The Spud Riley 2009 – A Torrential Trauma!
In September 2005 I journeyed to the daunting peaks of the Pyrenees with my brother, out there we met a couple of lads from Manchester…dead nice fella’s… they were workmates (Firemen) and throughout the week we had a real good craic and made the most of it all…nearing the end of the trip one of lads (Mick Cant) said “Rich, if you fancy a real good challenge then do the ‘Polkadot Challenge’ mate….it’s run like the French Etape and has some leg bursting climbs enroute”…well this got me thinking…I’d heard of a thing called the Fred Whitton which sounded similar…so when I got home I searched the web for the Polkadot Challenge…one thing led to another and over the course of the next year…Boom!…Sportive Explosion!….I had to have a go at one…so I chose the Fred Whitton to start with…after that ‘experience’ I opted for the Polkadot….afterall these 2 are the true pioneers of the UK Sportive scene…so I thought it a fitting tribute…
After riding the Polkadot Challenge in 2007 I vowed to myself I’d make a return Journey one day, I had been bowled over by the sheer splendidness of the Peak District, the Event had that old fashioned feel to it all…with timing cards etc…very authentic & nostalgic….. it was also a very friendly experience with everybody seeming to be really enjoying themselves…and since all the proceeds get donated to the Adult Leukaemia Unit (Christies) it makes the event all the more worthy…so with much glee I got my entry off at the start of the year for the mouth watering prospect of the ‘Spud Riley’….100 miles of quiet B roads and back roads…absorbing all the splendour from this most distinctive area……just my kinda thing!
Over the years I’d been in contact with Dave Riley (organiser) a few times….he’s such a passionate fella and had liked what I had to say at times regarding the Sportive Scene….he was also very complimentary about some of my articles…like I say…passionate about cycling in general….now I had deep respect for Dave for a number of reasons…but mainly because of his drive for donating funds to Christies….his brother ‘Spud’ had been well looked after by the unit during his illness and I simply cannot think of a more fitting way of honouring his memory than raising funds for this unit on a yearly basis…not only that...but raising funds through the one thing that both Dave loves and Spud loved so much….Cycling!
Now my wife’s a great baker, she’s also a cracking cook, it’s her job….and since the evils of Cancer had also touched her own family it seemed very fitting that we also try and do our wee bit to help this honourable event…so my wife offered to do home baking for the challenge….Dave graciously accepted the offer….so my wife, as true as her word put 2 hard full days into the baking…scones,ginger fruit, bananaloaf, fruit dumplings….got to a point I thought I wouldn’t be able to fit my bloody bike in the car with it all!...however I was very proud of my wife’s efforts…and I knew the riders would surely enjoy these goodies as well…there’s nothing like home baking!
Throughout the week previous I had been on Early shift at my work….it was bloody scorching….26oC…Mon, Tues, Wed….and I must confess to thinking “I bet it’s belting hot all through the week and just as I get off work and head for the Peak it will all change”…Well!.....Thursday….still hot….Friday…much colder…still dry but lots of cloud….and it’s around 2 days before a date that I actually believe anything the weather pundits are predicting….so I check the BBC weather….wish I hadn’t bothered…couldn’t believe it….looks like a monsoon was to pass south over the Peak on the Saturday…then it was to stop and go back in reverse…heading North back over the Peak on the Sunday!....WTF!....not only that severe weather warnings were on force and the screen showed that scary green colour for rain….right over the whole of Birmingham and Manchester…I then checked the MET and Sky…All said the same thing….”Yer gonna get pissed on bigtime!”….I immediately dug out all my waterproofs….I got my Orbea Vitesse out the hut…the Orca was getting left safely tucked up in its warm bed!....yes…I prepared for carnage…and I wasn’t to be disappointed!
A boring 5 hour trundle down the M6 seen me arrive in Alderley Edge….I had secured B & B at a farm out there….and it was just the ticket….with the owners being a gentle elderly couple…very warm and friendly…and very cheap!.....if your looking for quality digs close to the start next year then check this out :- http://traffordhousefarm.co.uk/
Had a goodnight’s sleep….I awoke and was very surprised to see it was still dry outside…excellent!....had the weather gods headed off for a party somewhere else?...I turned on the BBC and didn’t wait long before I got another update…again, wish I hadn’t bothered…by 10 am the place will be a swampland….up and off to get hot tea and Alpen/Toast etc…had my fill and headed off to the event at around 7.15…
By the time I arrived the car park was already fairly busy….I introduced myself to Dave and what a lovely warm welcome I got…I just said to Dave “C’mon mate…I’ll get all the food out my car pronto….I know yer a busy man today…I’ll not keep you”…so we got all the trays and boxes out the car and over to Dave’s car…he was just so thankful for it all but I dismissed it saying “it’s a privilege mate, it’s all for a brilliant cause”….so I let Dave get on with it…I got my car parked up and got all my ‘wetgear’ on…I must say all the other lads on display were showing no signs of any trepidation…they had gilets, arm warmers, a few with knee warmers….but very few dressed with waterproofs etc?...
Maybe they knew something I never?....anyhow the line of riders had started to stretch way back so I got myself inline as soon as….A fella just behind me started chatting away…clearly west coast Scottish…and his friend also…we started telling of experiences and after I told him one of mine he said “Are you Rich, Brian’s brother?”..I replied “Yes, how do you know him?”…he explained to me that he rode with Brian for a spell on the FWC last year…and then it dawned….it was Graham Harkness (Bigal from the Bikeradar Forum), I’d had a few dealings with him over the years…small world eh?... then his mate said “You know Sadiq don’t you”… (I had been riding the Italian Alpes with Sadiq in September)……this turned out to be Roy Campbell (Captain Fagor from the Bikeradar Forum)….we all had a wee blether before we all got lumped together in a group of 20….
Our cards had already been signed for a 8.10am start….the official explained to us the ‘safety rules of the event’ and before long he signalled for us all to start…as I took off I did think ‘wonder what memories I’ll take away from this one?’…..Bigal headed off at a real quick cantor…and Captain Fagor explained to me that they had came in Top 20 in the last 2 runnings…well anyone who knows me or reads anything I’ve written will know that I’m very honest in my abilities as a cyclist…I feel my humility is my greatest asset…I never burden myself with any unecessary pressure…so I immediately accepted that Captain and Bigal were gonna head up a much faster pace than I…Captain headed on up to catch Bigal so I just wished them luck and started to get my own game plan together…and that was :- Enjoy it…Take in as much scenery as possible…and try and do a half decent time?....and most importantly...Get back in one piece!.....yip, that’ll do me!
The Dry Section
Heading through the morning streets of Poynton really rattled my memory banks of the Polkadot a couple of years ago…I could actually remember the speeds ramps…I think it takes the same route for the first 2 miles?.....it was a brisk pace and the groups of 20 which were getting started at different intervals started to mingle with other groups even after only a few miles...we caught up with a good few riders…and riders which started after us caught us up and passed us by….you just find your own level…and if being very truthful then I reckon the majority are very alike me in terms of ability….just guys who like a great challenge but are more of a ‘just get round’ type of rider rather than a ‘fastest time possible’ type?....anyhow I found myself in amongst a group of around 15 and I was fairly comfortable…the road started to tilt up towards Pott Shrigley…nothing steep just a 5% drag….
Up ahead I could see the hills approaching…and I knew once I started on them it didn’t really stop until the end…up into a small settling ‘Pott Shrigley?’….where we were directed Left….and I saw the signpost ‘Brickworks’…Ok doky…here we go….onto a cracking wee back road and it steepened to around 8%...
I was feeling very pleased with myself…I was taking this gradient in my stride…no problem at all….I saw the road up ahead and I could feel all those ‘excited’ feelings flowing…smashing scenery unfolding all around….more rural by the pedal stroke….the road meandered up like this for a Km or so before baring it’s teeth….in the form of a 18% ramp….
I hopped into my Granny gear and reckoned the 30 x 24 would do the job for this…yip, this gear suited just fine and I took the steep ramps fairly comfortably…it continued at a rather severe gradient for a fair bit before easing off and I did see a few suffering here…
I was absolutely sweltering with my Waterproof on up here…had I made a bad mistake in wearing this?..I did start to question myself!...however as I topped out I scoped out the whole panorama…I was looking for those really pointy peaks but alas none to be seen thus far….but even with the thick grey murk the place was still so green and lush looking…
The clouds were building high above and I could ‘feel’ the moisture in the air….the road led us onto the B5470 where we dinked left onto a scary fast decent into Kettleshulme…it was bitterly cold on the decent and I was now glad of my waterproof…not long before I was hating it again!....as we entered the small village I saw the route arrow directing us onto a sharp right turn…only a few yards up here and I saw another of them ‘Hill stat Signs’….here comes the climb of ‘Windgather’….this one started rather steeply ~16%...
Again the 30 x 24 was put to the test…I could see the climb unfold way up ahead and it looked a big one!....I was steady as a rock here…no heroics just a nice cadence….the gradient relented down to around 10% and I was able to shift to a higher gear….I could see the big group of Rocks (Windgather Rocks) which christen this climb ahead on the left …very stunning indeed!....and as this well surfaced road passed by this natural landmark it unfolded into one big spanning mass into the distance…on and on…again, I was near over heating with this bloody Rain Jacket…I really started to curse my decision to wear it now...”think I’ve got it wrong” was my thoughts at this point….the climb was now a Middle Front Ring job (42) and I reckon it must have been the best part of 3 or 4 kms?...it certainly seemed that way…the climb almost completely flattened as we reached it’s end at a junction…we took another Left and descended all the way into the wonderful Goyt Valley…this was one of the Gems of the ride and I had been looking forward to experiencing it all….the road was lovely…quaintly meandering it’s merry way along the heavy foliage banks of Errwood Reservior…
I personally like seeing water on rides…whether it be a Loch/Lake,River,Reservior or the Sea…it just adds that extra pinch of ingredients to a quality ride?....the road soon started to nudge upwards…not steep at all…in fact maybe only 3 or 4 % average….and as a result a good pace was acheived up here….before you know it your out the small forested area and what a lovely sight greets the eyes….the small road snaking it’s way gently up a lovely closed in green valley….inspiring stuff!....
Would be even more beautiful in good weather!....I really enjoyed it here….there were tons of other riders heading up at the same time…I’d say at least 60….it was such a peaceful and pleasant part of the ride…but little did I know that serious weather systems were secretly congregating high above…getting together for one almighty party!...anyhow I was still in blissful ignorance heaven…and it’s a good job!
This beautiful road gently swept us out from the cradle of the valley and up onto a more dangerous, hostile and barren area….an area battered and tormented with the elements…
It was a total transformation…the road also steepened in acknowledgement and a small effort was required to haul yourself upto the Junction at the top….where we took a right then an almost immediate Left onto another small moor top road….it was fairly cold up here and off to my right in the Distance I just managed to pick out the Cat & Fiddle…2nd highest pub in the UK…only paying homage to the Tan Hill Inn in the Yorkshire Dales….
What is it with the Highest Pubs in the UK and Cycling Sportives?...The Tan Hill,Cat & Fiddle, Kirkstone Pass Inn all are enroute in many famous sportives?....anyhow, I looked at it for a bit and thought ‘It’ll be a long time before I see you again’….it was around here we had to negotiate the crossing of the A537 and onto a small badly surfaced ‘ajoining road’ which allowed us passage onto the A54…once on the A54 where we turned Right it was Big Ring heaven…the 52 was deployed and what a speed was achieved along there….I think we must have had a tailwind as the speed was astronomical…..
I honestly reckon that even on the flatter sections a speed of 35-40mile/hour was realistic…and there were much faster lads than me passing by….the road started to decend and the scenery up ahead was to die for…truly wonderful…We descended all the way down to Allgreave where we dinked sharp left…onto an immediate slight rise…managed up here on my 42 front ring…
The small back road then relented to almost flat with a wee bit rolling thrown in….the ride up until now had been lovely…very evenly balanced with tough (but not stupidly hard) climbs and sensational scenery…and this road only added to the magic of it all…what another little gem….clinging to a steep bank side as it twisted and wound it’s way around…brilliant!...it was here a fella said “Can’t believe it’s still dry”…I answered “keep the fingers crossed mate…so far so good!”…sitting here as I type this brings a wry smile to the face…if only I knew what lay ahead!...the road then dipped sharply around the bottom of a little valley…it emerged out the otherside and made it’s way sharply uphill…..this was the beginning of the haul upto ‘Flash’…highest village in Britain…kicking around the 6-7% here the road offered little resistance…the 42 ring done the job no problem….
It eased off a tad before I clapped eyes on the long straight road that headed directly upto the little village….the road kicked in again…I’d say around 14%...Into the granny 30 x 21….turned onto the long straight steepish ramp…must have been solid 15-16%....
I was finding the 30 x 21 a tad heavy so shoved it into the 30 x24…that felt a bit better….I confess to witnessing a fair amount of suffering up this one…it was a tough effort, no doubt about that…and again, I was absolutely boiling in the waterproof..even with the zip fully down!….
I headed on through the village and took a Left onto the busy A53 where we sped along for approx 1 or 2 Kms before taking a Right onto another small back road…this was again superb…..a big huge long draggy descent….Big Ring Galore again…hammering away along traffic free country roads is what it’s all about for me…after this very long glorious decent I experienced a very unexpected wee testing steep brute before the road delivered us into the township of Longnor...straight through here…and off to the left a steep sided valley unveiled itself….after scrutinising the opposite side of the valley I managed to pick out minute brightly coloured objects…cyclists!....slowly trudging uphill…
Yes, this was the steepest climb of the day ‘Crowdecote’….20%er….wasn’t long before I had descended to the foot of the valley floor…seen the 20% sign awaiting...
My thinking here was…’well I’m so used to seeing 25%,30% and 33%...so 20% seems perfectly acceptable’….up around a big u-bend and onto the steep ramp….into my lowest gear for the first time today…30 x 27….not too bad….just took it nice and easy…a few dismounts seen here and there right enough…however on the whole…not so bad….as I rounded the last left hand bend I could hear a bit commotion…
Turns out the first Feed station was only just 100 yards up the road on the Left….I lay my bike down on the grass verge on the opposite side of the feed…the feed station helpers were mindful of all the bikes and asked kindly that we cleared the road as much as possible…..I made my way over to the Feed…
Seen the wife’s scones and fruit cake etc doing the rounds…along with Banana’s and Flapjacks etc….must say I heard a lot of complimentary comments about the feeds….and just as I was leaving I heard one of the lady helpers saying “yip, we were up at 5 am this morning doing all this baking for you”…I just laughed and thought “white woman speak with fork tongue 
”….anyhow I had a suitable feed….(and between me and the readers, a helper offered me a slice of the wife’s big fruit cake…I ate it alright but I thought “I get that stuff all the bloody time”…I want something different…so I had a Banana and a bit flapjack instead….she won’t read this anyway).
The Wet Section…
Back on the bike and as I pass Dave in his car I give him a wee wave…around 100 yards up I come to a Junction…Left = Short Route….Right = Long Route….a no-brainer for me…Off Right! ….another belter of a road….slightly downhill….these Peak District back roads are lovely I tell you….it really is refreshing to try different area’s out on the bike!....I took many photo’s down here…it was all just gobsmackingly lovely!...as the road came to an abrupt halt at a T-Junction…I saw a small group of riders checking there maps and instructions….no direction arrow!....looks like it either blew off or some smart arse took it off?....anyhow a couple said “It’s down that way to Hartington” as they pointed off right..…so off we went…a fast pace was set down there and as we passed through Hartington I could see a great deal of confusion with many riders…but they all stayed on the B5054…this was a very fast part of the ride and I just hoped to Christ that we hadn’t taken the wrong turn off?...I hadn’t seen a sign in miles and was deeply unsettled…I asked a few other riders if we were on the correct road…but they were as clueless as me… At last I saw a sign as we joined the B5053…Thank Christ for that!....
It all started with a very infrequent pitter patter of rain pellets as they rebounded sharply off my waterproof…I could feel the wind picking up and I could just ‘sense’ a change in the climate…up ahead I could see another ‘Hill Stat Sign’….as I approached I saw it signalled the start of the ‘Butterton Moor’ ascent…
By now the infrequent pitter patter had turned frequent…and as I started ascending a more constant and persistent rhythm was heard from my jacket….the climb was fairly constant here at around 10%...so I threw it in the granny and endured the 30 x 21 up there…
About half way up this climb is where I experienced the first real serious wind gust…and as it swept over me I got pelted to pieces…it was now a snare drum…the rythym bass drum was well gone….even before I topped out on this climb it was a full on storm…the party had well and truly started!…..that’s how fast the flood gates were opened…I hadn’t got it wrong!...I was now so happy and relieved with my decision to dress for disaster….the wind on top of that moor was merciless…and with the rain intertwined it was proving a formidable alliance…and to top it all off my Left Inner knee was becoming very painful?....onwards I ploughed….trying to shield the left side of my face from the full force rain-blast…apart from my upper half I was completely drenched…10 minutes managed that…
Deep down inside I was actually rather enjoying all this – the now!....Started heading downhill again and as I bottomed out I passed through a small little settlement ‘Onecote?’…where another ‘Hill stat sign’ awaited…
Never caught the name of this as too busy trying to protect my face from the onslaught…maybe ‘Morridge Edge?’……another fairly sustained effort was realized here…again the 30 x 21 done the job….but as I was summiting out on this one the weather turned truly biblical….I passed by a lady rider who just shouted “Shitty bloody weather”…I had to just laugh…either that or I’d greet!.....I was now near leaning into the wind to the left as it was so strong…the rain was unspeakable….as extreme as any I’ve ever encountered before…but the worst thing up around here was we hung a Left!....directly into it….Holy Moly!.....this was very alarming….I passed by a fella here….I couldn’t even look straight up as the rain was hitting my face with such force…I shouted to the fella “Into the jaws of Hell!”…he just shouted back “For f*ck sake!”…with the good grace of god this road was slightly downhill….it made it so much more manageable….and as we descended we were afforded at least some shelter with the natural landscape….I made my way wearily down hill…then along the flatter section until Waterhouses…
Onto the A523 for a short spell here before detouring off towards Carlton….through this small town and onto the climb….’Carlton Bank’…this one was not so bad and easily overcome with the 42 Middle Ring….I thought around here that the weather had started to relent?...more wishful thinking I reckon as a 2nd wave of destruction revealed itself….but even with the extreme weather conditions I could easily see we were on a very lovely piece of road….it just didn’t seem like a normal road?....more like a driveway through big palacial gardens….
What a dangerous descent I encountered up here…in this climatic calamity the ‘danger alerts’ were ringing away in my head….so I acknowledged my internal warning system and slowed right up accordingly…the rain had washed all the crap onto the roads and it made for some real dicey handling….other guys were flying passed me here and I just thought “your off yer heads?”…my No.1 aim is to get back in one piece…I’d rather have a slower time and be safe than go for a faster time and end up in Hospital?....anyhow after the scary decent we passed by Throwley Hall and the road spiralled it’s way around the valley floor and just as I was fully bottoming out things took a turn for the worse…
The Weather party so far had just been local reliable gods ‘Wind’ & ‘Rain’…but running a wee bit late it seems another had joined in the celebrations..…weather goddess ‘Hail’ had decided to put in a surprise appearance…in BLOODY JUNE!!!...now, coupled with the wind this was diabolical….it near stopped me in my tracks…I saw a few guys sheltering under tree’s here….but I just thought ‘it cannot get any worse?’….so I just pressed on….and the last thing I wanted here is to stop and get cold!....wasn’t too long before I encountered a small dragging climb which delivered me into Ilam….off through here with outstanding natural splendour in every direction…..and in the distance I could see the next installment of pain…yip…’Thorpe Cloud’ looked a steep wee git….
Managed up this lovely climb on the 30 x 24….but my Left Knee was giving serious warning signs to the owner now!....I tried to rub it but it was real sore….nothing for it, onwards and upwards….I must explain to the reader here that I’d been drinking and eating very frequently up until this point…it’s easy to assume that because it’s cold crappy weather that you don’t need it (or don’t want it) but this can be a serious costly mistake…and I wasn’t in the mood for mistakes today!...I wanted back to the car…pronto style!....I topped out on gorgeous Thorpe Cloud and headed through lovely roads until a Junction with the busy A515…
I ‘carefully’ carry straight ahead and through big Grand Gates….this really did seem like riding through a huge Royal garden!....off passed Tissington for a steepish plunge down to a ford…direction signs instructed us down here to use the small walk bridge opposite…over this then a left onto the B5056…I was with another fella here, it was his first time on a sportive and despite the conditions he remained rather upbeat about it all…and that’s nice to hear…..the road drifted lazily uphill….and the rain here was abismal….what you would call a total downpour….I just blethered away to this guy for around 10 mins…just talking about cycling in general…anything to take the mind off the consistent hammering we were all enduring….the road adopted a more urgent manner in it’s quest to reach the top and was now around a ~5% gradient….the rain was bouncing at least 4 inch off the ground as Dave’s ‘Organiser’ car passed by and as he pulled in up ahead he shouted out the window “C’mon Richyboy, you can do this mate”…
I shouted back laughing “The weather cannot get any worse”….well that phrase must have awoken a sleeping drunk at the big party upstairs…and big God ‘Thunder’ bellowed his anger for being so rudely disturbed….I just laughed even more…’what’s going on here?…this is Summertime’….Dave and his driver slowed up and they shouted “Rich, it’s easier than the Stelvio”…I humoured “No lads, this is much tougher!”…and personally I do actually think that….I’ve did a fair few continental trips over the years and up until this day I’ve never experienced any big climb that has asked such serious questions of my ability as your average hilly UK sportive…….anyhow Dave & Co sped off up the climb…and since talking away with them I had inadvertently dropped the lad I was with…I just headed on up at my own pace….this was the ascent of ‘Longcliffe’….it was a cracking big 6% one…one of them gradients that you can really get a good cadence on….by now my knee was looking fairly swelt and it was so painful on the downstroke…even sorer when out the saddle!…
The climb went on a serious time before finally topping out and as it flattened it went under a bridge…there were a few cyclists here seeking refuge…I understood there intentions but no way was I gonna stop…that’s when I can get demoralised….when the body cools and the coldness starts to seep through….no, not a chance in hell I’m stopping….I was firmly focused…get back ASAP. Not wanting to sound smarmy or boastful here but I was very proud of my mental strength thus far…..I still remained fairly positive…and that’s very important…there were times it would have been so easy to stop on the bike and bow your head and slip into a big lump of self pity….but like I say…you simply have to drag yourself away from such mindsets…remain positive no matter what!
Through Longcliffe and a gentle descent leads you onto Grangemill….we continued on the B5056 as it immediately kicked skywards as it left the town…nothing serious just a gentle leg warming…this was directly followed by a corresponding drop off the other side….we took a left and back onto country lanes…the rain was still hammering away with no sign of any relent….some of the roads had now turned to rivers….
And I simply had to put my camera in a safe waterproof bag…so that was that….not as many photo’s from now…sorry, but it had to be done….some lumpy stuff had to be negotiated as we passed through Elton and this is where I first witnessed ‘Hood-man’…he was a real big fella…must have been 6’6”…and was pushing a standard chainset on an old steel bike…but I’ve never ever seen a guy cycle with a big hood over his helmet?...it was really amusing to see and lifted my spirits….he turned out to be a dead on guy and I shared his wheel for the next few miles….and these were to be fairly steep lumpy miles….there were a couple of little 20%+ nasties in and around here…. And my knee did not appreciate those one little bit!....I remember being on a shallow dragging climb where we were then directed off left onto another steep little ramp….these steep buggers were taking there toll by now and it was dead nice to see the 2nd Feed up ahead….I parked up my bike on the opposite wall…schlurped my way over to the feed…an official was shouting out “only 31 miles to go”…deep down I was thinking ‘F*ck, still got 31 miles of this deluge to go’….all around the story of today was plain to see on everyones faces…I myself started to near chitter….but there were much worse than I…poor buggers who had no waterproofs…only a Gilet…my heart went out to them….some were near uncontrollably shaking….and I did honestly believe some of these guys were close on hypothermic symptoms…the effort to control my hands and hold stuff was incredible….the poor hands had been subjected to a consistent hammering for close on 3 hours now…and they were acting in defiance now...I simply had to muster warmer thoughts so I got more positive and thought ‘only 31 miles…I do that for quick training runs after work’…..so I helped myself to the goodies on offer…again, lots of nice words said about the feeds…and this time the lady helper was shouting “ No.26’s wife done all this baking”….and although I’m very proud of my wife’s efforts I get all funny being made anything off..and as I had a bloody great big No.26 on my Jacket I hurriedly got refuelled…got my drinks bottles topped up, grabbed a banana and shot off….I wasn’t wanting to stop long anyway….’Final Push bigman’ was the mindset as I rolled out again….not long on the bike before I joined the B5055 and I made good speed along to Monyash…and I could remember from the route map that another hill was beckoning…as anticipated another ‘Hill stat sign’ revealed itself…’Monyash’…
Not nearly as bad as I expected….managed up on a 30 x 21….maybe if fresh then the 42 would have done the job but in this traumatic state most climbs were now granny ring material….up and over this high pasture before coming to the crossroads with the A515…carefully crossed over and back onto a small lane….we came to a crossroads…this was it!...this was the junction visited previously…where the Long and short route is chosen…felt good inside to take a right here…I was now heading firmly back to the car!....along this road a mile or so and bang!.... a splendid viewpoint of the pointy peaks graced the eyes….I had been so looking forward to seeing this again and here they were at last…I simply had to stop in that crappy weather and take a few shots….nice one!...
Back on the bike as I headed down to Earl Sterndale…gazing off to the left as I did so….just so unique looking!...through the small village and seen another ‘hill stat signpost’….yip, this was the big one…’High Edge, 5 miles’…another small photo shoot then I near fell off my bike trying to re-clip back in…
A fella came past hear as I was having trouble clipping back in…he kindly asked “need any help mate?”….”no pal, thanks very much”….I eventually got clipped back in and caught up with the guy….what a real nice fella he was too…the climb started fairly gentle…I’d say ~5%....and as a result we could afford a good ole gas going up…he told me he couldn’t believe how tough it had been….the weather and the non stop hills!…it was his first sportive and he was shortly heading to the Alpes…he was clearly worried about the prospect…Galibier,Croix de Fer & the Alpe were on his intinery…I explained to him that I had done all of those ones…and although very demanding he hadn’t too much to fear…low gears a must and take it easy were my advice…when I told him that I find these hilly sportives far more demanding I think it cheered him up... he just said “don’t want any tougher than this mate!”….up ahead the road steepened big time and as we approached it the fella just said “don’t let me hold you back”…I bid him farewell and headed on up at my own pace….I was feeling strangely strong here?....the steepish gradient was easily overcome with the 30 x 21…it then relented again but I knew we were at higher altitudes as the temperature was dropping like a stone…it was bitterly cold and the rain just got worse….the winds had died slightly which was something to be grateful for I suppose?...the little road went on for ages…a series of flattenings (occasionally slightly downhill)…followed by more grinding ascent….up ahead I could hear a big droning sound…what the hell is that?....as I was nearing the top of one of these grinds I saw a very strange thing…one of those things you simply do not expect to see in such a location…it was a Stock Car racing circuit?.....up here at around 500meters!….bloody hell!…ok, enough of that…my mission is get back!...so back to the job in hand…the road continued and really steepened as it climbed upto the A53….a careful crossing over here and onto the last push…a slight draggy effort for a Km or so before finally topping out on this beast….away in the distance I saw for the 2nd time today the Cat & Fiddle…(you cannot see it in the photo)
Only this time I was gonna head right past it enroute to the finish…A fast descent was experienced down to the junction with the A54…we’ve been here before!...over the small badly surface ‘ajoining’ road for the 2nd time today…then onto A537…where a Left would take us past the mighty Cat & Fiddle….I was on high alert here…the weather was the usual torrential downpour but is was very misty and visibility was really poor…..and since it’s a very busy road then great care is required….I absolutely hammered up there…I was at the Pub in minutes…seen a few cyclists taking refuge in the doorway….not for me!...A quick photo and off……
It was absolutely freezing…my fingers were now completely numb….and as I started the big twisty descent I started to shake and shiver…’god get me home’…as I was descending an ambulance shot past with lights on and siren howling and I just hoped that no one had been badly hurt on the event…it was a dangerous time…the body had been battered and beaten so ferociously that it simply never reacted the way it ought to….and it’s in these states that disaster can strike…I concentrated hard and remained vigilant!….after a fairly long descent I saw the cut-off to the right…I knew a very steep plunge awaited….I descended VERY carefully down ‘Lamaload’…and as I was ‘braking’ my way down I did think “wouldn’t mind climbing this one day”….managed to safely parachute my way to bottom and made my way along the valley floor…very flattish and a very welcome respite….I could smell the finish line by now…it was only 10 miles away….made a good pace along there before an arrow pointed off to the left….’Dead man’s Hill’ was upon me…into my 30 x 24….this was tough!....around 15%...rounded a few more bends and seen it continued even steeper…into my lowest gear…30 x 27….this was very sore on my knee….I could actually feel the sharp shooting pain every time I pushed heavily on the pedal….I knew I’d done damage!....Up and over that and elation set in…that was the last of the hills….it was now all downhill or rolling from now on…yipee!....passed by the photographer up here before settling into one almighty scary plunge back down towards Bollington.
Great care needed on some of these sections…just before entering the town I was directed off to the right…made my way along here for a mile or so and instantly recognised the place…’Pott Shrigley’….and the start of the ‘brickworks’ climb…but I happily turned off Left here and knew that a long gradual descent awaited…zoomed down there and off on flatter roads to Adlington…this road just seemed an eternity….think it’s all in the head…you know your not far away but every mile seems like 3…through Adlington and over the A523 and onto another small road that was another eternal struggle…came to the Junction with a busier road and a lady / man team pulled up behind me….they could also sense the end was within grasp… they took off at a real fast pace…I decided to hop on…and the fella up front really hammered a pace away…I was struggling…I was struggling to hold the ladies wheel never mind the fella’s….my knee was so painful….I just kept soldiering on…’the end is nigh’…..the fella up front made a gap on his lady compatriot…and I just followed in this lassies wake through those roundabouts and down that ‘very unwanted’ dip and rise just before the finish…..and then all of a sudden there it was…the Finish…
VICTORY!....I humbly leaned my bike up on the Hall walls…and then sludged my way inside….a guy said “your no. 26…was it your wife that did the baking?”…”Yeah mate”….”well you can thank her very much from us as it was brilliant”…”thanks very much” I said…just inside Dave came up…he gave me a big pat on the back…he’s got such energy!...we was as happy as a pig in shit…always smiling….I immediately asked about the ambulance…he explained that someone had came off on the Cat & Fiddle but was ok and had actually rode on and finished the challenge….good stuff!....he then thanked me and my wife so much and introduced me to his whole team….a good laugh was had…I took out my timing cards to get a finish time from Peter Lickfold but it was in tatters…even though it was inside a plastic pouch!….he just marked on the outside of the pouch my finish time and Dave went and wrote my time in…turns out I’d taken 7.50 to complete the full thing…fairly happy at that considering the state of my knee and the amount of stopping I did to get photo’s….afterwards I went and got my bike and started heading over to the car…I saw a rider just coming in…he just looked at me…and as I looked back there were no need for any words….the look accompanied with a slight shake of the head said it all…it had been a true test of character….I threw my soaking bike in the back of the car…I got out my dry clothes and sat in the front seat and got changed….how hard was that…my fingers were all numb and I could hardly bend my knee…after great difficulty I managed to get dry slacks on….I then got all my stuff packed properly and headed back over to the HQ….I bid Dave & his team a fine farewell and thanked them so much for the ‘experience’….A fella said to me as I was heading back to the car “and the rains stopped now!”…..yes, it looks like the Party had finally came to an end…Gods Rain,Wind,Hail & Thunder were now in post hangover state….lazy and lethargic….I got in the car for 4.30pm and prepared for a 4-5 hour drive back up…was it not a good feeling to feel the hot air blasting through those air vents after such a Torrential Trauma!
Looking Back...
What a monumental day…I know it’s easy to forget about previous experiences and think ‘this is the worst ever’….but I can solemnly swear on my children’s lives I’ve never encountered such a consistent downpour…yes, maybe similar conditions for a half hour to an hour…but not 5 hours constant….it up’d the difficulty of the event by a magnitude….it was as much a mental battle as a physical one…
Memoirs from the event:-
Bad = 3 fingers on both my hands were numb for 5 days after….and it took around the same time for the swelling in my knee to calm down…(with much needed assistance from Ibuprofen and Movelat Gel)
Good = Big respect to all who trudged there weary way through the marshlands of the Peak on Sunday 7th June 2009….it really was a show of defiance in the face of such a powerful adversary…and as such makes it all the more satisfying and memorable…you can rest assure that was one of the most testing days ever to be had on the bike!
Much thanks to Dave and his cracking team…..that’s a 2nd helping of serious memories I’ve taken away from the Polkadot/Spud Riley fraternity…I simply love this event and how it’s run…it’s one of the friendliest sportives on the scene…the route is absolutely splendid….and I can only imagine it being an utter spectacle in good weather conditions…even in a more desirable climate the route would be seriously tough….it’s a neverending procession of hills…non are total killers but as they come so rapidly one after another it inevitably wears the rider down… The Spud is here to stay…it’s got a great following and quite rightly so…along with the FWC it laid the foundations for the current UK sportive explosion….and that’s something that should be treasured!...and let’s all hope that Christies receive big donations for many a year to come… a most important event!
And to top it all off….the wife received a huge bouquet of flowers delivered on the Friday after…courtesy of the Spud Riley Team…no need for that at all….but very emotionally received from my good lady just the same!
RICHYBOY
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