Ronde 2011 - updated final bits

Welcome to the Ronde 2011 

UPDATE 31/3/11 - 95% of the route is now signed with yellow arrow stencils on the tarmac.  Watch out for them as you ride along. The final 5% at busy intersections or urban areas will have an arrow on lamposts etc.

Pic: Dave Haygarth

Here are a few bits of information for you if you planning on riding…… Enjoy!

Parking – please park responsibly. There could be a fairly large turnout and there is unlikely to be enough space in the public car park at the Heritage Centre, so you may have to find alternative parking nearby. Park up somewhere safe and ride to the Heritage Centre car park and join a group setting out. There are no official start times - just set off when you want to, from 10am onwards. A final group will leave at 10.30am

Signage – as the route is quite complex, I have decided to sign in most places. Cobbled sections and some junctions are signed as follows:

Most other road junctions will have a similar yellow stencilled sign on the tarmac.

Please do not rely on the signs as they may disappear overnight, merely use them as an aid to your own route finding. There are a number of people riding with Garmin downloads – please seek them out and join a group so everyone can ride and help each other route-find.


Tip: I have put together a 1 page PDF Cue Sheet. Scroll down to the post below for details.

Roadworks – there are roadworks/pipelaying work on the section of the road from Heptonstall over Widdop Rd to Colne. I understand that the works are midweek only and the road is open at weekends. Either way, be prepared to walk this section as the road closure order indicates that pedestrian access is to be maintained at all time. It shouldn’t affect us all getting over to the cobbled sections in Colne.


Update 29/3/11 - Morrisons Utility Services assure me that Widdop Rd will be open on Saturday and we can ride through without hinderance.

Supporting the Ronde – local photographers Sportsunday are supporting the ride, not only with great shots from their spot in Heptonstall village, but also with a cake and drink stop just after there too. This comes after the hard climb up from Hebden and before the long trek over Widdop Moor. Look out for their home baked delicacies and cheery banter. And save me a cake….

Also I have been lucky enough to have been given a test set of handbuilt Major Tom tubular wheels by Jonathon from Strada Wheels Those who rode last year may fondly remember my #epicfail in completing my own ride as my cheap carbon rear broke a spoke and disintegrated completely on the vicious descent into Hebden. Not so this year...

If you are into cyclocross, or even fancy some tough, light road wheels for tubs, do catch up with me and have a look at them. Very nice.

Please remember this is an unofficial, unsanctioned ride and also that as cyclists we will all be judged on our behaviour toward other road users.

Disclaimer:

All individuals riding Ronde van Oost Lancashire 2011 do so entirely at their own risk.