Harder Day in the Peaks 2020 edition

Yeah no thanks, Thanet Way already provides my yearly quota of lorry passes

I'm game and am sure others are keeping an eye on the thread since I tagged them. I'll put the word out when I'm back in the country on Sunday. There are tons of trains in the morning so even if there are a few of us we should have no problems making it.
Probably less keen to start in Stoke, it's bigger and further away from the good stuff isn't it? It's might be worth checking out the Peak Grimpeur series of August mid-week audaxes for routing inspiration, they tend to stay off the bigger (and gentler) climbs but take in some lovely parts of the PD.

Sweet. Make them all come! And enjoy what I assume is the rest of your holiday.

@cagimaha confirmed today so we have one train load from London but @cgg may ride out.

London
1) Jaeyukdapbap
2) YAL
3) cgg
4) cagimaha
5)

London
1) Jaeyukdapbap
2) YAL
3) cgg
4) cagimaha
5)LobsterShorts

Trains only take 4 bikes right?

Correct.

To anyone London based and lurking, if you wanna come on the ride you have a few days to make yourself known to get organised onto a train. Will book tickets over the weekend/on Monday. List list list.

Is it deffo Macclesfield? Got friends I need to see in Sheffield, so wondering if I can two birds one stone a trip to The North.

Edit - I'd do my own train booking as I'd likely be Friday- Sunday

Yeah, I think we’re pretty settled on Macclesfield. Good excuse for a ride out across the peaks non?

London
1) Jaeyukdapbap
2) YAL
3) cgg
4) cagimaha
5)LobsterShorts
6) pastry

The Macc Lads had me intrigued, but alas I'll be enjoying an easy day in Holland then.

Some classic & classy lyrics

I'm mates with the drummer, they are still touring.

I would expect nothing less

OK I'm going to be leaving from Kent in the morning of the 14th, on the Euston train at 7:20, and then the Stoke train at 8:56 arriving 9:17. Is this arrival time acceptable? And does this overlap with anyone else's train times for bike space overlap?
I'm thinking about the 18:56 return. Total journey cost at the mo is about £84 so keen to book this ASAP.

FWIW I'm going to be so dazed I'm not sure it matters if anyone else is on the morning train

We're looking to have one group from London arrive at 08:41, another 09:41. Earliest we can get everyone up. London returns are looking to be £50 each - 20% for group save on Avanti. But the Avanti site doesn't seem to be showing the group save. 18:56 and 19:56 for return trains look likely. I think the later group will be pretty trollied by the time they're back on the train... We'll need to coordinate return train stuff.

Edit - Make yourself known today if you want to get in on the London train services.

@peet and I have train tickets to Macclesfield from Manchester on 14th, arrive in at 9.17, leave at 18.18

Doubt I'll be riding but can give pointers on routes/pub stops if needed. Grew up round that way and done a fair bit of riding on that side of the Peaks.

I'm in, Avanti website lists the groupsave in with the railcards. Add one for each person on the booking.

We have 4 from London booked to arrive Macclesfield at 08:41. 1 will be extending the trip so can meet us in the morning and 1 coming up from Whitstable at 09:17 - who seems to be being joined by a duo from Manchester for the same train in. And Po coming up from Derby, Ecobeard down from Scotland. Looking like a good game of bike so far! 09:30 set off?

How's route planning shaping up?

I’ll also try and head down for this. Just need to sort some new wheels otherwise I’ll be on a road bike.

I’m planning on training up to Macc next weekend to do a route reccy. That side of the Peaks is new territory for me so suggestions would be very welcome.

Is it time for a 2020 thread to confirm numbers?

I think most of the action has / will happen here - could just update the thread title? @%~} - not that I know how to tag your username - seems to know their way around. I missed last year with a broken leg and have never been to the Peaks so apologies in advance but I would love to take on as many of the best/classic climbs and views possible even if some are repeats of last year. 'Possible' meaning within a 60-70 mile loop of Maccy and doable (whatever that means) fixed.

I'll dig out a few old routes that might be of interest.

I made myself a bit less visible on here when someone I knew IRL started going through my posts and being weird about it.

My domestic life is a mess at the moment and I can't commit to stuff this weekend, let along down the line. If I do come, I'll be on a road bike.

My suggestion for a lovely route from Macc would be as follows:

It stays off the main roads by and large, save for Cat & Fiddle at the end, but most of that section will be a descent. It should be doable on fixed. Mam Nick will be "fun". It wouldn't let me route up Abney Moor to go through Hathersage because some of that road has fallen away but it can be done by bike.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31841422

.

In terms of classic climbs, this route probably doesn't deliver. No Snake Pass for instance.

It's more of an off the beaten track Peaks ride but it does include Mam Nick and Long Hill.

You can take in Snake Pass by going up the Sheffield side from Derwent Water which is probably more pleasant in my opinion:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31841470