thenorthwind wrote: ↑Thu Sep 03, 2020 9:16 am ....with the couple of frustratingly unnecessary boggy/s****y pushes in the last 30 miles

I remember them well from last year I was desperately trying to get to the finish before midnight and then I hit those bits, even running uphill with the bike didn't help and I made it back at 00:07.

Out of interest, did the pre-event rumored 140 people turn up at the start?

Well after getting to Arnside at 12.30am I parked and slept in the van on the main street. Set off with the bunch at just after 8
Lots of road riding.
then on a small section that was really overgrown and boggy I had a very stupid clipped in fall and smashed my right knee of a big rock. I was only about 40 odd km in!
Couldn't believe my luck so early on.
After having a break and swearing a lot I carried on thinking it would get better.
Done the climb and then onto moor section heading towards the viaduct. After about 20km I realised that the pain was not getting any better and was having to mostly pedal on my left I decided that I wouldn't carry on the route. So bailed on the road and picked up the end of the route back to Arnside. Again lots of road riding.
So very disappointing event for me. Ended up about 120km and got back to van at 16.30.
Was the correct decision to bail as was still struggling with it 2 days later.
Good to meet Andrew. Maybe catch u guys on another one

Must have not been meant to be that one Robbie! Sorry to hear that. Good call though.

Sean: My best guess would be 60-ish riders, based on my estimate of numbers at the start, which is unlikely to be very accurate. Some people were using Spots, some Spotwalla, and some nothing at all, so hard to say at the moment. Chris Ellison has asked everyone to email with their name, whether they started/finished, time, etc. so presumably the results will be collated and a final figure published at some point.

The Dales Divide bloggy type page said about 80 riders started, but I started a day later and the trails didn't look like they'd had 80 bikes through (unless some got lost early on!!). Rod Gemmel has finished earlier today - I think I overtook him somewhere after Scarborough but I didn't see him.

And yes, the last 30 or so miles seemed tough - when I was expecting a long (road) descent to the seaside, we got a bog trot through a windfarm and then a steep cowfield full of long (wet) grass and cowpats, with hidden rocks to prevent pedaling and easy pushing. Was hoping to catch a few more of the group start riders but obviously I'm too old and slow for that now!!

Did you finish in the dark Steve?

Yes Andy - was 3.10am - quite dark and everywhere very deserted.

Seemed to be riding a lot in the dark - but the moon on the 3 nights was amazing (full moon and clear sky on the Monday night)

That stretch was a LOT easier in daylight - through at least one bit of it there was an actual path about 15m off the gps line that you just wouldn't have found in the dark. I rode it all, admittedly it was drier last year, then got to the end to find Sean whinging about it, and it seems he still hasn't got over it.

In Reverse wrote: ↑Sat Sep 05, 2020 3:27 pm then got to the end to find Sean whinging about it, and it seems he still hasn't got over it.

Well maybe if I'd had a nice sleep and casually rode it in the light it would have been nicer

The route through the wind farm seemed straightforward just wet, but I got to the end and there was a Track that looked Like it had been next to the gps route. The grassy field near the end was easy nav as well, just long wet grass that was hard work to pedal, and easier to push.

Well I did it last year and thought I would give it another bash but this year the going was not as easy with a lot more bog hopping. It was cooking hot last year too and although it stayed dry this year it was rarely warm.
I met up with Dave (see Above) on day one and Gary who was punishing himself on a gravel bike, I was amazed it just didn't collapse under the abuse We stayed together until the end which made the whole experience a lot better, it felt like we had been to war when we got back to Arnside!
I had forgotten some of the tough bits from last year but the unrated route this year did have some stunning riding.
By the end there was a bit of swearing at the route and never again etc but who knows...
Tim