Priest's Leap Everest for Nepal.

thebouldwhacker · 27-05-2015 10:39am #1

Hi All,

The coincidence to have been involved in Everesting last year through Hells500 & Andy van Bergen and now for there to be a charity appeal for Nepal is too much to ignore. Andy is at it again encouraging Everesters to tackle another event to raise money for shelter relief for those in Nepal. In conjunction with morethansport.org Hells500 are backing this global fundraiser.

I had always thought that if I were to do another Everest it would be on a nice steady climb for the ascent with smooth roads for the descent. However this Everest is to raise awareness and money for the emergency in Napal and such a climb wouldn't get much notice. That is why I have chosen the Priests Leap as my Everest for Nepal.

In a country where they make a living out of living tough you know things are bad when they get hit so hard by earthquakes that they appeal for international assistance. Not many people are venturing into the mountains and tourists have fled so their economy has also been hit by a financial earthquake. This has seriously damaged their ability to react to their current needs and start their recovery. The hardest nation in the world needs help and to symbolise this I have chosen one of the hardest climbs I know of, the Priests Leap.

The Priests Leap in West Cork, Ireland is as mean and unforgiving a climb as you can ride. Its name scares the most hardened cyclist into wishing they had a triple, or even better, a flat so they could go home. Its legend in cycling folklore is so mighty simply cresting its lofty summit is a victory after a climb which is a test of grit, tenacity, mental and physical fitness.

Atop the Priest Leap many a cyclist has been born into the sport.

With high Atlantic winds blowing in random directions the drop into the valley below is a sobering factor. The road surface is an 'Irish motorway' (it has grass up the centre) and more pot holes, occasional flooding, sheep droppings and random road furniture than you could shake a track pump at. The first section takes you straight above the tree line and is stepped before hitting the first knee crushing high gradient escalator. This spits you out on a roller coaster where every meter gained is robbed off you again by a series of sharp climbs and descents before hitting the final part of the climb which again is a soul destroying collection of high gradient intervals with sharp blind bends so it is easy to lose your place and expect to summit at each one, only for the climb to hit you again with another random 15% section. And there is normally fog, or rain, or sheep...

The descent in its own way is as tough as the ascent. With wildlife and free roaming farm animals crossing the road at a moments notice the unrewarding trip down has to be controlled with a good level of dedication and attention to the brake leavers. The more serious potential obsticals also include a few sheepdogs which you know are always on the look out for something to chase. Add in random traffic, which there isn't a lot of room to work around on the high % sections and the often sheer drop into the valley below always makes for interesting cycling. So on reflection its not so much a road, more a mountain track which has a tar surface.

So on June 6th 2015 I'm going to cycle it 21 times coming home with a total of not less than 8848 meters in one ride. To be honest I don't know if its possible, but I guess there really is only one way to find out. If anyone fancies joining me please feel free.

Coming in at 5.3km base to summit with an ascent of 421 meters per climb this whale of a spin will top out at over 220km of Leap. While it certainly be a memorable challenge it will however only be worth while through your donation (on morethansport.org or any other method of donation). In other words if I'm gonna suffer on the bike, I want you to suffer in your wallet so please please please take a few minutes to donate, no matter how insignificant an amount it is to you, it will be life saving and life changing to the hardest people in the world.

Here is a link to the fundraising page,
http://www.morethansport.org/team/hells-500/everesting-priests-leap-for-nepal-2015
or donate locally.
Please share this with your club and play a simple but crucial part in raising urgently needed funds for Nepal.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/7997270

ford2600 · 27-05-2015 11:11am

Crazy choice of hill. It's all kinds of horrible.

https://www.strava.com/segments/631196

What date are you doing it?

thebouldwhacker · 27-05-2015 11:57am

It will be on Sat the 6th of June. D day in more than one way.
As you are worse than I for long cycles I'm guessing you are thinking you might cycle down, do it and then cycle home in time for the club spin....?

connie_c · 27-05-2015 12:03pm

your ridewithgps link is set to private.

thebouldwhacker · 28-05-2015 8:54am

Thanks for the heads up, settings changed now.

dvntie · 28-05-2015 9:23pm

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

Hi All,

The coincidence to have been involved in Everesting last year through Hells500 & Andy van Bergen and now for there to be a charity appeal for Nepal is too much to ignore. Andy is at it again encouraging Everesters to tackle another event to raise money for shelter relief for those in Nepal. In conjunction with morethansport.org Hells500 are backing this global fundraiser.

I had always thought that if I were to do another Everest it would be on a nice steady climb for the ascent with smooth roads for the descent. However this Everest is to raise awareness and money for the emergency in Napal and such a climb wouldn't get much notice. That is why I have chosen the Priests Leap as my Everest for Nepal.

In a country where they make a living out of living tough you know things are bad when they get hit so hard by earthquakes that they appeal for international assistance. Not many people are venturing into the mountains and tourists have fled so their economy has also been hit by a financial earthquake. This has seriously damaged their ability to react to their current needs and start their recovery. The hardest nation in the world needs help and to symbolise this I have chosen one of the hardest climbs I know of, the Priests Leap.

The Priests Leap in West Cork, Ireland is as mean and unforgiving a climb as you can ride. Its name scares the most hardened cyclist into wishing they had a triple, or even better, a flat so they could go home. Its legend in cycling folklore is so mighty simply cresting its lofty summit is a victory after a climb which is a test of grit, tenacity, mental and physical fitness.

Atop the Priest Leap many a cyclist has been born into the sport.

With high Atlantic winds blowing in random directions the drop into the valley below is a sobering factor. The road surface is an 'Irish motorway' (it has grass up the centre) and more pot holes, occasional flooding, sheep droppings and random road furniture than you could shake a track pump at. The first section takes you straight above the tree line and is stepped before hitting the first knee crushing high gradient escalator. This spits you out on a roller coaster where every meter gained is robbed off you again by a series of sharp climbs and descents before hitting the final part of the climb which again is a soul destroying collection of high gradient intervals with sharp blind bends so it is easy to lose your place and expect to summit at each one, only for the climb to hit you again with another random 15% section. And there is normally fog, or rain, or sheep...

The descent in its own way is as tough as the ascent. With wildlife and free roaming farm animals crossing the road at a moments notice the unrewarding trip down has to be controlled with a good level of dedication and attention to the brake leavers. The more serious potential obsticals also include a few sheepdogs which you know are always on the look out for something to chase. Add in random traffic, which there isn't a lot of room to work around on the high % sections and the often sheer drop into the valley below always makes for interesting cycling. So on reflection its not so much a road, more a mountain track which has a tar surface.

So on June 6th 2015 I'm going to cycle it 21 times coming home with a total of not less than 8848 meters in one ride. To be honest I don't know if its possible, but I guess there really is only one way to find out. If anyone fancies joining me please feel free.

Coming in at 5.3km base to summit with an ascent of 421 meters per climb this whale of a spin will top out at over 220km of Leap. While it certainly be a memorable challenge it will however only be worth while through your donation (on morethansport.org or any other method of donation). In other words if I'm gonna suffer on the bike, I want you to suffer in your wallet so please please please take a few minutes to donate, no matter how insignificant an amount it is to you, it will be life saving and life changing to the hardest people in the world.

Here is a link to the fundraising page,
http://www.morethansport.org/team/hells-500/everesting-priests-leap-for-nepal-2015
or donate locally.
Please share this with your club and play a simple but crucial part in raising urgently needed funds for Nepal.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/7997270

You absolute loon T. No wonder ya won't be doing cork to galway with us two weeks later ;-)

crosstownk · 28-05-2015 10:10pm

Priest's Leap 21 times :eek::eek::eek::eek: You're either very brave or very insane (or maybe both).

You've described it perfectly. I did it last year (just the once because I'm only slightly insane and in no way brave) and it's alarmingly tough in places. I did it from the Cork side.

Just thinking about doing it 21 times makes my legs turn to jelly.

Fair play to you, though. Report back and let us know how it went. Which side are planning to do it from?

detones · 28-05-2015 10:16pm

I hope you prove me wrong but I really don't think this is achievable. I've done this climb ...... Once and I nearly died. Slipped On Sheep sh1t twice On The Way Up and had to stop twice,was glad of the break too. Major kudos for even attempting this all the same.

Plastik · 28-05-2015 10:23pm

I've only ever tried the Leap once. Few years ago and i was still a good bit heavier and much more unfit than I am now. It was a hard, hard climb that day.

What climbing gear will you use?

Lusk_Doyle · 28-05-2015 10:24pm

detones wrote: »

I hope you prove me wrong but I really don't think this is achievable. I've done this climb ...... Once and I nearly died. Slipped On Sheep sh1t twice On The Way Up and had to stop twice,was glad of the break too. Major kudos for even attempting this all the same.

Boo. Of course it's achieveable. Your experience has nothing to do with his ability (mental and physical).

ford2600 · 28-05-2015 11:03pm

Plastik wrote: »

I've only ever tried the Leap once. Few years ago and i was still a good bit heavier and much more unfit than I am now. It was a hard, hard climb that day.

What climbing gear will you use?

I'd like 34/32 or even 34/34.

My main concern would be descent, especially when fatigued. If a wet day I wouldn't even try.

There are some really horrible ramps on that climb

detones · 28-05-2015 11:14pm

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

Boo. Of course it's achieveable. Your experience has nothing to do with his ability (mental and physical).

Like I said hope he proves me wrong. I genuinely hope he does it. Granted I'm no great climber or cyclist to be honest but I know what a sh1t hard climb is and I was in fairly good shape giving it a go too. I can't imagine there are many tougher climbs in this country or decents for that matter.

Wishbone Ash · 29-05-2015 12:07am

detones wrote: »

Like I said hope he proves me wrong. I genuinely hope he does it. Granted I'm no great climber or cyclist to be honest but I know what a sh1t hard climb is and I was in fairly good shape giving it a go too. I can't imagine there are many tougher climbs in this country or decents for that matter.

Good man detones - when I filtered the leaderboard on Strava to my club, you're the only man on it! (No sign of the Lusk chap).

When I filter to people I'm following, it's only yourself and crosstownk that have been brave enough. Kudos indeed to you both. I'll have to give this a blast sometime ( and Mount Leinster).

ROK ON · 29-05-2015 8:37am

Terry

Go on you mad thing.
What gearing are you using - think big.

Can you get a lift down. Hard as it is going up going down is dangerous when fresh, let alone when fatigued mentally and physically. If you could get a car to give you a lift down would that be allowed?

Best of luck. I would love to be there but am away next weekend. Hope you get a good crew out supporting you.

What time are you setting off at?

smacl · 29-05-2015 8:44am

If fortune favours the brave you should be buying lotto tickets as you're a dead cert to win. Congrats on the attempt and best of luck achieving it, I'd be delighted to make it up and down once. Small donation made, and again, fair play!

OleRodrigo · 29-05-2015 9:05am

Best of luck, bouldwhacker.

magicbastarder · 29-05-2015 9:37am

ROK ON wrote: »

If you could get a car to give you a lift down would that be allowed?

i'm 90% certain the rules disallow this.

thebouldwhacker · 29-05-2015 9:58am

Aye, up and down. It's all part of it. I would love that conversation, 'darling you know I'm doing the Everesting, any chance you would drop me down a few times?' Hmmm maybe easier do it on the bike...
The cycle is only an event to highlight the fund raising though so it's great to have the thread active. Please share the link on social media and to your cycling clubs home page.

As for gearing, 34/32 all the way. I also have nice fat 28s on the wheels so a big difference to what I'm used to.The cross bike is being pulled out for this. Spin up and pray on the way down. I'm going to keep the mtb pedals so if I take a tumble I can at least walk to get back on.
It will be a great mental challange, the legs know what to do at this stage of the game so it's fighting the head demons but it's all training and will be great endurance building.

Thanks for all the comments!

Lusk_Doyle · 29-05-2015 12:25pm

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Good man detones - when I filtered the leaderboard on Strava to my club, you're the only man on it! (No sign of the Lusk chap).

When I filter to people I'm following, it's only yourself and crosstownk that have been brave enough. Kudos indeed to you both. I'll have to give this a blast sometime ( and Mount Leinster).

Ha ha! Never been. I must give it a look sometime.

Morrisseeee · 29-05-2015 12:48pm

Holy flying cantankerous cows bouldwhacker, I thought you were only going to do it once or twice but 21 times = :eek:(*21)

Anyway I wish you all the best & I hope you get a good weather day like when I did it
/never again :pac:

You might say 'hullo' to that cantankerous cow as well

B54BAEAD95044121A1D828B9686BF492-0000318644-0003385715-00800L-3F63A398677A408AB89624EE7AA45812.jpg

thebouldwhacker · 29-05-2015 2:32pm

Class pic, if I meet her I'll be sure to say hello from the udder cyclist.....

Vizzy · 29-05-2015 5:00pm

Fair play to you

Not to detract from the thread but I think that Barry from Worldwide Cycles in Clonmel is doing an "Everest Climb" tomorrow on Tickoncor/ Powers the Pot tomorrow.

Again I think it is 21 or 22 ascents (and descents) of the climb.

thebouldwhacker · 29-05-2015 5:25pm

He has some epic route, famous road, a worthy climb indeed.

OleRodrigo · 29-05-2015 6:02pm

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

He has some epic route, famous road, a worthy climb indeed.

Which side are you going up from ?

ford2600 · 29-05-2015 7:52pm

OleRodrigo wrote: »

Which side are you going up from ?

Cork side I believe. These Cork lads take the border very seriously

Strava segment is in second post, but it doesn't go near explaining how horrible it is

Morrisseeee · 30-05-2015 9:21am

You'll have to start early I guess, 21 * 5.3 @ 8.2% is gonna take time. Eg. Averaging 10km/h takes just over 30mins, so 21*32mins = 672mins = 11.2hrs !!!
Bring down the average to 7km/h and add in the descents and any stops then you're in for a VERY long day in the saddle

thebouldwhacker · 30-05-2015 10:03am

Cork side. It's a matter of county pride!!

Not far off Morrisseeee, I concur with your formula and calculations old chap but you forgot to multiply it by Wn where W stands for What and n stands for now. The 'What now' multiplier effect is often responsible for the lowering of average speeds by a factor of X (where x stands for who knows).
I have tried to get a ball park figure but until the weather, headwind, animal behaviour etc have been determined I can't get the numbers to agree.

29hrs+ start to finish the last one took, that certainly hadn't been planned.

twaimkit · 30-05-2015 6:14pm

Best of luck with it Bouldwhacker. Its an epic challenge i hope your lucky with the weather. Donation made online.

iwillhtfu · 30-05-2015 6:19pm

Morrisseeee wrote: »

Never mind the cow is that the road surface? :eek:

All the best man I hope you complete it without incident might be an idea to have a couple of mates join you towards the end as you'll be tired and it looks fairly isolated should you take a tumble.

outfox · 30-05-2015 7:11pm

iwillhtfu wrote: »

might be an idea to have a couple of mates join you towards the end as you'll be tired and it looks fairly isolated should you take a tumble.

I've put a post on our club FB page about it. Priest's Leap is on our home turf. Hopefully some of the lads might ride out there to support the OP. Although it unfortunately coincides with our club trip away, so there might not be anyone around.
Fair play to thebouldwhacker. It's a huge undertaking. I did it last week from the Kenmare side. My biggest fear was tyre blow out on the descent due to overheating. And the sheep were particularly stupid that day, deciding to cross the road at the last minute. This event has it all.

thebouldwhacker · 31-05-2015 12:47pm

Thanks for the concern, I'll have a bit of support checking in on me every now and again.
@Outfox I really appreciate you and all the club's who put the message on their website and facebook page. Some I know well others are just doing it off their own initiative. If anyone can share the link on facebook or clubs home page that would be amazing. Thanks again!!
http://www.morethansport.org/team/hells-500/everesting-priests-leap-for-nepal-2015

thebouldwhacker · 01-06-2015 11:25pm

dvntie wrote: »

You absolute loon T. No wonder ya won't be doing cork to galway with us two weeks later ;-)

Just saw this now, sorry to be missing that spin alright, a great cause http://www2.galwaycycle.ie/cyclist-information/

(I'll be doing the Celtic Knot 1000 though for PBP)

detones · 05-06-2015 3:25pm

Donation made. Best of luck tomorrow. Report back on how it goes. I might get to cheer you on for a bit as I'm heading to kenmare tomorrow and might get to pop over.

thebouldwhacker · 06-06-2015 4:42am

Thanks for that Detones, you would be very welcome. There will be a few popping in during the day with a club spin landing on about 12:30 so should be a festival atmosphere and the circus will be in full swing then so thank you for the donation. If anyone wants to find out more and donate please follow the link.

http://www.morethansport.org/team/hells-500/everesting-priests-leap-for-nepal-2015

Cheers!!

on_the_nickel · 06-06-2015 7:29pm

He was on his 9th ascent when I left around lunchtime, looking fresh as a daisy too. It is one hell of a climb and not a descent where you can recover easily.

Deffo worth a bit of sponsorship!

dvntie · 07-06-2015 10:58am

Just saw his strava file
9023m of climbing epicness.
This is worthy of a donation alright
Chapeau Terry (something tells me you won't see this for a few hours yet tho)

thebouldwhacker · 07-06-2015 12:00pm

All good today, I see plenty of food in my near future. I got amazing support from so many people yesterday it was quite inspiring.
A tough day on the bike to be sure but random strangers, locals, friends and cyclists alike coming over chatting, making donations and giving support was amazing.
A massive thanks to all here for the well wishes and company.
If you haven't already why not donate a fiver, just to give yourself a warn fuzzy feeling of being involved in this marathon!!!

Thanks again.

outfox · 08-06-2015 12:26pm

Dear all
I hope to do a charity cycle in aid of thebouldwhacker. As many of you will know, thebouldwhacker's legs were recently hit by a catastrophic event. I hope to raise some funds so that our team on the ground can rebuild his legs, and so that thebouldwhacker can get on with his life. Please give generously.

Well done OP. That's a savage feat. You're a local legend now, and part of Priest's Leap folklore.

thebouldwhacker · 08-06-2015 10:11pm

Thanks outfox, I can be rebuilt!
That's one fine climb alright, I am officially in love with that descent. It made every climb worth while. I was blown away by the local support, they made they day so much more enjoyable.

Priest's Leap Everest for Nepal.

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