Etape du Dales 2012 - Report

Senecio [Daniel D]

The orgainsers really should have issued an adverse weather warning for this year’s event (Sunday, May 20th). The high winds and cold rain which characterise a summer’s day in the Yorkshire Dales were completely absent! I was too hot (don’t get me wrong the temperature was 15C or so, it’s just I couldn’t take enough clothing off to be comfortable and also be able to carry it.

This is the fourth time I’ve done this most tremendous sportive and the first time I’ve seen the views – stunning. The good weather did not moderate the gradients which are as steep and long as ever. No less so the Col Road (thank you to Gina for renaming this from the more traditional ‘Coal Road’); never before have I considered I would be forced to stop and walk as on this climb this day. I didn’t though and then went through the familiar pattern of catching Martin and Mark up when the gradient waned a little.

You see life has got in the way of cycling a bit this year and I was under prepared for this ride. I feel guilty about this, not showing the event enough respect. I also feel bad I was holding back my fellow CCA riders. Mark ‘Flyer-Wyer’ is on scorching form and ‘The Born Again Northerner’ Martin Lawless was just taking anything the route threw at him.

We stayed together and when we could form a train we headed an express! I’ve always considered Mark to be a level headed fellow but coming in Horton-in-Ribblesdale he shouted something incoherent about it being flat and ‘our terrain lads’ and all of a sudden my speedo reading high twenties (mph, not bpm). I tried to explain about the final hill but I hadn’t the breath.

I couldn't actually remember the final hill, which in fact turned out to be a range. However the last ten miles were down the valley of Wharfdale and once more the blue train formed at the front of a long line of MAMILs delighted to get a tow but oblivious to the need to share the work.
Sadly the canteen had run out of mushy peas, but gravy was a good substitute to garnish the celebratory meat pie. It’s such a great club atmosphere in the HQ (Wharfdale Rugby Club). Mushy pea stocks aside the event runs as smoothly as an Eastern Cyclocross Event. (The results are even already on line HERE)

So despite being under prepared it was once again a fantastic ride and I am enormously grateful to the ever patient M&Ms I rode with. We didn’t break any records but we rode a cracker. Thanks guys!

Daniel

PeterG

hope you managed to stay on this year Daniel!;)

Martin L

Martin L

Great ride – cheers to my co-riders Mark W and Daniel.

I can recommend the EdD as a training ride for the Marmotte – or as a meaty one-off epic and education on Dales geography in its own right.

Our day started early in a mighty fine B&B – with good black pudding to get the pistons firing. Just half a mile to shake off the beer from the night before in the nice owd boozer, and we were off.

We elected to adopt a ‘laughing group’ pace beforehand – and not try and beat down a Silver time - and so it was that many a shirt zoomed past us early doors – and as expected, we’d see these same shirts later on – gaskets blown, holding on to our train. I saw a group of riders go past in Rock Racing team colours. I thought how poor such riders should associate themselves with such a controversial team. Then realized, it WAS Rock Racing. ‘Aw man, your cliffs are awesome’.

The weather was just right, if a degree or two chilly, perfect for climbing. There’s nowt much at around 30% I’d say – but a lorra lorra 20 – 25% and I found myself mostly in the last three rings of my cassette. A passing cyclist asked me how it compared to the Marmotte. Out of breath, I said it was similar. The reality is the Marmotte is technically about two-thirds more climbing and will make you cry. So the EdD is on the right side of tough, I’d say. The weather could make the difference though.

As it was, we did well with the sun often beating down. In fact, I burned the backs of my legs and neck.

The feedzones were terrific – I need not have packed a thing.

We go right out of the Dales National Park and actually get to about 5 miles of Geoff’s bit in Durham. Blooming ‘eck Geoff – wouldn’t want to find my way home after a night oot at yer local. Beware the moon lads. Stick t’road. There are some very remote places to live in the UK.

Picked up a good lad along the way to make our train four-way. Indeed, we would pick up several people hither and thither happy to jump on. There’s a lot of independent non-club riders out there that don’t really know group etiquette – or group riding. But I didn’t think it was the time or place to get finger wagging.

Lost my bottle – physically – going 40mph down some mad descent. Luckily, Mark’s Stevie was around to replace my bidon. No more cheap bottle cages for me. I actually rode over the bottle as it bounced out. It could have been a lot worse.

Indeed, the descents were more terrifying than anything else. The descent of the Coal/Col Road is up there in the squeaky bum charts: a series of small switchbacks, where the road just falls away from your bike. I was squeezing my brakes like my life depended on it. Hang on – my life did depend on it. Each switch swung me out just that bit too far. I then started to hear a funny grinding noise – which I think was my wheel rims expanding in the friction heat. I was about to commit a soft hedgerow landing when at last the winding stopped and I let go a “phwooar” of relief to the hoots of laughter from the army of crash watchers at the bottom. There were several less fortunate riders nursing heat-related exploded tyres at the bottom.

Amongst it all, we did have a smooth, rolling flat TTT bit – and as Mark said ‘We’re on home turf now boys!’ we did what we do best and chainganged it – to the relief of a dozen riders behind. Mark later attributed this un-Marklike burst of hedonism to a particularly potent gel from earlier.

We got within close range of mighty Pen-y-Ghent herself in the run-in and then dropped down the valley to the end via a cattle grid at 40mph. One to tell the grandkids.

Back for meat pie, chips and gravy in the rugby club while being eyed by the locals wanting their venue back. 110 miles. Ride time 14mph – a Silver in theory. But with the feedstops, we were 38 mins over the 8hr barrier. Not at all bothered about that – this year…
I’d say the Chiltern ride this week is a notch down in effort and occasional terror, but not much. Scenery on this ride is majestic though – quite special.

Martin L

Looking back on the first climb;


Heading down the first big descent. “Watch out lads – collision at the bottom.”;


That ‘Daniel face’;


‘Crackin’ gels Gromit’;


Top of A. N. Hill;


Near Buttertubs;


Near nowhere;


Five miles from here – somewhere – is Geoff’s;


Tan Hill – the highest pub in Britain. Allegedly;


On to the edge of the Lake District;


All waifs and strays accepted. Bang in a gel Daniel!


Halfway through the toughest of the day – the Coal Road;


Towards the Three Peaks;


Ribblehead Viaduct signifies a several mile descent. Happy days;


Mordor herself;


Last big downhill – nearly a tonne up here – not far to go;


Whoosh;


The last big view;

tduckett

lovely, lovely, lovely. well done chaps. nice pics. looked like agreat ride

Shaun

Well done lads. Nice write ups Daniel and Martin. I need to take some photos to record my efforts...

geoffg

Brilliant write up and pics guys...yes, Tan Hill is my local pub almost..a short ride up average 10% with some serious tips here and there. Would have loved to see you and would have come up to the pub to wish you well.
See you all soon

phil k

great reports chaps and super pictures - in the diary for next year

geoffg

I should be able to offer hospitality here at Plover Hall Farm in Gilmonby nr. Bowes next year so let's see a club effort. The hills and scenery are truly wonderful here.

Martin L

The Yorkshire Tourist Authority don't waste any time in the video edit suite - this was uploaded yesterday;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOPQ_6NwRsg

No slo-mo meat pie footage. Schoolboy error.

Martin L

Note: you need to book this ride at the start of the year. All 1,000 places go quick.

Senecio [Daniel D]

It's the first time since the inception of the ride that the camerman hasn't needed an aqualung; indeed Jacques Cousteau was commissioned to make the earlier films.

(I didn't realise it was a race though, I thought it was a sportive).

Robbie L

Looks and sounds fantastic! Well done.

strappy

Well done lads.

As usual a great write up on such a tuff ride but as normal cca shows the way it should be done .

Like the pics looks a bit brutal (right up my street).

see you in 2 weeks of to the florida beaches.

strappy.