Cycle Touring Festival - May 2015 - Lancashire

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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Heltor Chasca
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Cycle Touring Festival - May 2015 - Lancashire

Post by Heltor Chasca »

I'm glad the event has sold out and potentially going to do well. It just wasn't my bag at all: Cost prohibitive and it's a conference rather than a festival. 'Festival' is a fun marketing word though...b

EDIT: I Went to a fracking festival this time last year (Opposition of course!) and there were lots of 'talks' by various speakers held outside in the shade of gazebos & marquees. I personally can't spend long inside buildings. The poor speakers had to do a fine balancing act: the less skilful ones bored the pants of the attendees who 'were in the know' but the ones who had a certain 'magic' were able to deliver an engaging message. AND the food was amazing!
mrjemm
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Re: Cycle Touring Festival - May 2015 - Lancashire

Post by mrjemm »

mercalia wrote:no where down south - surrey/kent/hants?


I thought that if the rejects heap was near the official event, then the 'insiders' would ramble, it being in their nature of course, so all and sundry could get together. Waddow Hall (?) may well be lovely, but I bet that most cycle tourists would like a wander to the local hostelries at some point. The Long Buck seems rather nice, and some friends enjoyed their grub the other day. Aspall on tap too... (as well as numerous ales of course).

Besides, Clitheroe is South of Dunsop Bridge, which is apparently the gravitational centre of the UK, rather than the geographical... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunsop_Bridge so it's not truly North! But don't tell anyone from Wigan (which is South of Clitheroe). :wink:
mrjemm
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Re: Cycle Touring Festival - May 2015 - Lancashire

Post by mrjemm »

Heltor Chasca wrote:I'm glad the event has sold out and potentially going to do well. It just wasn't my bag at all: Cost prohibitive and it's a conference rather than a festival. 'Festival' is a fun marketing word though...b

EDIT: I Went to a fracking festival this time last year (Opposition of course!) and there were lots of 'talks' by various speakers held outside in the shade of gazebos & marquees. I personally can't spend long inside buildings. The poor speakers had to do a fine balancing act: the less skilful ones bored the pants of the attendees who 'were in the know' but the ones who had a certain 'magic' were able to deliver an engaging message. AND the food was amazing!


So perhaps the cycle touring darkside meet could give you some research possibility- fracking is a very hot topic in this area!

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... king-water

Clitheroe = Hodder Valley = Bowland. :evil:
mercalia
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Re: Cycle Touring Festival - May 2015 - Lancashire

Post by mercalia »

Heltor Chasca wrote:I'm glad the event has sold out and potentially going to do well. It just wasn't my bag at all: Cost prohibitive and it's a conference rather than a festival. 'Festival' is a fun marketing word though...b

EDIT: I Went to a fracking festival this time last year (Opposition of course!) and there were lots of 'talks' by various speakers held outside in the shade of gazebos & marquees. I personally can't spend long inside buildings. The poor speakers had to do a fine balancing act: the less skilful ones bored the pants of the attendees who 'were in the know' but the ones who had a certain 'magic' were able to deliver an engaging message. AND the food was amazing!


I find it hard to imagine what there is to give a talk about ( 30 minutes?). Maybe other people here can enlighten me what types of things. I always thought that cyclng was a doit thing not a talkit thing. As interesting as the many tech talks there are here these forums I dont think I would want to listen to some one chat about them at a festival.......
simonhill
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Re: Cycle Touring Festival - May 2015 - Lancashire

Post by simonhill »

I am glad they have sold out, anyone sticking their (financial) neck out like this deserves a bit of success.

My initial thought, when it was first posted here a a while ago, was who will be attending. I would be interested to see a breakdown of those there and why they went. How many are actual or budding cycle tourists and how many are vicarious travellers.

Also, I noticed that 3 of the 9 listed talks/workshop topics were about things like writing for magazines, blogging and film making. I wonder how many people see cycle touring as a route to a career in travel writing, the media, etc?

I won't be there as I will be Mumming at a Beltane festival!
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Heltor Chasca
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Re: Cycle Touring Festival - May 2015 - Lancashire

Post by Heltor Chasca »

simonhill wrote:...I won't be there as I will be Mumming at a Beltane festival!


At the frack-free festival I went to last year, there were a few Beltane events set up which was great. As I'm taking my bike and tent for a 4 day spin around the IOW I'll be on the look out for any events. Any one know where I can gate-crash a celebration? That's one mission. The other mission is to try and spot a Glanville Fritilary. Hopefully I'm not too early but I could be lucky. And if I fail; I'll just have to go back again :lol:

(Off topic Simon, but I've found that red lentils, although harder to clarify, make lovely "cheat Dhall".)
DarkNewt
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Re: Cycle Touring Festival - May 2015 - Lancashire

Post by DarkNewt »

Heltor Chasca wrote:
simonhill wrote:...I won't be there as I will be Mumming at a Beltane festival!


At the frack-free festival I went to last year, there were a few Beltane events set up which was great. As I'm taking my bike and tent for a 4 day spin around the IOW I'll be on the look out for any events. Any one know where I can gate-crash a celebration? That's one mission. The other mission is to try and spot a Glanville Fritilary. Hopefully I'm not too early but I could be lucky. And if I fail; I'll just have to go back again :lol:

(Off topic Simon, but I've found that red lentils, although harder to clarify, make lovely "cheat Dhall".)


Good luck on the IOW trip I did a trip round the coast with a friend on the 20th of December for two days, Gale force 8 winds! If you see a small teddy bear lying around near the needles please let me know, he was my mascott, the wind blew me clean off my bike and he got blown away too :( :( :( he answers to the name of A70 which is where I rescued him in Scotland (he had been run over several times). I am now missing our conversations on the bike, but just haven't been able to find a mascot to replace him.... real mascots can only be found through chance or coincidence!!

I haven't come across Beltane before looked it up sounds interesting!

Have Fun!
Currently planning my next adventure and trying to get over two operations in 6 months but still going strong!
email: newt@systems-engineer.info web: thedarknewt.blogspot.co.uk
DarkNewt
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Re: Cycle Touring Festival - May 2015 - Lancashire

Post by DarkNewt »

Gutted big time, my friend who was supposed to be going with me said he was buying a ticket decided to wait to see if they went cheaper....... now I am going on my own Billy bloody no mates! hopefully I will meet someone there! wonder if they allow dogs lol
Currently planning my next adventure and trying to get over two operations in 6 months but still going strong!
email: newt@systems-engineer.info web: thedarknewt.blogspot.co.uk
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Heltor Chasca
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Re: Cycle Touring Festival - May 2015 - Lancashire

Post by Heltor Chasca »

DarkNewt wrote:Gutted big time, my friend who was supposed to be going with me said he was buying a ticket decided to wait to see if they went cheaper....... now I am going on my own Billy bloody no mates! hopefully I will meet someone there! wonder if they allow dogs lol


Loads of other stuff on DN, but as it's an event where most of the attendees will have common ground with you, you don't need to take a mate. They'll all be there waiting for you and I'm sure you'll make some new friends. Chin up. Go and enjoy yourself. It'll be great.............b
DarkNewt
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Re: Cycle Touring Festival - May 2015 - Lancashire

Post by DarkNewt »

yeah if there is one thing about cycle touing it's cyclists tend to be a great bunch to be around. I was more venting about my mate lol, I am really looking forward to it and it will be an outing for the new bike I have built. Hoping to bump into someone else who is cycling round the coast this year or who has already done it.
Currently planning my next adventure and trying to get over two operations in 6 months but still going strong!
email: newt@systems-engineer.info web: thedarknewt.blogspot.co.uk
don1
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Re: Cycle Touring Festival - May 2015 - Lancashire

Post by don1 »

I was too slow off the mark. I was hoping to attend this. Shame they're fully booked. Hopefully it'll be a success and there will be more in the future.
I guess now I'm able to see the Tour de Yorkshire locally, and watch the Mayweather/Pacquiao boxing on the Saturday.
theDaveB
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Re: Cycle Touring Festival - May 2015 - Lancashire

Post by theDaveB »

DarkNewt wrote:yeah if there is one thing about cycle touing it's cyclists tend to be a great bunch to be around. I was more venting about my mate lol, I am really looking forward to it and it will be an outing for the new bike I have built. Hoping to bump into someone else who is cycling round the coast this year or who has already done it.


This guy will be thier - http://bikearoundbritain.com as he is setting off around Europe from thier.

Dave
DarkNewt
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Re: Cycle Touring Festival - May 2015 - Lancashire

Post by DarkNewt »

I read some of his blog previously, would be nice to meet him!
Currently planning my next adventure and trying to get over two operations in 6 months but still going strong!
email: newt@systems-engineer.info web: thedarknewt.blogspot.co.uk
thayer19
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Re: Cycle Touring Festival - May 2015 - Lancashire

Post by thayer19 »

Just wondering how the festival went? Didn't get a ticket myself but was tempted to, be interesting to hear people's views on it.....
DarkNewt
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Re: Cycle Touring Festival - May 2015 - Lancashire

Post by DarkNewt »

thayer19 wrote:Just wondering how the festival went? Didn't get a ticket myself but was tempted to, be interesting to hear people's views on it.....


It was a great event, friendly and informative. There was no "hard sell" as some detractors claimed would be, it was really all about the cycling and meeting other/prospective tourers. A wide variety of bikes, tandem, recumbant etc.. All ages, seriously from the young to the "wish I was as fit as you now let alone in your 70+" some people had travelled from abroad, one lady cycled from Ireland to get there. The talks were great, I didn't go to a lot of the talks as I picked out the ones I was interested in but feedback from everyone else that they really enjoyed it!

The surroundings were great, even the cement factory chimney in the distance seemed kind of right, beautiful river/weir with it's resident heron. Plenty of facilities and the staff at the Hall were really helpful and welcoming!

Thanks to Laura, her husband and the rest of the volunteers for a great weekend, their effort was really apreciated!

I have had a busy week at work, but I will be putting a full write up of the event on my blog at the weekend.
Currently planning my next adventure and trying to get over two operations in 6 months but still going strong!
email: newt@systems-engineer.info web: thedarknewt.blogspot.co.uk
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