1. Get the 503 page from CloudFlare - it contains a verification code (in the HTML) and simple equation to solve (in the JS). 2. Make a get request for http://www.clevermining.com/cdn-cgi/l/chk_jschl?jschl_vc=&jschl_answer= with the referer header set to the page you are trying to access. If you got the answer right, you'll a 302 (redirect) response with a cf_clearance cookie. 3. Follow the redirect (i.e. request the original page you were trying to access), including the cf_clearance cookie.
Wow. Many thanks for this. I didnt have time to poke at it very much but this makes it easier
I had read about the challenge question but didnt quite get where the cf cookie was coming from when I was looking at my packet traces