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Bit of a disaster for me!
Middle daughter ill all Sat night = no sleep and no way i could leave family for the day
Managed to rendezvous with Willy at square to handover route sheet and brief on options.
My thanks to him for agreeing to look after anyone riding the Audax today.
How did it go?

8 MTBers turned out on Sunday for the Club Run on the Wolds. Another good mix of old and new faces.

Bernard did an excellent job of leading us round his home ground and showing us some great trails, from Millington to Wharram Percy and back, most had never done before. He even added running commentary on local geology and archeology as we went so he was good value for money. Thanks Bernard!

Refreshments in the Millington Cafe afterwards finished off a great ride.

Hope family better Mark.

I can only report on the Sunday training ride which saw Muzzy, Andy and me putting in some graft around Brimham Rocks. 78 miles + heavy roads + wind + a little rain + few wheels to follow + 18.5 mph = very hard ride. Don't mind telling you that I was rather fragile in the afternoon. The racing starts in 2 weeks for many of us and it has to be easier than this!

But did hear that a couple were down for the Coalville Wh 25 - how did it go?

Heard that Kevin, again very wisely, split the Saturday group into 3 - this means there'll be loads of tales to tell!

There was a good turn out for the Audax. I missed the start (again) but chased and caught the group just after the A59. Everyone rode together to the cafe at Ripon where most people stopped for cuppa. I didn't want to stop after only an hour so pressed on with a guy from Harrogate Nova, finally officially entering the ride at the cafe stop in Pately

90 miles on the clock for me, with the bit from Ripon on being pretty hard, so I'm happy.

Rob 'n Muzzy ' Andy were not the only Cliftonites sampling Brimham Rock climbs on Sunday, a half dozen other Clifton riders were out there braving wind and weather as part of the Brett's Hilly 110km Audax.

Still, considering we're still in February there could have been snow on Jordan's. As it was cresting over we had just the familiar Westerly Gales to greet us into Nidderdale, with some interesting cross-winds descending into Lofthouse.

With Sun Parlour ond Pately cafe controls I think that energy expended was closely balanced with energy intake, which may have accounted for the for me surprising levels of energy reserves on a fast return run.

The gales around Masham must have been spectatular as several 3 ft dia beeches had crashes across the lanes, but the chainsaws had done their job and progress was maintained. There was also an innocent looking ford, which brought down the rider ahead of me, fortunately apart from being winded and wet no further damage resulted.

Good ride, enjoyed by all I spoke with, and for me signalling the end of winter hibernation! There's more riding to be done!

As a second claim Clifton member no longer racing in Clifton colours I ask the forum whether there is any interest in write-ups of my weekly racing exploits as a Kinesis rider, or not? If yes, I'll continue. If no, I'll desist. Here's the first one, anyway.
The Clayton Velo handicap race on the small Bashall Eaves circuit near Clitheroe was dominated by a 12 man Rapha squad which included Chris Newton, Dean Downing and Kristian House. A slowish start for the scratch group increased in speed until all other groups were caught, whereupon various attacks saw a group away containing loads of Raphas and two of my Kinesis team mates. I then spent several laps trying to follow any counter-attacks before climbing off at the bell to watch the finish. The Raphas in the break performed a thorough working over of the Kinesis riders (and one other) and so occupied the top six places, Kinesis 8th and 9th. (Newton won, alone; Downing second, ditto; Briggs third, also unaccompanied; small group for the remaining places).
All in all an inauspicious start with great quantities of grit and assorted road filth.

Hi there

Mark - I hope your daughter is feeling better.
Willy its great to hear you are out again I am sorry not to have been able to make it sounds like one of those character building rides.
Nick and I managed to escape on our mountain bikes for an hour or so on the lanes round York and felt the head wind patches.

Kit we like reading the race reports
Helen

Kit, please do not desist
R

Kit keep the reports coming

I know that with family and work commitments I really should hang my bike up for good, but I just can't, and still with ambition to do LEJOG this year it was the first time back on the bike this weekend since the Etape Du Dales cyclosportive in May 07. Pulling on my old Clifton jersey, it was unusually tight around the waist, so that's were the stone and a half extra is that I've put on since May. Better not have a slow ride up Millington pastures, flat ride through Cawood, Ryther and Tadcaster instead.

Apart from the chest pain every time I went over a railway bridge (either heart burn or a heart attack!) it was nice to be back on the bike again and 40+ flat steady miles were accomplished without as much trouble as expected.

So I shall try to get out most Sundays for a bit on my own for the next month and then take a few Saturdays off work and be well looked after by Kev's mob. In no time at all I'll be audaxing again and knocking off 100+ mile rides with no bother again and who knows I might just manage LEJOG yet.

Rode on Saturday with Howard again leading a group of us out through Beningbrough, Linton on Ouse, Easingwold,Coxwold, then the group split with 5 of us heading to Kilburn up white horse bank, Past Rievalux then on to Helmsley, this is where I had to miss the cafe stop and push on back home as I was going out later in the afternoon, it was quite hard work heading into the wind on my own but I made it in time although I felt more like having a nap rather than rushing out again, still another very enjoyable 65 miles under my belt.

Hope all the rest of you got back ok.

Ian

The weekend was strictly turbo and climbing, but I *did* get out for 3hrs-worth on Friday. Disregarding the weather forecast of 30mph winds gusting to 50-odd, I set off to Wetherby and beyond. I did much of the last bit from Thorpe Arch to Wetherby in the lowest available gear, struggling to keep up 12mph. On the way back, on the flat roads around Tockwith, I was doing 35-40mph without even pushing the pedals much - slightly scary, like a dream teetering on the edge of a nightmare...!

Report from Kevin:

As per the previous weekend i arrived at the Square with identified routes/maps, Howard led Group a.
Claire & Cath led Group b both ride routes aiming for the Bakery cafe at Hovingham.

Myself, Willy Amanda & Young Arthur headed out to Howsham ,Willy headed home at Galley Gap, due to Home Commitments, & to save himself for the following days 110km Audax at Tockwith.
From there we continued to Leavingham, taking a left in the village for a nice flowing descent to Langton.
After Langton the climb of Birdsall Brow allowed (Young) Arthur to demonstrate his climbing skills, Amanda climbed it sat down & informed me that she had not cycled in such windy conditions.
After re-grouping we headed to Millington (35 miles),Soup was the preferrred menu choice & a warm by the fire. (Phil :managed to drop off the "Clifton Business cards").

Returned back via Yapham & Thornton Woods to Melbourne, were we dropped Arthur off, who was content with his second Club ride, & 46 (windy) miles around roads familiar to him.

From Melbourne to York managed to clock up another 25 miles, (Sutton on Derwent Wilberfoss Stamford Brge).
Ride Distance of 70 miles, enabled Amanda to gain some useful road miles in preparation for a Century ride in America, later this Year.

Kit , please continue with reports.

Unfortunately work meant that i couldnt make it on Saturday. I had to make do with a 40 mile ride around the local lanes in the afternoon. I did have more energy however for a longer ride on the Sunday but that wind was strong. You certainly notice a difference when riding on your own. I'll try again this weekend but a phone call friday evening might mean missing again if I have to work. I suppose you just have to make the most of it when you do get out. Roll on the light evenings when I can get out for a cpuple of hours because turbo training is testing my resolve.

Kit keep the reports coming

Yes please Kit