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Just in case anyone's missed the many references elsewhere, the Saturday training rides kick off this week - 9am from the square for a prompt start. We'll do the southerly route - three hours of very flat but steady progress. Forecast looks moist, so be prepared!

Heavy rain wasn't part of the deal

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/ ... ather.html

I'm allergic to water

Hmmm... Must be time for this again:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XY3TfjOeuhM

right, coming out (not out out, cos I'm not) without mudguards and we'll see who needs to harden up.

Come on everyone harden the f#*k up. Where on earth did you find that Phil? Well done for finding it anyway. And just for info, I am hard as! Try telling me otherwise. Rode home from Leeds tonight in the dark, in the wet, without mudguards!

Do the MET office actually know what they are doing. Forecast for Saturday now much better.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/ ... ather.html

at 11 degrees, its shorts weather unless you are a softie southerner.

Dutchman Erik would wear shorts well into single figures!

Well, after the emotional rollercoaster of the Met Office's predictions, it was dull but dry for this morning's ride. (...and after the parallel emotional rollercoaster of Colin's postings there was no Colin ...but...) About twenty people showed up (my counting skills get a bit wobbly under stress) and after a parting of the ways exiting York we all re-grouped at Elvington and pressed briskly southwards.

We unintentionally abandoned Jess powdering her nose at Hessle and dropped a few riders at various stages of the return leg. Riding was safe, group stayed about as tight as a much-too-big group could - next week I'll be recommending splitting into two rides if the same numbers show up.

56 miles at 19.5mph and Normaliized Power just under 200W for me; maybe just a tad on the brisk side in places (a comment echoed by Kit Gilham before you all start chortling "ho ho, poor old bloke etc"). These early rides really want to be steady - especially as the weather gets worse - believe me they'll wind up in the New Year.

Best comic moment of the ride was when I looked over my shoulder when we stopped at the lights in Elvington - there was a smiling female postie sat in the middle of the bunch. It wasn't quite like the recent Dutch postman / Rabobank video posted on here - she peeled off to lob mail through someone's door rather than attacking over the bridge, but fun nevertheless!

Unsurprisingly not a good ride for me. As Phil said, 20 odd riders at the square which is fantastic - not knocking it, or the organisation of the group, but in hindsight we really should have split into two. For safety as much as anything - I do feel sorry for the motorists having to pass 20 riders all at once - doesn't help with driver frustration.

Now I know it's november and all that but the pace on the way out was a little slow for a training ride (in my humble opinion 18mph with a tailwind isn't cutting it really) and, as a result of it being such a large group it was taking AGES to get a turn on the front.

At the level crossing we decided to roll the turns over faster to combat this, which is probably the reason for the pick up in pace. I wouldn't know - we stopped briefly (well, I did & Will waited for me) saying 'we'll catch you up' and then never managed to get back on.

We absolutely beasted ourselves and very nearly caught you turning right off the A63 (some of the back markers might have even seen us). But then we got stuck at the level crossing for a couple of minutes. After that it was a real struggle. 23mph into the head wind between us was not a match for the time gap & whatever speed you guys were doing, but I'm pretty sure knocking it off 1/2 a mile or so, for a short time would have let us back on.
However, no-one sat up & personally I feel that is quite bad form in November. I'd like to think I would have waited. Possibly the fact that the group was so big meant that no one noticed - I don't know - but still - it was a group ride I wanted, not a 2up TT over the last 30 miles.

Anyway, rant over - at the end of the day we had a good work out. Just a little disappointed that it seemed like a competitive one-upmanship ride, rather than a training group.

Still, we'll be there next week - suggest splitting into two as Phil says - I'm happy to lead a group as I know the routes.

Sounds an excellent ride and gutted I couldn't make it. Alas I've had a phlegmy cougy virus for two weeks now and was not any better this morning despite hoping. Doctor says they now say don't come back before three weeks!!

The upside is I went back to bed and the kids didn't get me up until 10.30. Yes, you've read it right, half past ten in the morning - so feeling bit better.

19.5 is certainly brisk!! Especially for the distance and time of year. How did Damian fare! May be interested in a slower split group if you do split the groups. I'm not too proud to go in a slower group until I'm healthy and fitter!!

"However, no-one sat up & personally I feel that is quite bad form in November. I'd like to think I would have waited. Possibly the fact that the group was so big meant that no one noticed - I don't know - but still - it was a group ride I wanted, not a 2up TT over the last 30 miles. "

Sorry about that Jess...It all got a bit "Keystone cops" later on with wrong turns being taken and I think everyone, including me, were too busy working out what was going up front to realise that you both hadn't got back on. A couple of smaller groups next time should make for a better training ride for everyone and ensure that it is easier for us all to look out for one another.

Phil i dont know what you think about this for a bit later on.I know it is a bit of faf but maybe one week we could meet in Easingwold and do this route i do quite reg.Eas/ Helperby rainton melmerby tanfield masham grewelthorpe ripon tockwith York.Eas to EAS is approx 50 miles with flat and rolling bits.cheers see you in a few weeks.