Sunday August 14th run in the Dales?

[benjj]

Hi all, i'm a new PH member but keen to get out of the house for some petrol fuelled fun.

Do any of the Yorkshire bunch fancy an early morning run through the Dales in August? I should have the Citroen back and race ready so i'm sure it'll need a bit of air through the new carb...

I've suggested the 14th as the one before is the Yorkshire Classic Car show. I reckon an early meet could have everyone home before the birds have brushed their teeth.

If any of you have done them before would be good to know. The car park in Grassington strikes me as a good starting point...?

Edited by benjj on Wednesday 29th June 20:50

[moribund]

Just looked at your blog, lovely project car there!

Not sure about August yet, but would love to join a run out so will bookmark for later

[benjj]

Thanks. We are 4 weeks through the 8 week project, looking forward to getting my fingers dirty tomorrow!

[burriana]

You may find that Grassington is a little far out to start the run Ben. That is more of a place you might pass through during the run.

[benjj]

Ah, ok, is a Leeds way or York way start better for most people then would you imagine?

Trying to convince my pal with his Porsche 959 to come along, not sure he's in the country then though.

[burriana]

It all depends where you live and where you want the run to go.

For a Dales run, where we started on Sunday is quite a good point handy for Harrogate, Wertherby, Leeds or Bradford people.

If you want to go further north or further East, then Harrogate, Wetherby, North of York may be better start points.

If you start at Grassington, you have missed potentially good roads to get there and, it may be an hour's drive or more for some people before you have started, which when you have a departure time of 6am can sometimes put lesser mortals off

[burriana]

Oh, forget the Dales if you have a 959 in tow as the roads are really not ideal, just as they weren't for the Testarossa.

[benjj]

I know what you mean about a 959 in the Dales - BUT - I have limited sympathy if I'm going to be ragging the nips off a '73 Citroen which was designed to cruise around Paris. In the dry. Slowly.

[Andrew Coates]

I would suggest somewhere in Leeds as a good start point because we could maybe start by doing a tunnel run, and then head off into the Dales.

This has nothing to do with the fact that I live in Sheffield and I wouldn't have to drive as far to the start point

[someli]

Would love a hoon in the dales, however it depends on the starting point as I'm from just north of Sheffield. It's what put me off about the Balder's run, I would have had to get up before 5am to get to the starting point.

[benjj]

Hmm, ok, how about meeting on or around the A1?

There is a service station at Wetherby and from there it is a nice run out into the green stuff. Should be doable for those coming from a distance.

What time do these things normally kick off?

[moribund]

Sounds good. time depends on what you want from the run? Hoon or cruise?

Early doors for a start in the Dales IMO. Have done a few runs with a friend in the Dales, Lakes and Forest of Bowland and for all of them we started 6ish. I feel that by about 9am it starts to feel busy and a little anti-social to be hooning. The flipside is that there is more wildlife on the road early on - I think Balders run found that too from the sound of it!

[benjj]

I've never knowingly cruised anywhere..!

Ok, consider this a democrasy then. Suggestions welcome for the early morning of Aug 15th to encourage people.

[C3BER]

Nothing wrong with an hours drive to the start as long it comes sort of near me on the route back ... Skipton

[benjj]

l am Skipton too, C3ber...

[burriana]

If you want to cater for the Sheffield guys, organise a run into the Peak District... the Dales/Wolds are more suited to those who live around Leeds/York.

Here are a few basic bits that I have learnt from organising a few and attending a LOT of runs out. We have been doing this regularly over in East Yorkshire for the last seven years or so and StuB has been doing it longer than that. I don't think we have had a bad run yet... except for when the fuel pump on my 911 died at 130 at the beginning of arguably one of the best Wolds Wazz's on record

Start time - 6am is ideal. This gives you time for a good two or three hour run and be back before the traffic builds up. It also means that those with families can be back in plenty of time to do something with the rest of the day. After 9am the traffic builds up quicker than you may think.

Numbers - if you want a spirited drive, limit them! Any more than ten and it starts getting problematic if you need to get past traffic.

Start point - pick a location that fits in with your run plans. Let people do the boring roads before the start.

Roads - if you want a gentle bumble then no problem, if you have low cars, wide cars, or want a quick pace, stay away from the little country lanes. Look for open, sweeping A and B roads. I have front intakes and an engine bay full of grit and gravel from last Sunday and about 3mm less depth on my front spoiler!

Details - keep them off line so you know who knows about it. Date and general area and times will suffice on forum.

Food - try to end at a cafe or bikers cafe for breakfast

Now... get the ordnance survey map out and start looking for all those interesting roads that you've always thought "I wonder what that's like!"

[benjj]

Magic, thanks for that, I'll get my thinking cap on while I'm away in Devon next week and try to come up with a plan.

[balders118]

someli said:

Would love a hoon in the dales, however it depends on the starting point as I'm from just north of Sheffield. It's what put me off about the Balder's run, I would have had to get up before 5am to get to the starting point.

I got up at 4.30am [cough]man-up[cough]

[benjj]

I've never got up early specifically for a drive before. Now I'm wondering what the buggery fvck I've been doing with my life since I passed my driving test nearly 20 years ago...

I've got some catching up to do...

[someli]

balders118 said:

I got up at 4.30am [cough]man-up[cough]

I'd never get the wife up for 4:30am, and after 14 years of marriage I've started to forget what the kettle looks like.