Clifton CC Discussion Board

A place to talk about anything! Want to find someone to ride with? Get help on mending things? Organise lifts?

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by Willy H Tue Oct 24, 2006 9:11 am
My first tooth...sorry, Clifton Club Ride!

...Was on the first weekend in November 2003, having successfully passed Claire's acceptance test by telephone: -Can I ride a bike? My answer was something like: Bums been on the saddle 50 years! -Could I manage 70 miles in a day? Answer: Well, I often did solo rides as far as Bolton Percy, even further sometimes! This meagre CV seemed to satisfy the entry requirements and formed my introduction to Clifton CC.

...The reason for this enhanced interest in riding bike with others was my ambitious plan to at age 60 add riding the Etape du Tour in addition to my then regular diet of 2 Marathons each year. So, the very next weekend after running the Marathon des Grands Crus de Bourgogne I prepared myself for the plunge into Clifton Club Life.

...Accordingly that Saturday I presented self and 20 year old Thompson all-531-steel-12-speed-Suntour/Simplex bike at the square to be scrutinised. The excellence of my preparations drew comment: were two panniers filled with spares of everything really the best way to get accross the Dales climbs? Like Noah I had two of everyhing, even 2 thermoses with freshly prepared leek-and-potato soup! And, of course, full evening wear and trainers, in case of a little run before breakfast at the hostel.

...Good advice was heeded, and one of the thermoses was donated to a bemused porter at the King's Manor, who however later testified to its excellence. But the other one came for the ride!

...But it was when disaster struck after 15 miles or so that the advantages of riding in Clifton Company became apparent: Suntour rear mech. decided to jam! What an introduction! But, would you believe, the whole gang seemed quite happy to stand around in the gloomy drizzle while Kevin's repair crew sorted things (dropped jockey wheel, 20 years-oiling-no-cleaning!) out, and were each rewarded with filthy fingers! This I think is what Cliftonites expect from novices! Not such a good feeling, and Suntour was duly pensioned-off on Kevin's gentle advice.

...What a great gang, and what a great weekend. All the climbs they threw at me were duly conquered (apart from just a tiny bit of walking at the top of a nameless pass into Nidderdale) Before Clifton days I regarded hills and mountains to be obstacles to be circumnavigated. Now I know the Clifton way is to ride out by the most direct route as fast as possible to the most fearsome climbs, and then to-race-you-to-the-top! I quote Wolds Radio mast. Try that with a Sunday morning hangover!

...But the welcome this lycra-less club novice received on this first hostel ride-out was fantastic, and it still is.

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