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The current unsettled weather looks set to continue into the weekend, so wind, pretty chilly and rain/sleet all look possible. Then again, we've been pretty lucky so far and we may get another window of relative calm. I suggest we plan to go west, and just confirm on Friday / on the day. Route:- York - Tadcaster - Bramham - Thorner - Barwick-in-Elmet - Aberford - Sherburn - Cawood - York. Two or more groups, depending on numbers.

Unfortunately I cannot make it this weekend, but could I put in a plea to start speed work as soon as possible.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-26034659

The biscuit group crumbled (get it? Biscuit, crumbled?) into 2 groups after leaving York as we were a bit large in number. The smart, handsome, fit guys stayed on the normal route, AndyM took the rest on a detour. All was well until we got to Bishopwood when Cam switched on his motor. Steve and I occasionally got round him but otherwise he just pressed on. No doubt eating biscuits with a cup of tea up front. Good ride, despite the wind.

Sorry about that. Wasn't trying to ride everyone of my wheel. Too many custard creams resulted in a rush of blood to the head I think. Will revert back to something more bland next week...perhaps a rich tea or a digestive

Think I could have done with some of those biscuits today Damian! Set off in the front group which, as Damian said, was pretty big. I joined Andy M's group and we detoured a little to get some distance from the front group before settling back into the normal circuit near Oxton.

Some days everything feels right- you feel at one with the bike, the gears flow, the pedalling seems effortless and you feel as if you could push on for ever (even in the wind). I didn't have one of those days today

Clearly when I returned from my week of not doing much in Spain I forgot to bring my legs back with me. After several saturdays feeling pretty good and enjoying riding with the front group, today I just died after Tad!

Despite the second group waiting for me to get back on before Bramham and me then joining in with the third group just after there, I knew there was no way I was going to make it round on anyone's wheel today.

Peeled off the back at Scholes and made my sorry way home.

Back to turbo and rollers this week, hopefully to shock my legs back into some sort of shape for next Saturday's outing- oh good, it's the hilly one

Hope everyone else had a good ride...

Rule no. 2653. Never apologise for being fitter than the rest of us, that's our problem not yours but if someone is trying to come past please let them. My eyes have only just returned to their sockets.

As always, waited for the biscuit-eaters to head off into the distance before setting off with ten in the "steadier" group, this week featuring extra firepower in the shape of Muzzy and the returning Tim. Nice short turns into the outward headwind meant we could see the second group just up the road from us by Bolton Percy and caught them at the pee-stop just past Bramham. We left them hangin' in the wind long enough to give AndyM and Co a head start and then basically weaved all over the place in the rather hair-raising crosswinds until it finally got behind us at Sherburn and we were able to press on a bit. Lost a few, gained a few, lost a few more and (I think) seven of us still together-ish on the final run-in. 19.3mph and 220W for the out-of town 2hrs45 so not hanging around, given conditions. Many thanks to all.

Blimey that was wild! When I saw Tim and Paul M heading for the "steadier group" I knew some pain would be dished out....and it was!

Great riding by all, some really quick sections but pretty well organised.

19.6mph & 201W for the out of town section.

I joined the biscuit group just after Bishopthorpe. 2 and a half hours at 245w NP and I was mostly sitting in. Effort levels high with Moss and Evington (sounds like a posh brand of bathroom fittings?) pushing the pace with guess appearances from Cam. Good fun today, but precious little time for biscuits again...

Good ride that, hard work but definitely got our money's worth in our little group. We caught the front group just as they were leaving the pee stop and then Phil's group caught us when we were stopped. As Nigel mentioned, our group of 5 became 4 after the pee stop, and after the hill out of Thorner 4 became 3. Was hard work doing a 3-up from Thorner all the way back in that wind, especially so when it was stuck in the gutter. Unfortunately I hit a hole in Stillingfleet and my bottle cage bolt dropped out, so I had to bid the others farewell before my bottle jammed. Phil's group passed me just as I was sorted it, so when I got going again I chased to try and catch. The horses (and oncoming bus) just outside Naburn followed by the traffic lights the other side scuppered my chances of a catch, but still stuck at it. Will and Nick were both riding very strongly, neither ever looked like they were struggling. 19.2mph avg speed, and a nice round 4 hours by the time I'd got home.

Phil u have the power : : .Good ride first for a while with the club and enjoyed myself on a windy but dry day.5hours D toD and another week closer to racing !

Phil's group for me. 1st training ride for a year I think so a bit apprehensive at the start. Nice moderate pace until after A64 crossing then was hanging on by Aberford. Legs came back towards the end and felt strong for final third so quite pleased to be near front at the end. Phil looking strong today - effortless souplesse

Tough ride today given the blowy conditions. Biscuit group for me which grew in numbers as we picked up Pete and Cam en route. Good call to split the group but strangely we reorganised into groups of 5 and about 11! In the smaller group it was hard work into the wind, but having been caught by Phil's group at the pee stop we decided to plough on and 5 rapidly became 3. The 'Three Bisuiteers' put in a hard effort of through and off all the way back to Stillingfleet where Andy had a mechanical and waved me and Nick on. Not much left by the time I got home, but really enjoyed it. Thanks guys.

A very rare window of opportunity to do a training ride. A bit apprehensive as cannot say I've done any training - just Sunday rides . But what I've done has meant riding in the wind a lot which seems to count for something! Clearly everyone is very fit and I thought I was heading for trouble as there were a few stretches around Bramham where I was digging deep. But I had two objectives - not to miss a turn and not to use the drops and I think I managed both.
So where are we - 7 or 8 weeks from the first proper road races? Do you think you need to be looking at the basics of riding in the wind - shouldnt really be down to occasional visitors like me to be calling the shots? The last 10 miles should have been much quicker. Sorry if this sounds negative - its not meant to be but you have to ride a bit cleverer. Look at the wind direction and rotate accordingly. You just need to watch early season races on Eurosport to see how its done! I'm sure the argument will be "why make it easy"? but surely you have to replicate what you do in races until its second nature? We should have been in one line at the end with the front rider dropping straight to the back - its the difference between staying away in a break or being caught!
But yes everyone looks super fit - that was a tough day and the fact that we kept a decent size group together proves this!

No surprises - steady group for me. When I realised I'd made the top of the climb from Tadcaster, I was dead chuffed, as I've never made it past that point on this route. I had a range of interesting experiences, including intentionally dropping back to collect stragglers and leading them across the gaps. Its all good training! It did mean I spent a lot of time at the back once we reached Bishopwood, but I was happy to be riding with a bunch past Fulford Marina. Over the A64 I passed a couple, and then immaturity hit and I rode for the Fulford push-button crossing. Note to self: its not a race if no one else is racing. I feel like I'm developing a decent base for the next few weeks of speeding-up. Whether I do the March 1st 4th Cat at York Cyclesport waits to be seen.

P.S. I'm looking forwards to some epic vets race performances. A joy to watch, a pain to keep up with!