Must be lots to report this week. Crackpot, Blakey Bank, Ron Kit preview, AOB?
Self and Muzzy plumped for an early 9am start on Saturday with an eye on Sands End. Its a while since either of us had been up there. Headed out through Castle Howard, Hutton le Hole, down the Chimney and up that grovel on Egton Road. Muzzy didn't look overly distressed on 39x25, unlike me on my girly 30x26.
Took a left on top of the moor, a new road for both of us, heading for Lealholme. Fabulous descent along the crest of a ridge with Fryupdale to the left and another dale, whose name escapes me, on the right. The descent went on and on, then a sharp dip through the village and a back breaking climb out the other side - they're all steep around here.
Now quite warm, but following the descent through Mulgrave woods we found the 100m strip along the coast to be 5oC cooler. Still, al fresco lunch at "Wits End" before return leg via Egton and the "Woeman Woad" to Pickering. Across the Vale to Amotherby, where I'd been telling myself that Muzzy would start to fade - no chance.
113miles door to door, and prob the hardest ride of the year so far. This confirmed by the quantity of salt stains on Paul's jersey!
Weekend Roundup
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'Team Crackpot' consisted of only 4 riders - Howard, Jon C, Shaun and myself. Somewhat surprisingly for such a lovely Saturday there was only a modest turn-out at the square and although we tried we were unable to cajole anyone else to join us.
We set off at a brisk pace along the flatlands of the Vale of York into a slight headwind - Shaun doing his party-piece Bunch Engine bit as usual. Through and past Cundall then crossing the A168 and A1 before entering more rolling terrain on the western fringes of the Dales. Taking turns we made good progress and were soon approaching Leyburn. The weather was now gorgeous and the Dales looking at their best.
From Leyburn we climbed up the long hill over the gunnery range. The red flags were flying but we heard no shelling (although as I was chewing the bars to hold Howard's wheel I may have failed to notice any there might have been!). Following a pleasant descent into Swaledale we followed a delightful albeit undulating climb - descent - climb lane along the southern side of the dale before it leaned left and we beagn the drag back over into Wensleydale and the steep descent to Askrigg.
A pleasant lunch of filled baguettes with loads of fluids was had in the cafe which now forms what was once the Headquarters of the old NCU. Whilst we dined Virginie and companion (sorry I forget the name) stopped to say hello.
My lunch was lying heavily on my stomach so Howard kindly 'knocked one off' for the first few miles back but normal pace was soon resumed as a westerly helped propel us back to Middleham and beyond. By now H and Jon were begining to pull ahead of myself and Shaun on the climbs but we stuck together pretty well. Half way home Jon's saddle (which had cracked in half!) began detatching itself from the rails at the back but fortunately it held together and we made it back to York after 123 miles for 6:45pm.
Thanks to all for what was probably the best (and hardest!) ride of the year so far - I'll leave Howard to post the Garmin stats.
We set off at a brisk pace along the flatlands of the Vale of York into a slight headwind - Shaun doing his party-piece Bunch Engine bit as usual. Through and past Cundall then crossing the A168 and A1 before entering more rolling terrain on the western fringes of the Dales. Taking turns we made good progress and were soon approaching Leyburn. The weather was now gorgeous and the Dales looking at their best.
From Leyburn we climbed up the long hill over the gunnery range. The red flags were flying but we heard no shelling (although as I was chewing the bars to hold Howard's wheel I may have failed to notice any there might have been!). Following a pleasant descent into Swaledale we followed a delightful albeit undulating climb - descent - climb lane along the southern side of the dale before it leaned left and we beagn the drag back over into Wensleydale and the steep descent to Askrigg.
A pleasant lunch of filled baguettes with loads of fluids was had in the cafe which now forms what was once the Headquarters of the old NCU. Whilst we dined Virginie and companion (sorry I forget the name) stopped to say hello.
My lunch was lying heavily on my stomach so Howard kindly 'knocked one off' for the first few miles back but normal pace was soon resumed as a westerly helped propel us back to Middleham and beyond. By now H and Jon were begining to pull ahead of myself and Shaun on the climbs but we stuck together pretty well. Half way home Jon's saddle (which had cracked in half!) began detatching itself from the rails at the back but fortunately it held together and we made it back to York after 123 miles for 6:45pm.
Thanks to all for what was probably the best (and hardest!) ride of the year so far - I'll leave Howard to post the Garmin stats.
Last edited by Dr Dave on Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:08 pm, edited 2 times in total.
An unusually small group of MTBers went out on the Moors yesterday. 4 of us (Debs, Lisa, Alan and myself) met at the Hole of Horcum and took full advantage of the evenly matched abilities, and weather, for a rather brisk ride via Fylingdales, Hackness, Langdale Forest and Dalby Forest. Refreshments courtesy of the, legendary, hospitality at Jingleby Farm.
Great ride, thanks guys!
Great ride, thanks guys!
Here's the H grp stats, bit mangled (see Garmin thread!) but summary info good.
Had a really good day, unlike like last Sat!
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/7099928
Had a really good day, unlike like last Sat!
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/7099928
I headed down to Tom Simpson country on Sunday for the Donny Wheelers vets race, based at Harworth and run over a nice rolling circuit through the wonderfully-named Scrooby. I was the sole Cliftonite but local lad Simon Wright was in the young 'uns (40-49) group.
Forty-three-odd miles, sunshine, cool breeze, no cramp! Wooohooo! I came about ninth, having spent the whole race up near the front. I had my eye on one fella who I know always picks the right break to get in. About four laps to go he heads off after a couple of other riders who'd escaped; I waited until there was a good gap and then bridged across to him. About a minute later the whole bunch chased us down. A lap later he goes again with another rider and I thought "okay everyone, if you're in the mood to shut every move down..." and worked with another fella to try to pull them back. Whereupon no-one else helps, the two blokes clear off into the distance, and I'm too knackered to chase! Anyway, got as close to the front of the sprint for third as oncoming traffic and a sense of self-preservation would allow, and a good training ride in preparation for next weekend's Tom Simpson Memorial RR.
And tanlines!
Edit:- Feeling a bit left behind in the stats stakes by Team Garmin. So...
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 866 187 watts
Heart Rate: 99 173 149 bpm
Cadence: 20 160 97 rpm
Speed: 5 34.2 24.1 mph
Duration: 1:47:26
Work: 1208 kJ
Normalised Power: 231W
Distance: 43.214 mi
Forty-three-odd miles, sunshine, cool breeze, no cramp! Wooohooo! I came about ninth, having spent the whole race up near the front. I had my eye on one fella who I know always picks the right break to get in. About four laps to go he heads off after a couple of other riders who'd escaped; I waited until there was a good gap and then bridged across to him. About a minute later the whole bunch chased us down. A lap later he goes again with another rider and I thought "okay everyone, if you're in the mood to shut every move down..." and worked with another fella to try to pull them back. Whereupon no-one else helps, the two blokes clear off into the distance, and I'm too knackered to chase! Anyway, got as close to the front of the sprint for third as oncoming traffic and a sense of self-preservation would allow, and a good training ride in preparation for next weekend's Tom Simpson Memorial RR.
And tanlines!
Edit:- Feeling a bit left behind in the stats stakes by Team Garmin. So...
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 866 187 watts
Heart Rate: 99 173 149 bpm
Cadence: 20 160 97 rpm
Speed: 5 34.2 24.1 mph
Duration: 1:47:26
Work: 1208 kJ
Normalised Power: 231W
Distance: 43.214 mi
I did the Ron Kitchen 100km preview with a bit added on up Blakey bank with Dave C, Helen and another (name escapes me). It’s the first time I have done Blakey and I did rather attack it. Had to back off something cruel at the false summit, to make it all the way up though. Did make me wish I was on the MTB to go into spin cycle. Anyway lovely weather, lots of good conversation and some lovely views when I looked.
Had one of the most enjoyable rides of the year so far on the Ron Kit preview 100km (orthodox) route with healthily long cafe stop.
12 set off from square. Cath, Claire, Stacey, Brian, Kai, Ben, Bernard and i stuck together. Helen, Jeff, Andy, Dave C took on a bit extra but we saw them at Hutton and were still smiling.
Hopefully everyone enjoyed it as much as me.
Big news from the ride is Kai (sorry i not spelt correctly) is riding in Otley mid week. Good luck to him in what i think is his first event of this type.
Wondered if anyone has good tips - didn't Matt ride these last couple of years?
12 set off from square. Cath, Claire, Stacey, Brian, Kai, Ben, Bernard and i stuck together. Helen, Jeff, Andy, Dave C took on a bit extra but we saw them at Hutton and were still smiling.
Hopefully everyone enjoyed it as much as me.
Big news from the ride is Kai (sorry i not spelt correctly) is riding in Otley mid week. Good luck to him in what i think is his first event of this type.
Wondered if anyone has good tips - didn't Matt ride these last couple of years?
Couldn't make Sunday so on Saturday rode lonely round Ron Kit route, with variation - bottled out out of Blakey B and looped round Farndale to do 100k.
Came across Great Yorkshire bike ride at Sheriff Hutton/Terrington on the way out and there were still huge numbers going through when I came back via Castle Howard. An amazing collection of bikes and riders in assorted states of (un)roadworthiness - I take my hat off to some of those folks if they lugged some of those machines from Wetherby to Filey.
Came across Great Yorkshire bike ride at Sheriff Hutton/Terrington on the way out and there were still huge numbers going through when I came back via Castle Howard. An amazing collection of bikes and riders in assorted states of (un)roadworthiness - I take my hat off to some of those folks if they lugged some of those machines from Wetherby to Filey.
I had two very different but very enjoyable days on the bike this weekend. First of all a relatively flat and fast outing with the Intermediate group to Markington on Saturday. Everyone shared the pace-setting and as a result no one rode away or got dropped from the group, at one point somebody remarked how we actually looked like a clubrun instead of a string of cyclists staggered down the road.
Then Sunday I joined the Ron Kit 100k ride, including a few new hills and a couple of old favourites. A great ride for a lovely sunny day, in good company and as a bonus my legs lasted the day.
Then Sunday I joined the Ron Kit 100k ride, including a few new hills and a couple of old favourites. A great ride for a lovely sunny day, in good company and as a bonus my legs lasted the day.