(UK): Peaks Muni Trip 2: Early Midlife Crisis 19th-21st September 2008

General
1

Hi all,

This September, I’m going to be 30. I’ve been riding my unicycles on the road way too much recently. So, as an antidote to this, and as a celebration of my impending decrepitude, I’m planning a weekend of riding unicycles the way they should be ridden and drinking beers the way they should be drunken.

So the Peaks Muni Trip is back.

19th-21st September 2008.

It’ll be camping in the Dark Peak somewhere, it’ll be somewhere near either Hope, Edale or Hathersage, to be announced, once I have a slightly better idea of how many people are likely to come.

The riding will be technical cross country riding, as that is what the riding is like round there. Lots of rocks, big climbs, big descents, not much faffing around. If you haven’t ridden there before, I would recommend a maximum of a 26" wheel, I know last time we rode out there as a group, a couple of people brought 29ers and found it too hard on the rocks. If you’ve ridden Snowdon, the technical level of many sections is at the same level as the rocky sections on Snowdon, and some parts will be harder. We will be riding as many uphills as possible, this is a very uppy downy area.

The group of riders I’m leading will be riding at a sensible speed, we won’t drop anyone, but we will quite likely do 15-20 miles on Saturday and Sunday.

For anyone not up to that kind of distance over technical terrain, or not sure, you’re welcome to come, just make sure you have a copy of OS map OL1 (available from any bookshop), in case you need to take short cuts or ride alternative routes. There will also be some other people around doing walks which will be a more suitable speed for slow riders.

I’m intending organising a piss-up / some food / something of an organised nature on the Saturday night, so it’d be great if people were to post on here / pm me / email me ( news@joemarshall.org.uk ) / phone me (07905 696427) / tell me when you see me etc. to let me know if you’re coming.

Joe

2

:frowning: Im already doing something that weekend, which is a shame because it sounds ace! :frowning:

3

I’m in. Best find out if the muni still works sometime…

4

My muni works fine, but as I discovered on Sunday, my legs are a bit stronger than my muni skills currently, 3 ascents of Bramcote Hill riding it all, but 3 proper good crashes whilst pointing the unicycle downhill.

Joe

5

Dang, Joe. This sounds like great fun. I’m afraid I can’t manage to get there, though. Have fun!

6

I’m really tempted to join you Joe… I’ve been a bit greedy with unicycling events over this summer though (SWUM, Mayhem, an Audax ride, Unicon, Sleepless) so I may have used up my available money/time allowance…

If I can work something out I’ll be there. Anybody invented a teleport yet? Don’t fancy driving it all and trains are way too expensive - and no I won’t have time to ride it :stuck_out_tongue:

I’ll see what I can do.

Are you really that young?

Rob

7

Sounds very good to me. If I can come I’ll take my KH24.
That would be my very first ride with other unicyclists! I hope the weather will be good too. In the meantime I will train some muniing in southern Germany.

8

Great plan Joe. But I can’t that weekend - sob sob. I’m sure the weather is better the weekend after…

Tue

9

Likewise, I’ve been riding my 36 way too much this year and so missing out on my real love - off road and hilly technical muni. I really wish I could make the weekend, but unfortunately its bad timing for me.

A couple of days after your muni weekend I’m flying off to Asia for five weeks, to attempt something that’s not been done on a unicycle before. This will be the hardest thing I’ve ever done on my unicycle, by far. I will be posting details about this next month.

I hope you get a good turn-out for your weekend Joe. Have fun.

Steve :smiley:

10

Someone had to go and mention the W…

11

Hey, good to hear you’re going for it this year. You must be pretty darned fit after RTL.

You sure you don’t need a last minute equipment test ride one of the days that weekend!

Joe

12

You need to convince someone on the way to come too and share costs for part of the drive, so you don’t have so much time driving. Does Phil still ride unicycles? Or Ian who you did Mayhem with? They are sort of a bit past half way on the journey between you and Derbyshire aren’t they?

Also, you’re supposed to say ‘goodness me, I never imagined you were that old!’

Joe

13

You beat me to it Joe, I read Rob’s thread and thought exactly the same thing that he could drive to mine and leave his car.
Count me in, means missing the 2nd home match of the rugby season but it’s only Harlequins.
I’m not going to mention the w… climate as I promised sun at Mayhem, and look what happened there.
Only 30!! you think that’s old, wait till you get to my age…

14

Thanks Ian, may take you up on that offer assuming I can get away that weekend. At the moment it looks quite promising. I’ll be travelling pretty light (you know the size of my tent) so as long as you’ve got room for my muni and a little bag that’ll be cool.
(BTW - thread-jack and quite cheeky - you don’t fancy being my support driver for sleepless do you? I was hoping my brother would do it but he’s gone and got a job)

Looks like Tue’s not going, so my usual opportunity for car-sharing is out. (although his Land Rover seems to use twice as much fuel as my car, so it doesn’t really save any money…:frowning: nice to share the driving though).

Rob

15

Mmmmmm, tempted and then realised that we will be driving back from the Isle of Skye on the 9th so sorry, not available.
Very inconsiderate of your brother that:D

16

It’s not like it can be much wetter than last time… :slight_smile:

I’d definitely like to come along; it’s been aaaages since I last went on a muni weekend of some sort. I’d better remind myself how the muni works first, as I must confess to not having ridden it for rather a long time…

Phil

17

Cool, I didn’t realise you still had a muni.

It will be lovely weather, as it always is at my muni weekends. You must be misremembering something about last time, and that picture is obviously photoshopped.

Joe

18

I do recall the day after was really nice; it was just a pity that because of the day before I had lots of cold weather gear on, so I boiled!

If anyone doesn’t want to drive all the way or wants a lift I can provide transport from Cannock…

Phil

19

We (John, Spencer & I) went out and reminded ourselves of our muni workings yesterday - it is looking like the rides might be quite fast - we were really hammering up the hill on the way back to the pub!

I’m currently thinking the campsite will probably be the same one in Edale, as it’s easy enough to do without booking / organising things, I’ll get back on this as soon as I have some time.

I have some potential route ideas- several of you will have ridden bits of this but I think for almost everyone except maybe Phil there is something you haven’t ridden before. I want to keep things mainly to routes I’ve ridden/run/walked before and have a good idea of, so we get the best riding in.

Also, this is a bit harsh, but having thought about the routes, they are quite big, with a lot of climbing and descending, so I should probably say it again - you need to have the map OS Explorer OL1 if you unsure of your speed, but still want to come on the longer rides. We won’t just drop anyone, but if the weather turns out bad, it’s not safe to have everyone hanging around waiting for slower rider(s), it’s your responsibility to be able to get back / forward on the route or find your way home without too much babysitting if we need to split up. Penny will be doing some walks which anyone who doesn’t want such a long route is welcome to join on the unicycle.

this is a slightly extended/modified version of the route we did last time - with Cave Dale on it - one of the most technical and sustained Peak District descents. About 14 miles/22km give or take a bit. >1000m climbing. Loads of potential tack on bits for anyone begging for more.

Edale -> Jacob’s Ladder -> Roych Clough -> Rushup Edge -> Castleton -> Mam Tor -> Chapel Gate -> Edale

2)potentially a biggy - this is the classic jacob’s ladder ride with the Edale loop tacked on. Well over 20 miles. nice long 90% rideable climb from Hope up to Hope Cross too. >1300m climbing.
Edale -> Jacob’s Ladder -> Roych Clough -> Rushup Edge -> Pin Dale -> Hope -> Roman Road -> Jaggers Clough -> Edale

Both of these rides have a drop out point at Rushup Edge, roughly 10 miles in, where you can just head down Chapel Gate (or even the road if you are a wuss) and get back to the start in 2 miles.

Ladybower Loop
Roughly this
http://www.cycle-route.com/routes/Classic_Ladybower_Loop-Cycle-Route-475.html
It’s about 18.5 miles/30km. 800m climbing or so.

It is quite technical too, with a really very technical option (THE BEAST) at one point. John + I have ridden this (with Steve C, Keith & Nick I think), and it’s a good fast ride. The 18 miles is a bit deceptive - there’s a fast easy section at the bottom left that eats up a couple of miles, and similar near Fairholmes. There is a wuss option from Fairholmes that saves a big hill (you miss a fantastic descent too though). This is a good Sunday ride - last time we started about 10 I think, and finished it about 4, without hurrying.

  1. Stanage?
    Possibly could do some kind of loop round Stanage, although all the routes I know involve a fair bit of road - so only any point if it is only fast riders. I do have a nice ride from round there that is a bit cheeky that might be worth a think though, especially if the weather is a bit wet.

  2. Mam Tor Descents
    min 4 miles, max whatever. Ascent - up to 1750.
    There are about 7 legal descents off the ridge from Rushup Edge -> Mam Tor -> Hollins Cross, going down to Edale one side, Castleton the other. From both sides, the road climb back up is rideable. Riding them all in a day is quite a fun thing to do - lots of descents and climbing, no flat - over 250 metres of descent each time. A bit weather dependent - at least 2 of them suck a bit if it’s very mucky. We did some of this as a pre-breakfast ride on the Saturday last time - would also be suitable for a Friday afternoon/evening ride.

Joe

20

Hey Joe, I’d like to come along. It’s been a long time since I did any proper Muni but I’m still in pretty good shape from the summer. I’ve got a few logistical issues to sort out as most of my camping gear relies on having a car which I currently don’t. Assuming I can find a solution to that little problem I’ll be there.

Paul