RetroRoadRide Series - Rd 6: The Lake District - 21/09/13
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Re: RetroRoadRide Series - Rd 6: The Lake District - 21/09/1
I'll post up some photos in a bit.
Mostly uphill.matthew71":1cblffvm said:
I'll post up some photos in a bit.
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Re: RetroRoadRide Series - Rd 6: The Lake District - 21/09/1
Perhaps it was the weather forecast, or perhaps it was just the inevitable amount of climbing that put everyone off.
But three of us decided that a few thousand feet of steep Lakeland road climbing was a good way to spent a Saturday. Admittedly we did have less than favourable weather. It didn't really rain but we spent most of the day riding in low cloud on wet and slippery roads. This probably sounds worse than it was.
The slightly extended route (due to my navigational ineptitude) meant that we actually did just over 47 miles and would have exceeded the 5760ft of climbing the planned route took in.
We didn't get quite as lost as a small group of fell runners at the pub stop. They were about 12 miles off course and were trying to find a taxi... One of them even asked for a 'backie' as we left.
I was happy to have managed to ride up all the steep passes including the brutally unforgiving Wrynose climb from the east.
There was also about 6 miles of near continuous gentle decent through the beautiful Dunnerdale valley and I clocked a top speed of 45mph on a long downhill towards Lowick Bridge.
It's certainly a route I'd like to have another go at.
Thanks to Chris and Colin for joining me for the day.
Heroic posing by some fearsome road signs. DSP, Uncle Monty and bhill22
bhill22 aka Colin conquers the climb out of the Langdale valley
A fine selection of old metal on the eastern shore of Coniston water.
Perhaps it was the weather forecast, or perhaps it was just the inevitable amount of climbing that put everyone off.
But three of us decided that a few thousand feet of steep Lakeland road climbing was a good way to spent a Saturday. Admittedly we did have less than favourable weather. It didn't really rain but we spent most of the day riding in low cloud on wet and slippery roads. This probably sounds worse than it was.
The slightly extended route (due to my navigational ineptitude) meant that we actually did just over 47 miles and would have exceeded the 5760ft of climbing the planned route took in.
We didn't get quite as lost as a small group of fell runners at the pub stop. They were about 12 miles off course and were trying to find a taxi... One of them even asked for a 'backie' as we left.
I was happy to have managed to ride up all the steep passes including the brutally unforgiving Wrynose climb from the east.
There was also about 6 miles of near continuous gentle decent through the beautiful Dunnerdale valley and I clocked a top speed of 45mph on a long downhill towards Lowick Bridge.
It's certainly a route I'd like to have another go at.
Thanks to Chris and Colin for joining me for the day.
Heroic posing by some fearsome road signs. DSP, Uncle Monty and bhill22
bhill22 aka Colin conquers the climb out of the Langdale valley
A fine selection of old metal on the eastern shore of Coniston water.
Uncle Monty
Retrobike Rider
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Re: RetroRoadRide Series - Rd 6: The Lake District - 21/09/1
I had a great weekend doing this ride up in the beautiful Lakes. I have only briefly been to this area once before and never ridden. Travelling on a Friday was never going to be easy, but we made our way up from Sussex and arrived around 5 pm. Took a stroll around Coniston as it was a reasonably sunny evening. Saturday morning filled myself up at breakfast, put the bike together and met Paul and Colin at the Bluebird cafe. I have to admit I was a bit nervous about doing this ride at all. I had not ridden a road bike for a very long time and had only ridden my borrowed steed once the weekend before. I have also never ridden this distance let alone climbs of this size. I figured as I had deposited my support team, (the missus) is Coniston, as long as I could get a mobile phone signal the broom wagon could be summoned. As it happened, and much to my surprise, I made it round. Now I am not going to lie - I did have to walk on occasion. Hawks Head hill was just the warm up and it had me worried! I managed the climb out of Langdale but Wrynose had me well and truly beaten. I nearly made it to the bridge but I have never been keen on vomiting in public. Caught my breath, got back on but not for long. It gets steeper round the corner! By this time we were up in the clouds and I think I got back on before Paul saw me...All of this was on a bike to which I had fitted a triple chainset and had a low gear of 30-27. Due to the damp misty conditions we were not rewarded with much of a view but the descent made up for it. By this time I had sort of got my head round the road bike weirdness, started to let go of the brakes and enjoy myself. We had a good pub lunch and refreshed set off again out into the mist. Lots more hills but all ridable. We eventually turned North and joined the Eastern shore of Lake Coniston on some great rolling roads before returning to the top of the lake for the final drop down back to the cafe. Thanks to both Colin and Paul for the excellent company over the weekend and for a great ride round some fantastic roads. It is certainly something I will do again and next time I am going to ride all the way to the top of Wrynose Pass!
Cheers - Chris.
I had a great weekend doing this ride up in the beautiful Lakes. I have only briefly been to this area once before and never ridden. Travelling on a Friday was never going to be easy, but we made our way up from Sussex and arrived around 5 pm. Took a stroll around Coniston as it was a reasonably sunny evening. Saturday morning filled myself up at breakfast, put the bike together and met Paul and Colin at the Bluebird cafe. I have to admit I was a bit nervous about doing this ride at all. I had not ridden a road bike for a very long time and had only ridden my borrowed steed once the weekend before. I have also never ridden this distance let alone climbs of this size. I figured as I had deposited my support team, (the missus) is Coniston, as long as I could get a mobile phone signal the broom wagon could be summoned. As it happened, and much to my surprise, I made it round. Now I am not going to lie - I did have to walk on occasion. Hawks Head hill was just the warm up and it had me worried! I managed the climb out of Langdale but Wrynose had me well and truly beaten. I nearly made it to the bridge but I have never been keen on vomiting in public. Caught my breath, got back on but not for long. It gets steeper round the corner! By this time we were up in the clouds and I think I got back on before Paul saw me...All of this was on a bike to which I had fitted a triple chainset and had a low gear of 30-27. Due to the damp misty conditions we were not rewarded with much of a view but the descent made up for it. By this time I had sort of got my head round the road bike weirdness, started to let go of the brakes and enjoy myself. We had a good pub lunch and refreshed set off again out into the mist. Lots more hills but all ridable. We eventually turned North and joined the Eastern shore of Lake Coniston on some great rolling roads before returning to the top of the lake for the final drop down back to the cafe. Thanks to both Colin and Paul for the excellent company over the weekend and for a great ride round some fantastic roads. It is certainly something I will do again and next time I am going to ride all the way to the top of Wrynose Pass!
Cheers - Chris.
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