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Here's the route as described upthread. None of the big name hills in there but I have included William Hill which is a really nice climb. Lots of good views.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28985936

So, what would you like? Longer, shorter, harder, faster? More big name hills?

I'll bang something up for you and then people can see if they want it harder.

Sheffield is OK, 5k from the station and you're practically there. You can take a nice enough route out of Manchester but it'll burn time.
Chesterfield has the best line out but its a shit town to end up in post ride.

If you want to maximise good riding time, do Macclesfield or Buxton.

Manchester means either entry via Woodhead (grim) or Snake (changeable) unless you take the long way out for an assault on Rainow or the Roaches.

How far can you get on one bottle and what constitutes a crazy descent?

Monsal is OK for hill climb but there's not many ways there that don't involve climbing something a bit more serious. And as you'd be right next to it, Sheldon is a more rewarding challenge.

Not got a fixed or ss at the moment but for a route I'd advise Sheffield City Centre, Fulwood, Ringinglow, Fox House, Grindleford, Eyam, Great Hucklow, Tideswell, Chelmorton, Flagg, Grangemill, Via Gellia, Matlock, Stanton, Chatsworth, Owler Bar, Sheffield.

Some challenges but nothing too outrageous.

I know Newent well. I'd probably be able to take some time off work to come and do that. Keep me updated.

I'd love to come and do some felling for you. Where are your woods and when do you plan to do it?

Oof, yeah those tyres won't be much good past the start of October.

Wyke near Bradford for me today. Grim northern dead end town but the course was brilliant. Lots of banking work, hurdles, a sand pit, twitchy off camber and not claggy. Tried the Caadx with the gravel tyres because its a bit lighter and better geared but as soon as I hit the high banking I was sliding everywhere. Ridley coped much better. Still not last and, thanks to a newbie triathlete, I got my first lapping of the season. Not bad seeing as I've been lurgied the past couple of weeks.

Give this course a go if you happen to be in the area at the right time.

Did anyone else stick in an entry for All Points North?

http://www.allpointsnorth.cc/

Interesting that they've decided to forego the usual spot tracking and use photographic proof of checkpoint instead. Nice, simple, low tech.

I used both on the training. Stihl is a bit heavier but a bit more forgiving than a Husq. If I were to buy one I'd probably go Stihl. First up when I have some money will be the trousers and boots though.

Trying to line up some practical experience now.

Clement PDX do well for me on most courses.

Pateley Bridge. Lovely to have a race nestled in the Yorkshire Dales that doesn't involve hauling to the top of some hills. Non-league as its a trophy weekend so the crowds and course were a bit smaller. It still managed to pack a lot into a 4/1/2 minute lap. Off cambers, straight climbs, bank dives, hairpins and a lovely double sandpit that was best done with more entry speed than nerves were comfortable with.

Rain kicked in half way through which changed the A lines and a lot of sliding ensued. I stuffed a few myself and ended up last in the V40 cat but still beat a couple of Seniors I usually race against so happy to call my not last streak unbroken. Really nice to race against the women and V45+ riders. Feels different when you aren't completely out the back from the first lap.

Lining up some more running training for Bradford's Peel Park which will host the North of England Champs in December. It makes a reasonable claim at being the best course in the country so if you have any claim to northern-ness in your licence, it's a rare chance to race it without having to enter a trophy or the champs and take a kicking for it.

Any advice for good 35's tubeless for a claggy, bike killing course? I'm currently praying for a deep, hard freeze that weekend rather than the three hours of bike cleaning that will usually ensue.

I think it's a plain business decision really - there's not enough people interested in watching women's racing

When I used to live in Toronto, every other person you knew was in at least one band. Everyone was trying to get a bit more rep so that they could climb up the running order. It was quite common then that you'd get invited along to a gig at a bar where your mates were the support act on the understanding that once they'd finished their set, you'd be moving on to another bar. They didn't want the bar managers/promoters to assume you'd come early for the headliners so they tried to rig the room to show who the support was for. It was a fairly powerful statement if half the back room walked off half way through the night and booze sales dropped accordingly.

When you get multiple races on the same day, particularly crits, cross and track, I wonder how many race organisers think you're there mainly for the headline race and think you're watching the lead up as a side attraction? It would be good if there was an easy way to show the organisers that you're at least as interested in the women's race as the men's.

Bit of a disappointment for today's race. It seems there's been a disagreement about use of land at the venue and we've lost all of the banking and the sand pit. Instead we were left with a course that was mostly flat straights with hairpin turns. Not good for a slow fat rider like me. Still not last but looking forward to something a bit more technical next week.

I'm pretty certain they only apply the 80% rule at the champs. Mrs TSK has never been pulled from a trophy race despite being lapped.

Harrogate today and with a steep course and a lot of overnight/morning rain it became an object lesson 8n why tyre choice is important.
It looked squelchy so I went for the Caadx with 37s on. Alas the lack of tread meant I just had a big fat shear surface and skittered about the course like a newborn foal.
Should have changed to the Ridley with more aggressive 33s on but I'm too lazy to wash two bikes. Probably could have had 2-3 more places.

Another interesting take on why Bitcoin is an environmental shitshow.

https://sluggerotoole.com/2018/10/12/bitcoin-must-die/

In a way, Bitcoin has become a microcosm of the global political failure on climate change. A small contextual elite have the power to make meaningful change but choose not to for reasons that seem primarily of self-interest while still trying to claim a moral high ground on secondary concerns. If that feels a bit of a mouthful, maybe it could be abbreviated to "cash tories".

I think most do. Wouldn't want bare hands if I stacked it on gravel or in the tree roots.

5h17 on the 3 Peaks yesterday. I guess that's not bad for virtually no training. At least there's one race this year where I can say I finished on the same lap as the leaders.

Also feel like my shoulder has been beaten with a rolling pin.

Back to Temple Newsome park in Leeds (entirely unrelated to Leeds Castle) yesterday. Despite the recent heavy rains, the course was pretty dry and rideable all the way round. Well technically the hurdles were rideable as most riders were doing but I had a hard time not hanging a pedal down and kept catching them in practice so I elected not to risk it in the race and just run them. I was at least as quick as almost anyone else crossing them at the same time, even the lapping riders so I think the caution was worth it for me.
Lots of rooty woodland trails which I handled pretty well except for one stack.

Turns out I didn't come last last week and managed to improve on that by beating four riders this week. Going to have my work cut out for me to improve on that for the next race. Next week is the 3 peaks though and I'm treating that as a challenge not a race.

Possibly now a fatality.

That's my problem too. My race is Junior, Senior and Vet 40-44. I'm 43 and out of shape so every week is a battle not to take a right kicking.

First race of the year today. Bedale. Fast, very flat and bumpy hard ground. Think I may finally have broken a two year streak and been the last finisher. There were two behind me but i think they both dropped out.

Just got my first chainsaw ticket. The scariest £500ish I've ever spent.