, suggesting MTL Saturday November 6th...I thought maybe that's a good idea to shake off the cobwebs, or have a mind altering experience...
Anyway I signed up for it along with 3 others including Shaf.
By the Thursday before, rocket powered flapjacks had been made, and rice pudding containing sugar, raw honey, golden syrup.
The forecast for the Saturday was grim ! 100% rain, and windy.
Thursday evening the others were having doubts ("not liking the look of the weather...(they were thinking of building an ark...)")
Trouble is I was mentally committed, so I'm going, just me.
Friday afternoon I put a fresh chain on the Canyon, and was checking the back brake pads, but putting the back wheel back it jammed, and I ended up snapping the derailleur hanger...
I'm not going.
Comes Tuesday and planning my mid-week ride...... why not MTL ? The seed was sown again and...
Wednesday morning drove to Waterfoot in Rossendale. Only 14 miles, AND I do the big climb (push mainly) to Top of Leach at the start instead of at the end.
Drizzle, dampness, and dark... a bit grim, waterproof shorts on and hood up.
First mile about 500 feet of ascent, then just under Cowpe Lowe it's good riding until the descent of Rooley Moor, cobblestones and rubble.
Through Healey Dell and after Lobden Golf Club the otherwise good riding was sh1te due to slippery slidey mud and wetness everywhere. And this was the story onwards, unless you were on the packhorse slabs like from Bottomley over to the road to Mankinholes.
Impressive atmosphere in the mist, here's a pic looking down:
Untitled by Eric Robinson, on FlickrManaged to ride down the BW to the canal at Bottomley without coming off (dropper seatpost handy for this)
Stopped a bit to eat before the London Road track under Stoodley Pike, then onwards towards Callis Wood, stopping at a stream to filter water.
Another big HAB to get to Jack Bridge then slipping and sliding again down a 6 inch track which was more like a little stream..
Gorple Reservoir then Widdop... and the climb after it.
I was thinking once at the top, it's a long rocky descent then a bit of a climb to Long Causeway, then downhill all the way to Holme Chapel
That downhill was a mudfest. The ground is totally saturated.
After that more mudfest to get to the bottom of the climb to Deerplay, lights now on. Ended up walking most of it, just a waste of energy grinding and sliding through mud.
Even pushing up the climb my feet were slipping,
And all the gate section was in a bad state too. Lots of walking. When I got to the road at Lumb I couldn't face any more mud and gates, so put my red light on and did the last 2 miles on the road.
SUMMARY
The worst MTL I've done, by far... but I am a few years older... and you get the feeling when you turn 50 that every year it's going to be harder, then you turn 60 (and it is harder), then you turn 70, and OMG, then when you're not far off 80 you think am I getting too old for this ?
All I can say is Bloody Norah.... (I may be slow but... but what ? but I'm bloody stupid as well...
It took me from 7am till q to 7pm, so not far off 12 hours. When I first did it in a group including a few not regular cyclists it took 10 hours.
I thought I would get round in about 9, but all that HAB and walking didn't help.
(I don't like too much HAB because of my old injury (climbing related), a fractured foot...
Untitled by Eric Robinson, on Flickr
Untitled by Eric Robinson, on Flickr
