Topic Title

I was thinking that if we had a report from each group + one from start and finish = cliftonite article

The view from the Steady group

Group of about 17 (?) progressed nicely with some wind assistance. I was riding with John and his dad (Mac) putting the world to rights. Don't remember the road going up quite so much in the past before you turn left at Crayke! Regrouped at the top to find Andrew on his first Clifton ride was suffering with cramp which was causing problems on the hills. Some excellent teeth gritting and shepherding along - top marks to the Doncaster lad who was offering pushes, also to his mate who hadn't been out for 7 months. It was quite a tough day for newcomers or those making a comeback. Semi regroup at the top after Ampleforth climb saw time for photos and the odd snowball. But sensibly Bernard led us down to Helmsley where we had a facilities break and bite to eat. A more tightly grouped bunch fought the wind to Malton where Andrew opted to take the train home, promising to join us again on Saturday rides.

The road out via Norton was interesting - never my favourite as lumpy and bumpy. This time we had the wind to battle but our group kept together until the final climb of Birdsall. About 3/4 of the way up I lost concentration (ok some loss of power as well), looked behind and was suddenly 6 lengths off the back! My turn for some teeth gritting as we were half wheeled back by our mtb captain. Excellent stuff.

Soup and facilities were fantastic at the finish. I was pleased to see Mac arrive shortly after - congratulations i think you may have to polish that cup again. Closely followed by Bernard who had been making sure everyone knew the route back. As i left with Liz and the kids i saw Nigel and the Doncaster riders turning in to the finish. So by my reckoning that was everyone safely accounted for.

Thanks to the organisers of both ride and cafe.

Hi Mark

Thank you for the very well organised ride. I throughly enjoyed the day, just!!. Sort of new what to expect having been out with Kevin's rides and new that Birdsall Brow was abit of a sting in the tail at the end having ridden it on a previous sportive last year. Well done also to Bernard and Paul for keeping evrybody together and getting them safely round. I look forward to joining up with the Saturday crew again sortly. I just wish Spring would hurry up and arrive.

Jonathan

All things considered it wasn't too hard a ride. The only bit I really struggled with was the tricky little section between Huby and Buttercrambe; which leads me to my heroes of the day - Alan W and Mrs W for braving the cold and being at Buttercambe Bridge just when I needed a last boost to get me home.

Good idea Mark. I thought it’s about time I contributed something; so here’s my account of my group 1 ride…

As you may know, I’m a stalwart of Kevin’s Saturday rides. I enjoy them; Kevin’s a real character and a smashing group leader who comes handily equipped with what I can only describe as “internal GPS”. In addition to these rides, I’ve been doing the Wednesday night training ride which I am (just about) starting to enjoy.

So with the above in mind, for my first attempt at the Clifton Reliability Ride I thought I’d have a go amongst the Racing Snakes of Group 1. Rob led us off from the square and we were soon belting along Wigginton Road with my speedo. reading in the, gulp, high twenties mph. This speed, and the fact that I seemed to be completely surrounded by Racing Snakes previously unknown to me, made me distinctly nervous. I only calmed down when Malcolm C slithered up next to me and didn’t appear to be in any distress. And it was (almost) comforting to spot Dave B too, always easily recognizable by his “signature” weave and dart riding style as well as by his, how can I put it?, retro chic?, retro and not chic?, riding attire!

At Crayke the group splintered, just as Kevin told me it would in the pep talk he gave me on our social ride the day before. But I’d followed his advice and made sure that I gave it “full berries” up the climb and I thus emerged with the leading half dozen or so. However, once through Oulston I was struggling with the pace and became somewhat detached from the group. I managed to get back on only by undertaking some, erm, spirited cornering down the hairpin bend hill before Coxwold.

By the second climb out of Ampleforth I really couldn’t live with the Super Snakes any longer and despite my best efforts drifted off the back. I then spent the next umpteen miles solo, keeping them just about in sight but being completely unable to close on them; a most dispiriting experience indeed and one which was eventually compounded by me missing the left turn after Wombleton. I had to stop and get the dreaded map out and when that didn’t help I resorted to consulting some passing walkers who told me that they hadn’t seen a group of fast moving cyclists. Wonderful. I eventually worked out where I should be going and once more applied myself to my machine.

A few miles later I glanced behind to see Paul M bearing down on me, leading a band of half a dozen or so. I was so relieved to see them I celebrated by not taking a turn on the front for ages! As we headed east towards Malton we experienced a vicious crosswind from starboard. Arthur C instigated I think what is termed a rolling chain gang in order to minimize the cross wind’s adverse effect on us. Unfortunately, I’d never taken part in a manoeuvre of this sort before and, initially at least, was completely unable to comprehend what Arthur was shouting about. So I’m afraid that I was rather sharp with him, which I shouldn’t have been. Apologies to Arthur.

Paul led us confidently through Malton and just as we were climbing out up Langton Wold I spotted the lead bunch way ahead and told Paul. This was a mistake. Down went his head and up went the pace. I clung to his wheel and resigned myself to blowing up imminently. Somehow I managed to stay with him (helped in no small measure by the fact that I was on my carbon Madone and he was on his steel winter hack. And he was carrying all the pound coin entry fee money I gleefully recalled him telling me earlier!).

So now it was just the two of us flying along, hunting down the lead pack. But at the bottom of Birdsall Brow the unthinkable happened; my beautiful DuraAce equipped Madone dumped its chain onto the bottom bracket shell. In 2500 miles it’s never, ever, done that. I was incandescent; I fleetingly considered hurling it into the ditch. I had to stop, dismount and get the chain back on. I then, cursing, attempted to climb back onto Paul’s wheel, who I’m sure had eased off on his climb to help me but even so I found it challenging in the extreme to get back to him. During this, I recall wishing that I’d paid my entry fee in 2p’s. In fact, I wished that everyone had paid in copper!

I was by now extremely tired indeed. I think this fatigue affected my judgement on the Acklam descent. I saw snow right across the road ahead but, for some reason, decided not to brake at all and I went through it at full tilt. I swear that I “two wheel drifted” a little. It was certainly ominously reminiscent of some of my less pleasant recent mountain biking experiences. Paul told me later that he’d hung back to “see if you crashed or not”.

The rest of the ride’s a little hazy. We never did catch the leaders. And I know I was exhausted because I couldn’t face eating anything in the Scout Hall at Stamford Bridge which is unheard of for me. Nevertheless, I’d like to thank the wonderful girls there who provided me with many cups of coffee and of course sincere thanks to Paul for organizing it all and for helping me round. And for not taking his good bike. I’m saving up my 2p’s for next year already!

Report from Group 1:

Usual script of an orderly ride out through Huby, a minor selection at Crayke and a more rigorous weeding out at Ampleforth. The 8-9 survivors then stuck together to the finish. The wind was tough before Nunnington and on the lower slopes Birdsall. We were pushing on, but never "flat-stick"..... well OK, my needle was into the red on Birdsall! Group included Andy, Andy J, Colin H, Matt Lunn, Mark Wolstenholme and a couple of faces that may have come across from Group 2. Finished in good order in 3-18 and all considered the time non too shabby in the conditions. Top marks to the pumpkin soup.

Muzzy came in shortly after looking less than plussed after some solo miles having started in G2 - but hey, he needs the training

Edit: I think Howard and I submitted our reports simultaneously. Had I read Howard's missive I'd have realised it impossible to follow such a graphic tale of daring-do!

I only calmed down when Malcolm C slithered up next to me and didn’t appear to be in any distress.

Don't let appearances fool you!

Good tale, well told Howard.

completely unable to comprehend what Arthur was shouting about. So I’m afraid that I was rather sharp with him, which I shouldn’t have been. Apologies to Arthur

No problems at all. I just wanted to get some rest from the wind!

It was a grim day for me. After I blew big style I recovered a bit until just after Malton but I ended up crawling in the last few miles. Cold weather does not agree with my lungs

Many thanks to Paul M for the organisation and everyone for the company. I've rarely had a cup of tea that as good as the one I had when I got home!

Plenty of good stuff posted so far for the Cliftonite, I would just like to say thankyou to Paul M & co for organising the reliability and praise also to Paul C and Bernard for taking care of those who were riding it for the first time. It was a great day out for me with best part of 80 miles on the clock door to door. I rode in the 1st group and can say it was somewhat of a good workout.

Yes Howard you would make a good fiction writer. I was gripped reading your account and I wouldn't care, I was there! I was rather hoping your version would see us bridge the gap to the tiring leaders who were then unable to match our winning move on the slopes of Birdsall Brow. But alas.........
Take some solace Howard from the fact that for a percentage of that ride you were moving as fast or faster than anyone else on the ride & on the hardest stretches. After being dropped from the lead group you worked your way back into a postion that if your chain hadn't come off could have seen you back with them. Thats the attitude that wins races - and Sunday was as hard as a race - think about it.

Thanks to everyone who participated on a windy day. We had 49 sign on plus a few hangers on - so it proves what a tough bunch you are when such a cross section of riders can get round with such little fuss.
Mick McCormick & James Mason can now put their feet up for the rest of the year having guaranteed silverware at the dinner as the oldest & youngest finishers - both getting round with apparent ease despite the near 60 years that separates them!

Thanks to Bernard, Paul & Mark for marshalling the troops in the steady group and special thanks to Andy Johnston and family for sorting out the scout hall and the great refreshments - you saved my life.

My contribution amounted to filling out a few forms and lugging £90 odd quid round North Yorkshire!

Report from group 2.5

This was my first reliability ride and was looking forward to it after practicing the route a couple of times recently. It was strange doing a Clifton run without Kevin, but as we set off down Wigginton road I was in the middle of Group 2 pack and really enjoying the pace.

I stayed with the group until just before Crayke when I decided to ease off to conserve some energy for the climbs. Coming out of Crayke my chain came off so the one or two guys I could see disappeared up the road. After Coxwold I saw one guy in front which gave me a target. After that I didn't see anyone until coming out of Helmsley I saw 2 and gradually hauled them in until just before Beadlam I had a drink and would you believe dropped the drinks bottle, stopped and the gap was was back to as it was at Helmsley.

Anyway as luck would have it, I got to the turning for Wombleton and one of the guys was waiting, wondering which way to go having seen the other guy disappear the wrong way towards Scarborough, so we towed each other all the way to Nunnington, Hovingham and towards Malton which was great to get some assistance especially with the head wind.

After that I didn't see anyone until the finish at 1.15. It was a memorable experience and look forward to some more rides this year. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the organisation of the event.

Bah! First time I missed it for three years and I've done it loads of times before that. Family, damn work, bloody fat, s*dding unfit!

Another version of the same tale: Group 2 at decent lick to Crayke (could see Group 1 ahead but couldn't close 'em down even with Muzzy on the front for most of the way!). Group splintered at Crayke and got into a bunch of 5 with Dave B, James M and 2 others I didn't know. We seemed to be reasonably well matched and took turns from Coxwold until a couple of miles from Malton when Dave got a head of steam up and gradually dropped the rest of us (despite my efforts to keep up ).

Leaving Malton, James and Mr Yellow Jacket set off down the main road towards Stamford Bridge so myself and Mr Red Jacket had a quick route check and decided to head back into Malton and trailed around until we located the correct route aided by ? Andy. We stopped briefly for a quick 'comfort break' on the way out of Malton then followed ? Andy at a distance of a couple of hundred yards for the remainder of the ride - easier than needing to refer to the map! I huffed and puffed a wee bit into the wind climbing Birdsall Brow but finished strongly enough. Pumpkin soup hit the spot - thanks to all at the Scout Hut.

After a nice long chat (Saturday social ride habits die hard!) set off for a leisurely ride back to town with Howard, Steve S, Cath et al but managed to hit a pothole and p***** at Deans's Garden Centre - my first p****** since joining the Clifton last summer so I can't complain. As we were so near to town (and I didn't fancy dirty hands and frozen fingers - wimp!) I dug out my 'phone and summoned the team service car (AKA 'the wife'!) who swiftly collected me. So ended an enjoyable day - roll on the Spring!!

My first club ride, and first ride in a group.

Trust me to bite off more than I can chew, hearty thanks to those who helped me along in the steady group, more hard work is clearly needed, starting this weekend.

Thoroughly enjoyed most of it, however, despite what my face may have said at the time.