Blackpool-Glasgow-Blackpool 22nd Sept 2017

[FifeingEejit]

Aye Vicious; lying there, soaking wet and a howling chilly gale blowing through the seating area.
Some others spotted there's another seating area behind McDonald's, less harshly lit and quieter but still with an Arctic blast.

Of course J'bridge isn't a control and anyone planning on a stop around there for any length of time may consider Lockerbie Truck park more appropriate.


If I don't get sleep on the train then I reckon I should be ok until early in the forenoon, but will probably need to stop somewhere for a snooze.
If I do sleep on the train then I'll probably manage until the Sunday morning at which point planting my head on a table will do nicely.

[igauk]

Last year I took advantage of living in Glasgow to have a kip at home, which turned out to be a mistake. I wasn't tired enough to sleep properly and then had a major attack of the dozies on Sat night. I lost time trying to sleep in crappy bus shelters and eventually had 40 winks under a bridge somewhere after Shap. Add in a puncture, going round Lancaster three times in my befuddled state and I just made it in time. I think I'll aim for a service station bench this time.

[DCLane]

My plan (if I have one) is simply to ride through both nights, kipping where I can. However if it's very wet I simply won't be riding. I'll be in Cleveleys or Blackpool lunchtime Friday, sleeping all afternoon somewhere though.

For any other YACF members I'll be on a blue Ridgeback Platinum, probably in Ravensthorpe CC kit.

Is anyone else up in the area during the day?

[FifeingEejit]

My train gets to preston early afternoon IIRC so also need to spend some time in Blackpool before the start which I intend to get to early as I'll not be travelling down in riding kit so need to change etc.

For riding plans, right now there's a bit of a storm expected to hit late saturday evening, Sunday morning though it seems to be creeping earlier so might need to spend some time in hiding... again...

That's assuming I don't lose another round of train tickets and bookings due to a cold...


Edit: Oh aye and, I'll be very very ORANGE that's kitwise not trumpwise I'm standard Scottish Peely Wally.

[Redlight]

My last two trips to Blackpool were covering Labour and Tory party conferences and I've no wish to bring back memories of either, so have opted for a train that gets in at about 8.30.  Still plenty of time to ride to the start and stock up with tea and cake 

[Robadog]

Anyone got a gpx file for this yrs please?

[eddum]

Just catching up... need to sort my route files out but I think most are heading the right direction 
Part of me just wants to tick the box for the PBP pre-qualifier and not worry about time.. especially as I'm not really at peak bike just now.... of course the monkey at the back of my head wants to get back in good time...  hey ho.

As to riding through ?... now you've annoyed the monkey... I've a premier inn booked at Carlisle which is hopefully late Saturday night for the option of a bit of comfort kip... still not sure if i'll use it tho.... seems a cheek stopping 150k from the end.

That aside.... on a Gensis Croix de Fer ti, trying not to put the mudguards back on but might falter on that yet, fresh back tyre has arrived since I've worn through the last.
Arriving Friday afternoon for a kip and feed and leaving the wife at a hotel for the duration.
Feeling tired already.

[Redlight]

Anyone got a gpx file for this yrs please?

Fifeing Eejit has posted these a few posts below:


North: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28557237
South: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28557304

I have done mine as 8 separate ones to avoid missing any controls - if you'd like links to them, let me know.

[cygnet]

Lesmahagow to Darnley and back following the routesheet:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28623198
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28623369

[jimmea]

Lesmahagow to Darnley and back following the routesheet:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28623198
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28623369

There's no way i would be using that road out of Strathaven, It's a real busy narrow one. Use the route i posted above.

[Redlight]

Lesmahagow to Darnley and back following the routesheet:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28623198
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28623369

There's no way i would be using that road out of Strathaven, It's a real busy narrow one. Use the route i posted above.

Thanks for that tip.  I will tweak my files accordingly.

[disgruntled_ewe]

Anyone got a gpx file for this yrs please?

Fifeing Eejit has posted these a few posts below:


North: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28557237
South: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28557304

I have done mine as 8 separate ones to avoid missing any controls - if you'd like links to them, let me know.

Thanks for these.  Might I cheekily ask for the separate routes for controls?

[FifeingEejit]

Weather forecast starting to look reasonable; once the thunderstorm at the start is over that is!

Hopefully the trains calm down a bit too...

[cygnet]

Lesmahagow to Darnley and back following the routesheet:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28623198
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28623369

There's no way i would be using that road out of Strathaven, It's a real busy narrow one. Use the route i posted above.

For sure, thanks. My Out and back routes are following your recommendations, just added those for public consumption.

[Chamford Sideplate]

Good luck Fifeing Eejit and everyone else. I was maybe a bit unkind about the B7076 last weekend. I've enjoyed it whenever I've ridden it. Though that was for a considerably shorter distance than you are doing.

[Redlight]

Any tweeters riding tonight - I've set up #BGB18 as a hashtag.  There may be the odd spot where we will get a signal 

[jimmea]

If anyone needs advice/assistance/aid, mechanical or otherwise in or around Glasgow feel free to contact me. Can supply details if needed.

[Exit Stage Left]

I remember the return crossing of Shap as the crux of the North West 600, a similar ride I used as a qualifier in 2003 and 2007.

That was in midsummer. We took shelter in the phone box that used to stand at the summit of Shap. Not there now unfortunately. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPyYn0aRrEo

I did toy with the idea of doing this as a pre-qualifier, but I've got a 2015 PBP Brevet card with only a start stamp in it, so I could ride with that, to clear up unfinished business.

Good luck to everyone out there tonight, and beyond.

[Fuzz Kit]

Howdo folks

Looking forward to the ride, first 600km Audax, should be fun!

I've created a gpx route from the cue sheet provided by Andy, but from reading the above posts, consensus seems to be that Fifeing Eejit's route looks like the one to be on, so I've downloaded that too.

Hope the rain stays away, looks touch and go for tonight, but not too bad thereafter.

[Pingu]

...We took shelter in the phone box that used to stand at the summit of Shap. Not there now unfortunately...

The disabled public toilet in Shap is the audax hotel of choice these days 

[FifeingEejit]

...We took shelter in the phone box that used to stand at the summit of Shap. Not there now unfortunately...

The disabled public toilet in Shap is the audax hotel of choice these days 

So... Should be be stopping at Timpson for a radar key before tea?

Train I was booked on from Edinburgh to Preston was cancelled so running slightly later, could have had an extra half hour in bed this morning.

Reckon I'll be at Blackpool North Station about 4, perfect time to be hunting for tea but 4hrs to kill after that until the scout hut opens, oh and I believe its wet in blackpool

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[DCLane]

oh and I believe its wet in blackpool.

Not wet, but windy.Sun's out 

Having lunch in Cleveleys before a snooze nearby.

Edit: VERY windy. The Tepee I'm attempting to sleep in is being blown all over.

[FifeingEejit]

oh and I believe its wet in blackpool.

Not wet, but windy.Sun's out 

Having lunch in Cleveleys before a snooze nearby.

Edit: VERY windy. The Tepee I'm attempting to sleep in is being blown all over.

Hiding in a bus stop in Bispham, the ride up from the station was erm... Interesting!

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[k_green]

oh and I believe its wet in blackpool.

Not wet, but windy.Sun's out 

Having lunch in Cleveleys before a snooze nearby.

Edit: VERY windy. The Tepee I'm attempting to sleep in is being blown all over.

looks like a lovely crosswind from the weather forecast. so no respite or advantage to it!

[Kev Sp8]

Bailed. My boy is unwell at home and I’m not feeling too clever either. Turned around just before Shap.
Best of luck everyone.