The NTRS Peaks200: take2
Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2019 1:02 am
So I needed some more training in for the BB200 and more than anything character building and the likes. So as soon as we - the family - got back from the Lakes I knew it was a perfect time to apply for a visa from the Home Office. Granted without a batted eyelid and a day later (after kids duties off course) I was ready for my second attempt at my first ever ITT. The notorious Peaks200...
Last failed attempt I rode it down to the start line (dead car battery) of Dunford Bridge. Not this time and off I went with bike lay peacefully in the boot. Depart time from Dunford Bridge at just before 1300 with a lovely pic of my Stan with this nice chap who I'd met and seemed happy to talk
Roger posing with his bike and our Stan who seemed happy at his lovely new (to us) forks.
As I rode off into the distance, with a nice gust pushing me back lightly I thought of Karl, and Sean, and Colin. All having motivated me in the past weeks on month in some way or shape. Sean for keeping ticking off these mad ITTs on his single speed and Colin for not being afraid to chuck in the towel when he knew its not safe... Karl, cos of the interview I read of his post HT550 with Stu... Particularly that 'he knew he was gonna get round it this time'...
Just like Karl, I also knew I was gonna be round the Peaks and ready n fresh with my last bit of new knowledge to get me round the BB200. Plan of action was to break the 140 miles into 7 segments; get past my last ' I'm too soft' bit between Birch Vale and Chinley; and take one pic per day and until that pics taken I'd not be retiring (for the night).
At mile 14ish going down some rocky path with suspended front end. Thinking to myself, these folk that 'endover' on these bits are obviously not taking care... seconds later as I started wondering about backpacks (is Osprey not as good as Deuter afterall as the latter is outlasting the former by a good few years) and whether that should be my strategy, it happened. Not sure how but the front end washed out on something not too hairy and on my back I went. Whacked it pretty bad but decided to keep going and see how I got on.
See, nothing there to wash out on: must've been the extra tyre pressures and me thinking I'm a smart*ss
Ripped Wproof jacket and the grazed elbow taken care of with some honey (the only 1st aid piece I had and which doubles up as food ) I cracked on. Just round a few corners was the dreaded Birch Vale climb back into the PBW. Last time the heat got me here and my legs stopped working at the bottom. Either it was the adrenaline or I was just feeling altogether better but I managed to get up a fair amount before getting off to push.
Then at the top, back still aching (the tail of the spine to be precise which is still giving me issues walking at the mo), I ummed and arred. Do I continue or not and as the winds were picking up force and beating me around I decided that bivying tonight might be a bit critical to the old glass back. So as soon as I passed my last 'personal best', I looked back at the beautiful Peaks and took the 'snap' (the one that meant todays riding was done) and got back out to the roadside via the route.
The picture that said my attempt was over
Now, last time I was around these parts I used Wahoo and my own cunning to try and get back to decent enough train station (I was totally done wiyh heat exhaustion last time and couldn't think clearly enough) for a cheap fare home: I managed to get cuaght up on some nasty fast roads. So this time I was determined to find the line (that wasn't actually there) through the Peaks. West to North East.
With my new route builder premium app feature in strava. I squiggled a line and forced Strava to 'find me the path of least resistance'. It found me the dashed black line (which I later learnt whilst examining it on OS maps in the pitch black (I had lights but the fog wasn't helping) headed to Kinder Scout....
So from 2100 to about 2200 I did the big walk and realised that I wasn't get back to my car tonight ... So I needed to bed down for the night as well as pray. Thankfully I've read the rule at some point in my life 'climb high, sleep low'... But at 2230 and the path getting more vague and at 2000ish feet with a steep descent looming, I thought of Alpinum (who always keeps smiling in much worse conditions*) and realised its safer to bed down for the night up here and make my way down in the morning.
I wonder which is Chinley Head?
The long dashed black line
Sleepy time
Bivvy spot not far from KinderScout: Happy with that!
So... I got out my bivvy (thanks Allen, it's vaguely exciting) soon after having done my prayers and thinking of thought of my cunning plan. I'd warm my water for morning wudhu (ablution for prayers) by putting the water in bottle and into pillow (alpkit airloc which had carried the sleep-system). Genius...
Managed to get some sleep in between thinking about my damp socks and sliding down the slope then csrefully pulling everything back up the slope... Listening to the wind, wondering about my back and how it'd react to the slight chill in the morning. The other part of the plan was to get up early early, psck up quickly quickly, breakkie with gibger beer and descent for pre-sunrise prayers lower down. Thankfully it all worked but in the rush I left behind my Thermarest mats sleeve with puncture kit inside it
A little more faffing and coaxing my bike down some steep scrambling paths, feeling sorry for myself that I might fall, then seeing this and thinking
lets call this pic of that days riding
or should it be this
or this at the lovely Edale Honey Pot Cafe later that morning!
Before I forget... During the night I'd realised that my strategy of, 'if its an mtb then let Strava route builder run wild and build whatever cos, well its an mtb', was a bit daft. So I used my trusty Viewranger and the good old brain and drew a new line (which thankfully synced over nicely) for the mornings riding.
Ended up back at Edale at the start of the route. Was planning to ride padt the cafe which wasn't gonna open for another hour, but then saw the road-side sign and allowed commong sense to prevail. The lovely gaffer and his aunt** ushered me to wash my bike around the back with the hose and were all round lovely so I took a pic...
Stan being jealous again and trying to get into the frame!
what could've been a scary ricer crossing leaving Kinder Scout
Thanks Oh Allah for the dawnlight!
Another river thanfully shallow
Ain't Peaks beautiful
Then from Edale I followed the Peaks200 route back to Dunford... Carried the bike a few times before Edale and after the 2 reservoirs. Thats when i was so thankful I'd brought along the collapsing rucksack which I used to drop weight from the bike for shouldering (thanks to Seans lovely writeup of his 300 ride I remembered it) which really was a Godsend...
Erm, on the ride back to the car I thought long and hard about time limits and conceded that I'm probably one of the slowest BPs known to man. Therefore, needed to think long and hard about wasting my spot on the BB200 as I don't wanna risk not meeting cut off point. Then today whilst collecting the kids I realised I still can't walk properly so common snese thong was to message Stu to say I'm out (for now).
Will attempt another go at the Peaks200 soon enough and take it from there. Sorry if any of it was a bit monotonous ... To make up, here's another amazing pic of the next day which remained shiny for a little longer
*Did i say I'm a bit soft
Last failed attempt I rode it down to the start line (dead car battery) of Dunford Bridge. Not this time and off I went with bike lay peacefully in the boot. Depart time from Dunford Bridge at just before 1300 with a lovely pic of my Stan with this nice chap who I'd met and seemed happy to talk
Roger posing with his bike and our Stan who seemed happy at his lovely new (to us) forks.
As I rode off into the distance, with a nice gust pushing me back lightly I thought of Karl, and Sean, and Colin. All having motivated me in the past weeks on month in some way or shape. Sean for keeping ticking off these mad ITTs on his single speed and Colin for not being afraid to chuck in the towel when he knew its not safe... Karl, cos of the interview I read of his post HT550 with Stu... Particularly that 'he knew he was gonna get round it this time'...
Just like Karl, I also knew I was gonna be round the Peaks and ready n fresh with my last bit of new knowledge to get me round the BB200. Plan of action was to break the 140 miles into 7 segments; get past my last ' I'm too soft' bit between Birch Vale and Chinley; and take one pic per day and until that pics taken I'd not be retiring (for the night).
At mile 14ish going down some rocky path with suspended front end. Thinking to myself, these folk that 'endover' on these bits are obviously not taking care... seconds later as I started wondering about backpacks (is Osprey not as good as Deuter afterall as the latter is outlasting the former by a good few years) and whether that should be my strategy, it happened. Not sure how but the front end washed out on something not too hairy and on my back I went. Whacked it pretty bad but decided to keep going and see how I got on.
See, nothing there to wash out on: must've been the extra tyre pressures and me thinking I'm a smart*ss
Ripped Wproof jacket and the grazed elbow taken care of with some honey (the only 1st aid piece I had and which doubles up as food ) I cracked on. Just round a few corners was the dreaded Birch Vale climb back into the PBW. Last time the heat got me here and my legs stopped working at the bottom. Either it was the adrenaline or I was just feeling altogether better but I managed to get up a fair amount before getting off to push.
Then at the top, back still aching (the tail of the spine to be precise which is still giving me issues walking at the mo), I ummed and arred. Do I continue or not and as the winds were picking up force and beating me around I decided that bivying tonight might be a bit critical to the old glass back. So as soon as I passed my last 'personal best', I looked back at the beautiful Peaks and took the 'snap' (the one that meant todays riding was done) and got back out to the roadside via the route.
The picture that said my attempt was over
Now, last time I was around these parts I used Wahoo and my own cunning to try and get back to decent enough train station (I was totally done wiyh heat exhaustion last time and couldn't think clearly enough) for a cheap fare home: I managed to get cuaght up on some nasty fast roads. So this time I was determined to find the line (that wasn't actually there) through the Peaks. West to North East.
With my new route builder premium app feature in strava. I squiggled a line and forced Strava to 'find me the path of least resistance'. It found me the dashed black line (which I later learnt whilst examining it on OS maps in the pitch black (I had lights but the fog wasn't helping) headed to Kinder Scout....
So from 2100 to about 2200 I did the big walk and realised that I wasn't get back to my car tonight ... So I needed to bed down for the night as well as pray. Thankfully I've read the rule at some point in my life 'climb high, sleep low'... But at 2230 and the path getting more vague and at 2000ish feet with a steep descent looming, I thought of Alpinum (who always keeps smiling in much worse conditions*) and realised its safer to bed down for the night up here and make my way down in the morning.
I wonder which is Chinley Head?
The long dashed black line
Sleepy time
Bivvy spot not far from KinderScout: Happy with that!
So... I got out my bivvy (thanks Allen, it's vaguely exciting) soon after having done my prayers and thinking of thought of my cunning plan. I'd warm my water for morning wudhu (ablution for prayers) by putting the water in bottle and into pillow (alpkit airloc which had carried the sleep-system). Genius...
Managed to get some sleep in between thinking about my damp socks and sliding down the slope then csrefully pulling everything back up the slope... Listening to the wind, wondering about my back and how it'd react to the slight chill in the morning. The other part of the plan was to get up early early, psck up quickly quickly, breakkie with gibger beer and descent for pre-sunrise prayers lower down. Thankfully it all worked but in the rush I left behind my Thermarest mats sleeve with puncture kit inside it
A little more faffing and coaxing my bike down some steep scrambling paths, feeling sorry for myself that I might fall, then seeing this and thinking
lets call this pic of that days riding
or should it be this
or this at the lovely Edale Honey Pot Cafe later that morning!
Before I forget... During the night I'd realised that my strategy of, 'if its an mtb then let Strava route builder run wild and build whatever cos, well its an mtb', was a bit daft. So I used my trusty Viewranger and the good old brain and drew a new line (which thankfully synced over nicely) for the mornings riding.
Ended up back at Edale at the start of the route. Was planning to ride padt the cafe which wasn't gonna open for another hour, but then saw the road-side sign and allowed commong sense to prevail. The lovely gaffer and his aunt** ushered me to wash my bike around the back with the hose and were all round lovely so I took a pic...
Stan being jealous again and trying to get into the frame!
what could've been a scary ricer crossing leaving Kinder Scout
Thanks Oh Allah for the dawnlight!
Another river thanfully shallow
Ain't Peaks beautiful
Then from Edale I followed the Peaks200 route back to Dunford... Carried the bike a few times before Edale and after the 2 reservoirs. Thats when i was so thankful I'd brought along the collapsing rucksack which I used to drop weight from the bike for shouldering (thanks to Seans lovely writeup of his 300 ride I remembered it) which really was a Godsend...
Erm, on the ride back to the car I thought long and hard about time limits and conceded that I'm probably one of the slowest BPs known to man. Therefore, needed to think long and hard about wasting my spot on the BB200 as I don't wanna risk not meeting cut off point. Then today whilst collecting the kids I realised I still can't walk properly so common snese thong was to message Stu to say I'm out (for now).
Will attempt another go at the Peaks200 soon enough and take it from there. Sorry if any of it was a bit monotonous ... To make up, here's another amazing pic of the next day which remained shiny for a little longer
*Did i say I'm a bit soft