FNRtSR Carlisle - Newcastle 19/09/2014

[mcshroom]

Ok, anyone up for a third go?

Here's the plan. Meet up at Carlisle Station at 11pm, then ride to Brampton and sort of follow the Hadrians Cycle Way (I've avoided dropping into Haltwhistle and climbing the really steep bits round Vindolanda by using the Military road in the attached route). The ride finishes using the Tyne riverside path which ends up on the North bank of the river riding under many the bridges in Newcastle before arriving for breakfast on the Quayside. [Route]

The ride is 102km with 1050m climbing. Most of the climbing in the first part of the ride, and the end of the ride follows the river so is pretty much flat/downhill.

There isn't much that will be open going over the Pennines, but we will stop at a 24hr Tesco on the way out of Carlisle (about 3km), then there is a 24hr Tesco in Hexham (75km) where we can call in on the way. After that we head for  (The Quayside) on the river front in Newcastle to get breakfast. It opens at 8am and is not far from Newcastle Station.

Carlisle is on the WCML, and Newcastle on the ECML, with a railway line following the same valley as we'd be riding so getting there/back should be possible from most places

Update

It's looking less and less like I'll be able to lead the ride on the road, so I'm looking at supporting the ride in a sag astra waggon. THE RIDE IS STILL ON and the arrangements are as above

I've had a few offers from others to lead the ride, so I'll PM you all and see if we can sort something out

Riding
Dale
phantasmagoriana
yoav
Joe.B
Flatbar Steve - joining along route
DefBref
tiermat
Dave
Edwardoka
Fnarr
MikeW-71

Maybe
Malrees
Kim
Andrew Br
'Slow'coach
AndyRM

Not riding
mcshroom
jogler
Andrij
Telemark
loafer
RythMick
GmanUK65
Scoosh
Ruthie
Mice
CharlieB




2013 Ride thread
2012 Ride thread

[Ruth]

When?

[mcshroom]

Last Friday in September (26th) Moved to 19th

[Ruth]

Oh, why not.

Logistics permitting.

[mcshroom]

[Kim]

Interested.  Will sit down and have a proper think about trains and things when I have some thinking time.

[mcshroom]

I think train tickets don't start appearing for another 2-3 weeks so there's no rush

[jogler]

Oh, why not.

Logistics permitting.

+1

'cause U R organising it
'cause Ruthie will be there
'cause I missed t'other 'uns
'cause I like night riding

.atm favourite plan is to drive to Carlisle,do the ride,train back from Newcastle( or ride back ) ddrive home

anyone want a lift from/return to Stafford or Stoke & share petrol costs?

edited to delete driving plan.
The train will now take the strain.

[Andrij]

I quite enjoyed the first one.

At the moment, list me as 'maybe'.  It depends, in part, if I do Hadrian's Wall / C2C as my cycling holiday earlier in the month.

[mcshroom]

If you do, and would fancy some company for some of it then give me a shout

Ruthie's "Tyne Tunnels Ride With No Tunnels" at the beginning of the month might be interesting for you too - link

[JonJo]

I tried a FNRttC a few weeks ago and I just didn't get it. Everyone else seemed to be buzzing and really enjoying themselves. I was bored and cold.

What's the appeal of these night rides? Why would you want to travel across the country at 7mph and not see the scenery?

I'm not having a pop at anyone, this is a genuine enquiry.

[Kim]

I tried a FNRttC a few weeks ago and I just didn't get it. Everyone else seemed to be buzzing and really enjoying themselves. I was bored and cold.

What's the appeal of these night rides? Why would you want to travel across the country at 7mph and not see the scenery?

Amongst other things, and in no particular order:

Minimal traffic.
Sociable event that's a bit different.
No getting up at early o'clock in the morning.
Nocturnal wildlife.
The sky.
Drunken zombies.
Legitimate excuse for a fry-up.
Less hot.
Less hayfever.
More convenient for public transport.
More convenient for childcare and other family commitments.
Excuse to play with cool LEDs and stuff.
Gateway drug to audax.

But I think basically it's a little bit of adventure.

[tom_e]

I was going to list a few of Kim's points, so won't bother repeating them.  Yes, it has various advantages but a lot about a bit of novelty and adventure.  I wouldn't want sociable night rides to be my only riding.  All else being equal I prefer to see the scenery too, but all else is seldom equal.

And in answer to the cold: wear more clothes.  I've experienced this walking as well as cycling.  In a group it's very easy to start (internally) blaming other people for being too slow and faffing, or crappy weather.  But if you know these things can happen just bring the clothes for the job, relax and be toasty.

[Canardly]

Kim is not joking about the Zombies btw I was there! 

[D.A.L.E.]

Also booze at 7:30am.

I'm in. Will probably ride across daytime.

[JonJo]

Thanks for your replies. Maybe I should have another go. Don't want to highjack the thread any further.

[phantasmagoriana]

I intend to be there.

[Andrij]

I tried a FNRttC a few weeks ago and I just didn't get it. Everyone else seemed to be buzzing and really enjoying themselves. I was bored and cold.

What's the appeal of these night rides? Why would you want to travel across the country at 7mph and not see the scenery?

I'm not having a pop at anyone, this is a genuine enquiry.

I love FNRttC - have been doing them since the days that a ride of 30 was considered huge.  That said, the dynamic can be a bit funny at times considering the size of the rides these days, especially if you don't know anyone else on the ride.

We had not quite a dozen (?) on the Carlisle-Newcastle ride firs time around, including people up from London.  This ride is likely to be faster than your average FRNttC, but with smaller numbers the whole feel is quite different and it's much harder to ride 'on your own' in such a group.

[JonJo]

This ride is likely to be faster than your average FRNttC, but with smaller numbers the whole feel is quite different and it's much harder to ride 'on your own' in such a group.

Mmmm.... ~64 miles in 9 hrs = ~7mph. It's just too slow to keep warm at night no matter how many jackets I'm wearing. Apologies for hijacking the thread again. I'm going to shut up now.

[Deano]

Most of that will be faffing and scoffing time, though!

Since me and Phil rock-starred up at the Quayside last year rather than doing the ride, I dunno how Mcshroom organised it on the road. When you have a group with differing paces, there's a natural tendency to focus on the tailenders, but among the things I used to do to stop the fast riders getting bored was to give them jobs (marking junctions, going ahead to make tea), splitting into different groups, and occasionally sending people off on longer routes (sometimes even deliberately).

Still, it is a compromise, and some people just find it difficult to adapt. And of course, when it's a random bunch of so-and-so's off the internet, the organiser often won't have a clue about how people ride.

[mcshroom]

I was lucky last year Andrew Br who knew the route and was one of the faster riders, so he led the way while I spent most of my time at the back. It seemed to work

[D.A.L.E.]

It's worth taking into account the ride last year didn't start proper until about 12, and then we had an hour or so at Hexham Tesco.

[yoav]

Definitely up for it again. My first and so far only YACF ride - as said above: a bit of an adventure. You're a great bunch of people and I look forward to meeting you all again. I also know the route quite well.

Only thing as I would add is a flask of tea as there were no hot drinks available at Tesco at 4am and I really could have done with a cuppa.

[mcshroom]

I wonder what they would make to us brewing up in the foyer?

[jogler]

They'd probably call the fire brigade,the police,the SAS & worst of all the elf & safe* tea Nazis.

Actually there are T&C's relating to these places which specifically exclude cooking & the like on the premises.

a.k.a. Health & Safety experts**

** definination of expert...

"ex" as in has-been
"spert" as in drip under pressure.

I'm sure you can work it out from there.