Slieve Blooms anybody

ROK ON

I floated this idea in another thread last week. Some crazy people were interested. So I am now posting officially.

I am thinking of driving to Mountrath next Sunday morning to take in a 100-140km cycle of the Slieve Blooms.

I would be hoping to leave the Phoenix Park before 8am.
I could take three other cyclists and bike in the car (that is if the missus trusts me with the car).

So any takers. If not, I will probably just head out on the regular Saturday spin.
Route map - idea.

http://www.mapmyride.com/route/ie/mountrath/230124457785594452

LeoD

Birr might be a bit far from Dublin but just thought I'd let you know about this cycle going over the Slieve Blooms this Sunday:

Wolftrap CC Billy Butler Leisure Cycle
Sun 21st June
60 & 135km routes.
Start Birr Rugby Club at 10am, sign on from 9am.
Full backup, food & showers.

ROK ON

LeoD wrote: »

Birr might be a bit far from Dublin but just thought I'd let you know about this cycle going over the Slieve Blooms this Sunday:

Wolftrap CC Billy Butler Leisure Cycle
Sun 21st June
60 & 135km routes.
Start Birr Rugby Club at 10am, sign on from 9am.
Full backup, food & showers.

Any route map for the 135km?

LeoD

ROK ON wrote: »

Any route map for the 135km?

Afraid not, sorry. Only details I have is this pdf - same as posted above but some contact details on it if you want to give them a shout. I'm guessing there'll be a few decent hills in it as the CC is named after one of the main climbs in the Slieve Blooms.

niceonetom

Hey ROK_ON - that sounds like a great plan. I'd be up for it. I've never ridden in that part of the world at all and it would be nice to give wicklow a break.

TinyExplosions

If you've space in the car, I'm in!

Caroline_ie

In too

E@gle.

i head over to the slieve blooms often but im heading on the woftrap spin this sunday.

The route you have there rok would be a great spin which includes glendine which is about 22% but the road is very bad on one side.

ROK ON

Thanks folks.
The theoretical car is ow full with Tom, Caroline and Tiny.
Heading out for dinner with the boss later, so will firm that theory car into a real car.

@Eagle - I choose the route from Mapmy ride. Didnt realise that Glendine was 22% (wouldnt have choose it if it was:)). However thanks for the advice via te road.
If yu get a routemap for the Wolftrap thing, then maybe we will rendevous or something.

Looking forward to this one. I need a bit of a change to be honest.

Was going to take the new bike (with compact), but after hearing from Eagle will probably take existing bike with the triple.

THERE WILL BE CAKE.

Caroline_ie

ROK ON wrote: »

THERE WILL BE CAKE.

Maybe I can try and bake a carrot cake for the road -

AstraMonti

To Dirk-Hairdo: Steal the car from your brother and lets head along

DirkVoodoo

Sounds like a plan. Myself and Astra are in. I think my rack (ho-ho) can take one more bike, but it is a crap Aldi/Lidl job so you might want to wrap your frame in bubble wrap or rags. Last time I put 2 bikes on it the frames decided to take chunks out of each other.

Caroline_ie

@ dirk & astra .... you just want some cake ...

E@gle.

ROK ON i'll do out a mapmyride route for ya tomorrow morning.

ROK ON

Have car. Spin is on.

victorcarrera

A lovely part of the county for cycling. Spent some time up there 2 years ago. Hope ye get the weather for it.

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Sounds like a plan. Myself and Astra are in. I think my rack (ho-ho) can take one more bike, but it is a crap Aldi/Lidl job so you might want to wrap your frame in bubble wrap or rags. Last time I put 2 bikes on it the frames decided to take chunks out of each other.

A few tips for this.
Put plumbers pipe insulation over the bike rack tubes. Very cheap in any hardware store. Use a few old bicycle inner tubes or bungies to tie the bikes up. The elasticity prevents them bouncing arouond. Cover the pedal nearest the car with a thick sock or similar to protect the paintwork.

DirkVoodoo

victorcarrera wrote: »

A lovely part of the county for cycling. Spent some time up there 2 years ago. Hope ye get the weather for it.



A few tips for this.
Put plumbers pipe insulation over the bike rack tubes. Very cheap in any hardware store. Use a few old bicycle inner tubes or bungies to tie the bikes up. The elasticity prevents them bouncing arouond. Cover the pedal nearest the car with a thick sock or similar to protect the paintwork.

Great tips Victor, they should be added to the wiki!

AstraMonti

Caroline_ie wrote: »

@ dirk & astra .... you just want some cake ...

True.. but it tastes so much better if you have earned it

E@gle.

Ok here is the route as promised its a little short but there is only really 2 decent climbs you can do "The Cut" and the "wolfe trap". Glendine is a great test but i was up there about a month ago and one side of the climb the road is perfect (the steep side, laois side) and the other side is in bits (offaly side) and they have recently started to fell trees on the bad side so lots of trucks up and down and road is only getting worse. If ya went up with a big group someone would end up coming off.

To get the miles in i usually so each climb twice from each side.

Oh yeah link

Caroline_ie

I have a GPS built in my phone ( a brand new one the other one broke up Mount Leinster ) - so we shouldnt get lost...

TinyExplosions

I have a 705, so we'll be grand!

ROK ON

FAO Dirk and Astra:

Throwing this out there as a suggested routemap.

http://www.mapmyride.com/route/ie/laois%2c%20ireland/268124525754878406

3 tough climbs and then a 35km sprint back to Portarlington (where I am thinking of parking). See what ye think.

AstraMonti

I don't mind the climbs, i will be slow i know it I just hope i won't slow you down too much.

Dirk are we ok with the car?

DirkVoodoo

Cheers for that ROK ON, looks like a good route. I'm quite partial to climbing these days.

Astra, booked the car there. Might want to bring some rags/socks/stuff to wrap on your frame to keep it from being dinged. Do you want me to pick you up or do you want to cycle over to mine? Either way, see you sunday!

sy

What time do you plan to be in Portarlington. Was considering joining you if that is ok? I love carrot cake:)

ROK ON

sy wrote: »

What time do you plan to be in Portarlington. Was considering joining you if that is ok? I love carrot cake:)

You would be very welcome. Plan on leaving Phoenix pk in Dublin at 8am.
So say Portarlington by 9.30am?

PM me if you want my number if you want to arrange details.

Do yo know the area well?

DirkVoodoo

sy wrote: »

What time do you plan to be in Portarlington. Was considering joining you if that is ok? I love carrot cake:)

Would be great to see you there Sy, just don't take ALL the cake!

sy

ROK ON wrote: »

You would be very welcome. Plan on leaving Phoenix pk in Dublin at 8am.
So say Portarlington by 9.30am?

PM me if you want my number if you want to arrange details.

Do yo know the area well?

Thanks ROK ON, sorry don't know the area but would love to cycle there. Sounds beautiful. Will PM you when sure I can make it. Won't know til Saturday due to family commitments. Thanks for all the details.

@ DirkVoodoo Will leave some crumbs for you! Love to meet up again if I can make it

niceonetom

It'd be great to see you there sy .

tomc

Hi

I wouldn't mind joining yee for this spin if there are no objections? Be nice to move outside of Wicklow for a change.


TomC

Caroline_ie

tomc wrote: »

I wouldn't mind joining yee for this spin if there are no objections?

The more the merrier
I'll just bake a bigger cake

ROK ON

Caroline_ie wrote: »

The more the merrier
I'll just bake a bigger cake

Its ok Caroline. We have a huge roof box on the car. It will fit a pretty large cake.

The_Claw

This sounds great. Is it this Sunday or next Sunday?

DirkVoodoo

This sunday.

The_Claw

Hmm. Will have to run by the missus. Sounds good though.

ROK ON

We could get a nice little convoy going to this. I am hoping that I will be to hang on someones wheel for the climbs, so the more people, the greater than chance.

niceonetom

COOOOONNNVVOOOOOOOYYYY!!!!!!

E@gle.

LeoD wrote: »

Birr might be a bit far from Dublin but just thought I'd let you know about this cycle going over the Slieve Blooms this Sunday:

Wolftrap CC Billy Butler Leisure Cycle
Sun 21st June
60 & 135km routes.
Start Birr Rugby Club at 10am, sign on from 9am.
Full backup, food & showers.

Was talking to the organiser of this last nite and its going up the silvermines instead of the blooms this year. still no route map though

wont be around for boards spin, promised the promoting club i'd head over to there tour

poolboy

Im sick there i am slogging my way up the cut and wolftrap every weekend on my own and lurking on boards all week reading about wicklow spins and when ye guys finally make it down here i cant join ye having committed myself elsewhere it being fathers day and all. Enjoy anyway.

ROK ON

Sorry to here that Poolboy.

Any advice?

poolboy

ROK ON wrote: »

Sorry to here that Poolboy.

Any advice?

No major advice just if ye are descending the wolftap offaly side surface is pretty bad need to be careful in a group that size apart from that will be good day

Chips Lovell

So it's 8am at the Pope's Cross, 9:30 in Portarlington with possible convoy on the way down?

Caroline_ie

yeahhhh tonto is coming

niceonetom

COOOooooooooooOONNNVVOOOOooooooooooooOOYYYY!!!!!!

DirkVoodoo

el tonto wrote: »

So it's 8am at the Pope's Cross, 9:30 in Portarlington with possible convoy on the way down?

No point in Astra and myself heading out that way, so we will meet ye all in Portarlington.

Is there a meeting point in Laois, any landmark or pub with a carpark?

ROK ON

@Tonto - do you need a lift, or are you heading out with the Claw.

If you need a lift let me know. Wifes car could take 5 (good job Caroline is small). Rack can take three bikes, and the boot can take two bikes with wheels off.

Let me know. If so, I was hoping to meet the lads at 8am on the Phoenix Pk gate leading to Strawberry beds/Mount Sackville. It is at the top of the climb coming out of Chapelizod.

@ Dirk - no idea where to meet in Portarlington, have never set foot in the place.
My plan was to pick the first reasonable spot to ditch the cars - figure the town should be quiet at the time of the morning.

ROK ON

@ Dirk - just thinking the train stops in Portarlington. So there is probably a car park adjacent to the railway station - how about meeting there?

DirkVoodoo

ROK ON wrote: »

@ Dirk - just thinking the train stops in Portarlington. So there is probably a car park adjacent to the railway station - how about meeting there?

Sounds good.

the bald monk

just to warn you guys, the train is not running between dublin and portarlington this weekend. bus transfers instead.

ROK ON

Map of meeting point, for those taking a lift from the Park.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=53.35821,-6.356492&daddr=&hl=en&geocode=&mra=mi&mrsp=0&sz=15&sll=53.357954,-6.35632&sspn=0.012653,0.038452&ie=UTF8&ll=53.357954,-6.35632&spn=0.025305,0.076904&z=14

See ye all at 8am.

emty

Ok,should be on for this.Will see youse in carpark.In portarlington.