MegaSack DRAW - 6pm Christmas Eve - LIVE on our YouTube Channel
This Monday's 'embrace the weather' MNPR is being hosted by Chipps on home turf in Todmorden/Walsden.
Expect beastly climbs, slippery, off-camber cobbled descents - and good, dark beer at the end.
Masons Arms, 1 Bacup Rd, Todmorden, West Yorkshire OL14 7PN - 8.15. Bring money for beer, a bike lock to leave at the pub and a cheery outlook.
Crisps? Will there be crisps?
About eight varieties. And pies. They are actually better than the crisps. Really.
Pies you say?
I'm in 8)
They have special 'traditional' yorkshire crisps. That probably means they've been fried in beef dripping and I can't eat them.
Who's holding the gate open for the strava-ists on the descent to the pub?
Ever wondered whether a dark night in the lashing rain on wet grass is truly the best time to chase that elusive Mason's KOM with the precipitous drops off the hairpin corners?
Obviously not. We'll fish you out of the canal... 😉
I'll be in charge of the gate. Ready to close it for anyone running Strava... 🙂
Bump.
In all the BMX based excitement this one seems to have slipped under the radar.
I definitely won't be chasing that KOM. I need to stay uninjured so that I can break myself bmx-ing the week after.
Just for you Harry....
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Right, I'll be along for this. Not been to the Masons before, is parking there ok?
No official pub parking but plenty on the street next to it.
Was in there today, I can confirm the pies are better than the crisps....
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Monster Munch aren't crisps. But they're better than crisps, so that's good then.
Someone save me a pie....and possibly deliver it to the back of a nondescript looking van somewhere in Manchester any time between 6pm and 4 am tomorrow because I'm not going to make it..
Again.. 👿
Those pies look too good for a someone of your persuasion Daz, you sure they're kosha? 😉
There's a slim possibility that I've actually got all the parts for a mountain bike - only time will tell!
Potato curry flavour.
Hi I am local rider to Tod, would it be Ok to join in with you all tonight. I know the area pretty well so if I am slowing everyone up I can easily drop off.
Everybody welcome.
Nobody gets dropped.*
*Unless you are a #### 😉
brennak, of course!
I wouldn't worry about getting left behind brennak, it's tradition for someone's bike to fall apart halfway round and require re-building with scavenged parts and spares from others in the group. If anything I'd recommend bringing an extra layer for all the hanging around in the rain while emergency repairs are being carried out 🙂
When I'm out, you've no chance of being at the back. Unfortunately, looking at the print deadline I'm presently up against, theres looking like very little chance of me making it over tonight ! And there's bloody pies too!!! 😥
Feel free to fill in my 'rear gunner' mantle though
Excuse #32.4.
Looking forward to #32.5. "My dog has eaten my tyres"
I thought I'd already used that one. No?
Thanks for welcoming and encouraging words I'm pretty sure I'm not a #### but then again I'm a bit biased I'll aim to get to the Masons for 8-00 pm.
No lousy excuses from me! Its just too far for me and it would be just too late when i get back home. I will try and get out for a local ride as my fitness is starting to really suffer!
Have a good one!
I should be there early-ish too so see you there. In fact I might go for a pre-ride pint seeing as it's my local and I don't have to drive home 🙂
M62 closed eastbound between 18 and 19 tonight.
Don't know what time it closes but a few of us may have to go up the M66 via Bacup.
Daz, tell Wayne the scary-looking landlord I'm bringing him the cash tonight... 🙂
motorway closes at 10pm, eastbound.
Smashing.
Will I need brakes? Everything seems to he working apart from brakes...
Well that gets the award for the filthiest ride of the year. Glad we saved the greasiest and steepest downhill until right at the end when everyone's brake pads had been ground down to the metal 🙂
And 17 people?!
I've had to put my kit in the wash straight away, the bike smells like shit and I'm going to have bovine nightmares.
Cracking ride!
We'll fish you out of the canal...
Oh please don't let this phrase stick.
Hope you all had fun. You lucky opposable thumbed people.
I've had to put my kit in the wash straight away
I just threw mine on the floor next to the washing machine for the Mrs to sort out tomorrow morning 🙂
I hope everyone had fun. You won't want me guiding anything in future, eh? 🙂
Did the two guys with the explodey bikes make it back OK? Or do I need to get the search and rescue out?
Hope we dont have to send the dog walkers out to look for them...
I limped it back with one functioning jockey wheel. Got a message from Steve that he got back fine.
Anyone know if hope jockey wheels are worth the extra over shimano own?
My kit is on its second wash now.
Good ride though. Plenty of sideways action down the "Poop Chute" just before the switchbacks and excellent crisps.
I got back, it was downhill most of the way so no drama. I used my bike like a full sus scooter.
I could not post last night due to forum 5 hour rule for new accounts.
Glad everyone is ok. Are you coming back for another go?
I swept up the trail of dried mud through the house this morning. Tiled floors are ace.
I will be out again, I find that if I put coco on the dirt the dog just licks our tiled floor clean 🙂
Anyone know if hope jockey wheels are worth the extra over shimano own?
Shimano jockey wheels are IMO a pile of *****. I've got some of [url= http://clee-cycles.co.uk/esite/P906/product ]these[/url]. Pricey but I've not had to change them yet and been running them for a while in all manner of crap.
Glad you made it back ok. You and sdf1 can share the 'bike breakage victim of the week' award.
I believe stevedrakey might have a couple of jockey wheels going spare...
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Cheers for a "smashing" ride everyone. Glad to hear we all got home alright. 🙂
Hope we dont have to send the dog walkers out to look for them...
I assume the 11 mile-long bog we rode last night isn't "an area popular with dog walkers".
😉
How were the pies?
I went for the crisps. They were OK, but not as good as Lancashire Crisps.
Pies didn't happen unfortunately cos they'd turned the oven off. They obviously didn't anticipate a dozen hungry bikers covered in mud and cowsh*t walking through their door at 10.30pm. We'll have to give them prior warning next time.
I went for the crisps. They were OK, but not as good as Lancashire Crisps
you were in Lancashire.
They were “Yarkshire Crisps” though.
I detected a hint of lemon and felt both surprised and violated.
Technically in Yorkshire, they moved the border up the hill towards bacup in 1888. My address still says Lancashire though and I have my telly tuned to NW Tonight so as far as I'm concerned it's lancashire. They should have both types of crisps really just to be even-handed. I'll tell them next time I'm in.
Being a card-carrying southerner, I declare that you were 'in the north' and therefore all the crisps are the same. Daz is right in that you were in Yorkshire - although the post code is Lancs (because the Yorkshire sorting office is in York, a long way away and the Lancs one is in Oldham, which isn't.)
Tod Cross next year will be on Jan 4th and is billed as 'War of the Roses' - so come and wave your flags then...
What a brilliant ride, thanks to all who waited, thanks to our guides for showing new tracks after many years of thinking I knew them all. I fully intend to re-ride it when there is 16 hours of daylight and 4 weeks into a 6 week drought.
I also experienced at the final descent what life is like for the bike, as I went over the bars and slid face down for about 5 or 6 yards with a 32lb steel frame on my back, luckily no one saw, though I did get strange looks as I pulled clumps of (note Yorkshire) moorland out of my helmet vents in the pub. I think it was summed up last week "Well that was character building" certainly was for me.
As for the dog walking I'm sure I heard on a few occasions "I wouldn't send a dog down there" as for jockey wheels after trying many, I have come to rely on those from the Barnoldswick factory. Hope (see what I did there) to ride with you all again sometime (There is only one Monday in a month isn't there?),if you don't mind me slowing you up.
. Hope (see what I did there) to ride with you all again sometime (There is only one Monday in a month isn't there?),if you don't mind me slowing you up.
Every Monday* at various locations within 45 minutes of North Manchester. Always from a pub. Never more than 90 minutes ride from a bag of crisps or a pie**.
*Apart from BMX night next week.
**Subject to availability.
Good point HtS. Have we got a post-BMX plan yet?
We could put our orders in at that pub we rode from last week. Not sure where it was exactly after the magical mystery tour of closed Lancastrian hostelries, but the landlord said he'd do butties if we let him know in advance.
And with Binners in attendance, Brennak wouldn't need to worry that he was slowing anyone down... 😉
Good point HtS. Have we got a post-BMX plan yet?
North Manchester General has vending machines. Or we could go to The Church Inn. It is only 10 minutes away and is on the route home for most people.
Crisps are Seabrook's (a weak crisp))but there are pies.
Good point.... I actually meant post-BMX-week ride. But post-BMX beer needs more urgent consideration 🙂
Ah. Dunno. Not done Holcombe Hill for a while. Don't know how boggy it is up there at the moment though.
Perhaps we could go from The Shoulder of Mutton.
Even counting the times I went out as a kid intending to get covered in muck, last night was the muddiest ride I've ever been on.
Plenty of sideways action down the "Poop Chute" just before the switchbacks and excellent crisps.
Heard I wasn't the only one to launch myself at the gate. Didn't expect it to be off the back of the bike! 🙂
But post-BMX beer needs more urgent consideration
gaze was talking about buying a crate of beer and having a party in the carpark afterwards.
Harry - we were out last night. Its pretty boggy on the moors, but theres plenty of hardback and rocky stuff to ride off the front of the tower. Why don't we do that, start from the Hare and Hounds, and finish with the descent through Reddisher Woods? We did it last night, and it was a slippy slidey good giggle 😀
I can't comment on the crisps situation, as we ordered a couple of bowls of chips. Which were excellent! The Shoulder is a bit up its own jacksy, and would collectively tut loudly if a load of muddy people walked in. And the H&H has a mahoosive selection of beers
Orders taken for beer , white lightening or special brew ?
Do you fancy The Church afterwards?
• It makes sense as it is on the way back to J17/M60.
• You won’t get murderised like you will in any pub within a mile of the velodrome.
• They stock artisan pies.
[b]PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!! PIES!!
PIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!![/b]
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😀
The Church is a good call but I'm not driving so you'll have to ask Clover.
Crisps are Seabrook's (a weak crisp)
I happen to be very partial to Seabrooks Prawn Cocktail crisps...
With regard to Holcolme Hill i would prefer the H&H - recently revamped and the beer selection is now even more awesome!
Crisps are Seabrook's (a weak crisp)
*GASP*
Seabrook are the bestest crisps of your 'normal household' variety!!! When you start getting a bit more boutique, then these....
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...are truly awesome. Lancashire black pudding and English mustard flavour! They take the roof of your mouth off!!!! 😯
Binners
Once upon a time, salt and vinegar crisps were in blue packets but then came along Walkers and changed them to green. I notice you have used a modern packet of S&V but its now blue again (there is a green one as well).
As this is becoming a forum for potato crisp officianados, are Walkers S&V now reverting to blue?
