Yesterdays ride didn’t get off to a particularly good start. I spent the morning getting the full susser going again, which as I thought had a bent rear derailleur hanger that needed swapping out and after a quick scan of the National Rail times, I thought everything would be good to go by 12.45. Rock up at the station to dicover no train to Sheffield, it just says ‘Bus’. A bit more investigation shows that there is a train going on the Trans Pennine service leaving at 12.45, but it’s only going as far as Chinley. I decide that’s better than nothing and board it and start planning route alternatives.
It’s not the first time this has happened when I’ve wanted to get to Edale, but today I decide that I don’t fancy the Sett Valley trail from New Mills to Hayfield and then tackling the ascent and descent of Jacob’s ladder, so I stick on the train as far as it goes and get off at Chinley and then climb up through Wash to join the old Sheffield road as it climbs up the spine of Rushup Edge.
Somewhere along this climb there is a comedy moment as my baggies snag on the STI lever and there is a low speed sideways dismount. Dented pride, some road rash and its time to get climbing again. By the time I reach the turning down into Perry Dale the sunlight that had made the slog up through Wash a bit uncomfortable has turned to overcast grey clouds and snow is threatening.
There is so much snow in the sheltered trackways behind Eldon Hill Quarry that in some places riding is just not an option. Fortunately by the time I reach the head of Cave Dale things are ridable in a mudfest kind of way. Despite having been up in Manchester for a long time now, I’ve never ridden Cave Dale and recently it’s moved to the top of the ‘to do’ list and the descent is so good I decide that a revisit in drier conditions is due later in the year.
From Cave Dale it’s familiar territory. The ascent of the Roman Road to Hope Cross, down to Edale via Nether Moor and the finally ugly hike and bike climb out of the valley via Chapel Gate. There’s at least four feet of snow in places. Rushup Edge has a fair covering too and large parts up on the moor just isn’t ridable. The stepped descent is ridable in places and as the offroad finishes there is just enough fading light to drop back down to Chinley in safety. Photos from the ride are up here.
The Armstrong close down of Simeoni in last years Tour was one of the most notable events, but it seems the Italians are too happy about it and Hein Verbruggen has now stated that the Simeoni event is stopping Armstrong riding the Giro. Maybe they should just have a proper fight and sort it out – Fisticuffs at dawn, gentlemen.
Finally Independent Fabrication’s Full Suspension Tungsten Electrode is based on the DW Link technology that is also licensed to Iron Horse. Originally this was only available on the XC orientated Hollowpoint, but now they have released something a bit burlier. Here’s the 7point7.
Finally there has been some research carried out to investigate why the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.
R O T H A R . C O M 