Sunday 14 March 2010

Could have been a disaster

Today I headed out nice and early to meet ColinJ for a nice hilly road ride as I need to get out in the hills again. He had put it up on the cyclechat forum so there were a few of us meeting up. I felt like I was going well and then on the hill out of Littleborough towards Todmorden I went to change gear, it shifted all the way down the cassette, what was going on? An investigation revealed this.


See the problem, it had actually snapped in the shifter! I sent a text and started heading home, I was not happy. In fact I was struggling not to cry! Part way home I remembered Cooksons now open on a sunday so I thought I could head home and look at what time it opens. After passing through Bury I realised this was a bad idea and in the frame of mind I was in I would just sit on the internet all day and miss the lovely weather. So I headed to Cooksons, getting there at 11am just at it opened. Martin took minutes to put a new cable in and I headed back out. I made a decision to follow the route backwards and see if I could bump into the others. I had sent Colin a text and he had text when they were in the cafe, a different one than planned. So when I passed the original one I guessed I had missed them. I sent a text saying where I was and I was going to be looking at heading home when he rang, they were 15minutes away! So I met up with them and then turned round.

At this point the route was shortened as it was getting late so I rode back to Hebden Bridge with everyone. We all headed our seperate ways with me riding out to my mums in Middleton to suprise her, not before stopping for more food in Todmorden. A nice roast dinner and she insisted on dropping me home however much I insisted on riding.

110miles on the Garmin, longest ride ever!

12 comments:

  1. someone always seems to have mechanicals on colin's rides. he a jinx aren't you colin?...lol

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  2. I was disappointed when you had to drop out of the ride, so it was a nice surprise when you got in touch to say that you were back in action.

    I'm impressed with what you did today - we only ended up doing about 51 hilly miles but I feel very tired tonight!

    I'm very surprised that that was your longest ride - you obviously have more left in the legs. A group of us will have to get together and do an audax '200'(km - 125 miles) some time. The Red Rose Ride from Halifax might be a good one to consider.

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  3. Yes I think a 200km is a good target! If I had been allowed to ride home from my mums that would have taken me to 200!

    Was glad I managed to meet up with you, the day was nearly a diaster and worked out quite well!

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  4. Exactly the same happened to me on the Fred Whitton last year. Luckily it was the front shifter and it left me stuck in the little ring. Fine for Hardknott and Wrynose. I just had to coast on the downhill bits.

    110 miles is a great effort!

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  5. Yes I think I would have carried on with the front gears stuck in little ring. Colins rides are great but have no flat, even the downhills are so steep I'm not pedalling! I had never come across it happening before!

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  6. a roller coaster journey in more ways than one!

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  7. great determination; i'd have given up and mopped.
    ps. i thought of you on Saturday whilst sat in the Woodbine drinking a luxury hot choc

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  8. You felt fine doing 200!!

    Thats it, I need to pull my socks up. I long ride to the sea side next weekend for me.

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  9. Hmm woodbine hot chocolate.....

    Ads when I get a free weekend you can take me riding in the peaks, I have ridden so little off-road I need some technical riding. Although not the uber-technical stuff you need a big full-suss for!

    Red I only did 110miles, I can't imagine 200! One day"

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  10. Kiwi has clearly been giving Ruby ideas about gears not being needed! Well done for persevering and getting the big miles in.

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  11. I did wonder if Ruby was sulking since I had been riding kiwi more than her!

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