

It started in the bottom of Monsal dale right next to the River Wye, can't really get much lower than this, thats what my head was saying as we climbed up towards Cressbrook & Litton Slack. All tarmac but the quick pace of the guys upfront made for a demoralising 1st climb. As they rounded the hairpin and climbed higher in the opposite direction I could see how much of a lead they had gained already. Not good but I had to give it a try.

There was now a muddy/grassy decent into Millers Dale, and along the dissused railway line to the old station. Off the track and onto the tarmac again now, another climb upto Wormhill. It was on here I started to make mental notes regarding tyres, whilst the brand new front 'Maxxis Swampthing' was amazing under heavy braking and especially on wet grass and mud, it was making the bike feel like I was riding into a headwind. Need to try a ride without I think?

At Wormhill I found everyone waiting to go as I arrived, I didn't get a drink, but did manage to get the feeling back into my 3 outer toes on my right foot, they'd been getting less and less feeling as I climbed up the hill.

After a rough and cow slurry covered but short climb through the farmyard, it was a reasonably long descent through the farmland, this was not to be though. It was ankle deep in cow dung, mud and water! The bits that looked OK were actually just like sodden wet mounds, and when you tried to ride on them the wheels just sank in like riding on bread dough! The tryes proved to be an issue here aswell, picking up the mud and growing in size.

The next section was along the metalled road to Meadows farm, ahead of us was a descent that is slippery and steep, has long straights and tight hairpins! Now the tyres should come into their own. I usually try to get amongst the top 3 or 4 riders as we set off on a good downhill, I didn't this time though, and held back till the last 3. I set off behind a new rider whose name didn't catch (sorry). On the long straights I found I was getting baulked so thought I'd go for and inside pass on the first hairpin, it dind't work the door was closed in front. On the next straight I hung back a little to get a good clear run, George almost ran into the back of me now. Anyway I was looking to pass the rider in front on the next hairpin or just before under braking, I got a terrific pace up on the striaght and waited for the last possible moment for braking, relying on the awesome front tyre to keep me upright. Brakes on.... lean back slightly... unbalance the bike and turn in...... the surface beneath me has got to be one of the most surprising things I've experience in recent times. It was of course White Peak limestone burried in wet grass! I had to abort and go straight on, over shooting and loosing pace on the guy in front. I hung back now and just rode on to the bottom at a sensible pace.

In front now was the sting in the tail, A horrendous stone punctured grassy climb upto the A6 where we rode along to Preistcliffe and along the byeway to Brushfield and the final descent to the carpark in Monsal Dale. This descent was full of loose wet Limestone, and being on the hardtail bike meant for an uncomfortable ride. All in all, a different route for a Thursday evening, but probably I bit off more than I could chew for a return to biking.

Distance; Circa 12miles

Ascent:

Bike ridden: NS Bikes Surge hardtail

My performance: Rubbish! Wasn't ready, and mentally defeated before start!

No Biking for 2 weeks, missed the wet rides though!

Not managed to get out for a couple of Thursday's, managed to miss the wet rides though! I have fitted a lovely kitchen for a customer though.
On the kayaking front, I'm still trying to find a suitable kayak for my introduction to sea kayaking, it has to be short enough to fit on our baby car roof, or the diddy van. It will need to fit in the garage also, and then needs to be long enough and quick enough to cut it on the longer paddling trips.