Coniston Meet, Spring 2013

[KruJoe]

Yay, thanks Eddy. Those are proper Autoshite directions, none of that newfangled postcode/satelite positioning bobbins.

I'm looking forward to meeting you and MrsRR, and the 'characterful' little hound!

[Pete-M]

As long as the Yakuza Happy Death Express is welcome, I'll do my best to bring it...

[Guest]

As long as the Yakuza Happy Death Express is welcome, I'll do my best to bring it...

 

 

A Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 wagon, in English.

[SambaS]

Looking forward to this!

 

Nice bimble across the A684 to location: bacon sarnie

 

and back up through Windermere - Ullswater - Penrith KFC (sorry) for dinner

 

200 miles

[warren t claim]

99.1 miles each way for me. A decent road trip!

 

I'll almost certainly be driving a German car, is that going to be a problem?

[John F]

it'll be wearing a Stars and Stripes window flag, in the absence of a proper AS banner.

 

Couldn't you hammer a slightly more appealing flag over it?

[KruJoe]

 

 

[tooSavvy]

...just parked up behind The Skiddaw, few days r&r.

 

Lakes is ffinn freezzinn & hills are [not] alive to the sound of frozen lambs!

 

Big White hidiing in banksides....

 

Luvvinnitt

 

tooSavvy

[SambaS]

You there Sunday Savvy?

[John F]

 

 

 

Yep, that'll do

[eddyramrod]

it'll be wearing a Stars and Stripes window flag, in the absence of a proper AS banner.

 

Couldn't you hammer a slightly more appealing flag over it?

 

An American flag, flying off a French car, in England; put there by a half-Irish ex-expat who's been living in Cyprus. Come on! Tell me that isn't Shite enough!

 

Pete and Warren, stop worrying, I don't care what you bring, you will both be most welcome! The only way a car itself becomes an issue, really, is at the Museum, where arriving in something 20 years old or more will get you half-price admission on the 14th. I might not think much of certain makes or models but they all have their fans, and the world would be a poorer place if they didn't.

[explosive-cabbage]

Hi All! Long time no see!

 

I've just heard from my brother, KruJoe that you guys will be visiting Lakeland Motor Museum, so immediately my ears were up! I REALLY want to go there to spot one of the 3 remaining AFRICARS Got my phone out, and should be able to arrange to have Sunday off work, and come with Joe in the Merde.

 

Anyway, down to business. Upon reading a fine Sunday supplement a couple weeks ago I spotted an article about sweaty lycra-clad men, and straight away, the pictures caught my eye!

 

Have any of you heard of the 'Fred Whitton Challenge'??

 

Well this particular article in the 'Live' magazine was about various challenging cycle routes around Europe, and the pictures showed some epic Top-Gear-esque mountain driving routes, one of them being the Fred Whitton Challenge, an annual cycle race around the lakes.

 

Before I make the proposal, here are some pictures.

 

 

Between Hardknott and Wrynose Pass:

Honister Pass:

 

Hardknot Pass:

 

Wrynose Pass:

 

 

 

Now pardon me if I am wrong, but those look like some epic driving roads!

 

 

Beware! Before you go Googleing this and turn your nose up at the amount of cyclists on the road, bear in mind the pictures you will find on Google Images will have been taken on the day of the previous Fred Whitton Challenges; packed with lycra, most likely many, many more cyclists than there will be next weekend.

 

I'm not the one to decide, you guys are. Here is my proposal.

 

Looking at the map, (provided below) and taking in your ideas of driving from the Motor Museum (Ulverston), via Coniston, to Keswick, I propose we take a detour and make an afternoon of it. (Providing you have a reliable cooling system! - 205 TDs automatically eliminated )

 

I propose doing the Fred Whitton Challenge, in reverse, from Coniston, via Wrynose Pass, Hardknott Pass, Whinlatter Pass, Newlands Pass and Honistor Pass, down into Keswick.

 

I make it about bout 60 miles in total. Take away the distance from Coniston to Keswick on the main road which we will have done anyway, makes this about a 40 mile detour.

A gallon and a half of fuel, and a couple hours, Do YOU consider that enough of a sacrifice to get enough pictures of, and smiles from, your Autoshite? Imagine the envy of the southern Autoshiters that cant make it!

 

I'm sure you, like me, have heard of a few of these places and the driving pleasures they can provide. You have promised yourself to take the wife and kids in that shitty family car you drive during week the and have a picnic at the top of Hardknott on a f**king Wank Holiday Weekend. Tie them up and leave them in the garage, and come along alone and have yourself an awesome day out!

 

 

Map. We will be traveling from Coniston (at the bottom), clockwise as far as Keswick.

Notice optional detours towards the top of the map if you/we are short on time/pez.

 

This shows the profile of the cycle race, bear in mind, if we take my proposed route, we will be doing it from far right, traveling leftwards as far as the 'valley' between Honister and Matterdale end. Can your car hack it?

 

For more info, or if you fancy sacking us off and dusting off your bike next weekend go here:

http://www.fredwhittonchallenge.org.uk/route.php

 

 

This may be cheeky, but CAN I HAZ POYNTZ PLZ??

 

Let me know what you think

[SambaS]

Pretty much up for this! I was gong to drive Windermere to Ullswater up the Kirkstone pass anyways but this looks EPIC!

[eddyramrod]

It will be, Edd. Just look at all that scenery, and that's only a taste! I'll have to get back to being Carer/dogwalker after the Museum, but the snow should have all melted by Sunday, so have fun!

[SambaS]

I was hoping my mate would come, when I sent him the link to this thread on Facebook look what pic was displayed!

 

[John F]

Jawohllll! Ze dream hass finally come true!

 

Will: I'm definitely up for a blast around those roads, and I'm sure the Calibra will handle them well unless it gets dark (in which case I'll be reduced to a crawl, shining my phone out of the windscreen so I can see where I'm going).

[explosive-cabbage]

Unless we do some serious pissing around there's no reason to still be driving about in the lakes when it gets dark at 8pm

 

Anyone else up fro this little detour?? I don't mind map-reading.

[gdhaydock]

Sounds good

[Guest]

Er, just to piss on the bonfire, the Hardknott Pass is still closed because of snow according to my roads aggregator at work, between Eskdale and Little Langdale.

[trigger]

Boo! I'm owed a tea, I love those roads and would love to come but I live too far away, Have a great day fellas!

[Guest]

Boo! I'm owed a tea, I love those roads and would love to come but I live too far away, Have a great day fellas!

 

Get the train up to Manchester Piccadilly, and I'll take you the rest of the way......

[trigger]

That's a great offer Jon, thank you but me and Hannah are off to South Wales on our jollys next week so couldn't make it anyway. Thanks never the less.

[explosive-cabbage]

Hardknott Pass is still closed because of snow according to my roads aggregator at work, between Eskdale and Little Langdale.

 

Just send the Discos and the Samara first then, to plow a path for the butt-scraping sports cars

That's right, due to Pug-Lada based carb bodgery the Samara may be able to make it!

 

'Closed' and 'closed' have two completely different meanings, depending on wether he the road is closed or not...

I find that roads closed due to bad conditions have been closed by sone Highways twerp in Northallerton, and are perfectly passable to locals.

I shall do some research and find out from a local if you can get through.

Worth a try!

[tooSavvy]

You there Sunday Savvy?

 

NO... R&R is just 3days out&about from the Carlisle Premier Inn, Sat/Sun/Mon night.

 

My company wanted me back in Tyneside for a job PM Tues... so that was that!!

 

tooSavvy

[KruJoe]

That's right, due to Pug-Lada based carb bodgery the Samara may be able to make it!

As of 10 minutes ago, the bastard runs! Sweet as a bloody nut. On a 205 carb.

CASHBACK!

Will doesn't even know yet - he's at work tonight.

[Guest]

Hardknott Pass is still closed because of snow according to my roads aggregator at work, between Eskdale and Little Langdale.

 

Just send the Discos and the Samara first then, to plow a path for the butt-scraping sports cars

That's right, due to Pug-Lada based carb bodgery the Samara may be able to make it!

 

'Closed' and 'closed' have two completely different meanings, depending on wether he the road is closed or not...

I find that roads closed due to bad conditions have been closed by sone Highways twerp in Northallerton, and are perfectly passable to locals.

I shall do some research and find out from a local if you can get through.

Worth a try!

 

We had that from the Woolpack Inn and the local Police - I have to call them at work, y'see. We are beginning to question how Woodhead and Holme Moss road are still closed because of snow when the Woodhead's been open a week and a half after the bad weather ended.......

[eddyramrod]

Boo! I'm owed a tea, I love those roads and would love to come but I live too far away, Have a great day fellas!

 

Anyone who can't make this meet but can do Arley Hall will be able to claim their cuppa... I've printed out some vouchers for use on Sunday. Now I just need to find my list of who chipped in!

[explosive-cabbage]

We had that from the Woolpack Inn and the local Police - I have to call them at work, y'see. We are beginning to question how Woodhead and Holme Moss road are still closed because of snow when the Woodhead's been open a week and a half after the bad weather ended.......

 

I am in the process of doing some research. I will let you know by tomorrow night what the chances of us are getting through.

 

IMO the last bought of snow we had was not really that heavy, I live in the Yorkshire Dales and the worst snow was between the drystone walls on narrow roads where snowdrifts built up, caused by the sudden drop in windspeed. The fields and high ground had relatively low depths of snowfall, and were scoured fairly clear by high winds. The Hardknott pass is very exposed so I am gambling on the fact that the snow did not have chance to settle due to the high winds and being exposed, like the moors and fields around where I live. Altitude will make a big difference, but I don't think the snow will be as bad as expected up there.

 

To put it into perspective, Tan Hill was open and ready for business less than a week after the snow!

 

Anyhow, that's my theory! Hope I don't have to eat my pants

 

After an hour Googleing, I have a list of 12 contacts to ring tomorrow, businesses in and around Eskdale, Boot, and the Hardknott Pass, and hopefully they will be able to give me a clearer idea of the state of the road.

[Formula Autos]

I live up here, and drive around for work. Harknott is in my patch, so I know it well. If the Polis have closed the road, it's closed. They don't normally mess about, and only close it when required - particularly as the diversions involved when the passes are closed around that way are massive. Also, as far as I know, when the Polis have swung the Road Closed sign down at the bottom of the pass you go up there at your own risk, and your insurance company has an excuse to get out of any pay-out.

 

I wouldn't venture up there if the sign says it's closed, even in a 4x4, and I'm familiar with that road.

 

Normally, going over these passes in April would be fine, but if the snow's not yet melted I would leave it for another time. When I look out at the fells now there's still plenty of snow on the tops.

 

Anyhow, hopefully I should see some of you near Ulverston at 10 on Sunday. I'll be in my Yank designed faux-sporty coupe*, so the stars and stripes sort-of fits, I suppose.

 

*Ford Cougar

[cms206]

Completely forgot about this due to being a bit out of it for a while... all going well I shall attend, probably with my better half, in the Council Estate 740. I am buggered if someone is beating me to the shed of the show title this year so for that reason I have prepared it by not washing it since about November. Sadly the Senator is still a bit grumpy and testless and the Maestro's clutch has so far evaded my spanners so it's the only roadworthy chod I have that'll do the distance.

 

Expect a panicking message on here on Sunday morning when I inevitably get lost.

 

 

* edit - 174 miles allegedly. Shitefest was 420 each way. should be a jolly good outing! *