Last Weekend 5th/6th June

[Darren N]

Stef F, Pete K and I rode the 91 mile (145k) route of the Grimpeur together on Saturday,…and what a sensational day it was!

A quick chat with Rob O before the start highlighted a couple of things:
1. He said the Dales Grimpeur was the best cycle route in Britain…and that’s how it turned out…I was captivated all day…around every corner there was another breath-taking, picture-postcard view,…just amazing to have it on our doorstep!
2. Rob also said that on the entire route, there was only about 10 metres of flat road…how true! On our 91-mile route, we did just under 10,000 feet of climbing…and there were no warm ups, the slopes kicked in only 300 metres from the front gate as we were sent up a 1-in-4 climb out of Pateley Bridge before being directed to descend and do it all over again up the other side! My bike seemed to be always at a 45% angle, pointing straight up or straight down; doing 5 mph or 50 mph. We played the Guess-the-Gradient game with the GPS all day and I lost count of the number of times Stef or Pete yelled that we were on another greater-than-20 percenter. I was beginning to take anything less than 20% as a relief!

Notables:
- Big thanks to Stef for doing the Sat Nav duties and both Stef and Pete for waiting at the top of the last couple of climbs near Lofthouse when my legs were waving the white flag and lobbing cramps at me.
- Park Rash – how steep is that!…I normally only go up this sort of slope in a ski lift!…it was like riding your bike up the side of an office building! I failed miserably, but big respect to Stef and Pete who successfully summitted. Rob’s longer-route group caught up with us on this climb too and from what I saw, Rob also successfully summitted. Did any others?
- The retrace climb back out of Settle towards Arncliffe was almost as big a beast as Park Rash!
- We only really had one hiccup all day when Pete hit a small rock on the road in a hamlet near Burnsall and ‘snake-eyed’ his front tube.
- Dr Dave caught up with us at the Middleham Café control point late afternoon for a nice chat before he beat an early exit back.

It was a great day out, we had a lot of fun, many laughs and I personally was delighted to ‘get round’ to evidence some minor progress to myself over the past month or so.

We came across a few Cliftonites out on the battlefield, I’d be interested to hear how everyone else got on.

J

D.

PS. Sorry about the length of this, still livin' the dream from Saturday

[paulM]

Sunday was my 21st birthday or should I say the 21st anniversary of my 21st birthday so I had kept it clear of any bike related stuff. So as Jess had advertised for a Sunday morning ride it made sense to provide some company, get in a training ride and get back in good time. Nine o'clock at the square and there was just the two of us no doubt plenty of people still in intensive care from the previous days Grimpeur and / or helping at the Ryedale GP?
Not wanting to get mixed up with the race but still wanting to head out North we headed out via Sand Hutton and Bossall then down the Gally Gap road to Malton & out past Eden camp. That road is still shut over the river Rye but there is a footbridge(thankfully)that doesnt necessitate a footdown. Kirby Misperton, a loop round Marton & Normanby, Gt Barugh, Amotherby, Coneysthorpe. We waved at Mac & Ian Milns marshalling the crossroads for the race, and back via Castle Howard and Flaxton and back along another shut road that does require a footdown. 63 miles for me and 18mph dead on for not a flat ride. Credit to Jess, clearly someone who can just get on with it. Rain virtually from the off but warm enough just not to need a jacket. My sort of day really. I'd just walked back in through the front door when it absolutely slashed it down.......

[menticknap]

Many happy returns Paul.

[bernard turgoose]

First a belated happy birthday Muzzy,& with regards to those who successfuly completed any of the Grimpers well done; as for our intermediate grp on saturday, we started with 6 lost one on stockton lane - I didn't think my pace was that fast & then lost richard with wheel problems near Kirby Misperton, which left Wilhub, Ian H,John Clark & I too carry on on a beautiful day for cycling to get to Thornton le dale via a John C route thru' a farm yard saving the ride down the main road towards Malton etc.
After the more powerful guys rode towards Lockton & levisham to do the Newton dale circuit. I struggled so decided to ride straight down to Pickering from Lockton after checking at the cafe - now closed. To await them in the cafe. We then returned by Risebor' Gt Barough Malton Huttons Ambo (via the footbridge) & Kirkham etc. The other guys must have done a minimum of 100 as my distance was 89m
Bernard

[mal]

Dales grumper for me too - the 140 version.

Grumpy 1: it was 155km. Grumpy 2: dropped even before leaving the car park - dithering about I didn’t notice the “off” so quick check of food in pockets, boot shut, keys pocketed, pocket zipped, bike mounted – no cycling shoes on! Off bike, keys out, boot up, shoes found, shoes on, car locked, leap on bike again: Grumpy 3: Front wheel not in straight. Grumpy 4: realised no map or directions in pocket and would have to navigate from memory.

At this point resign myself to a long day “all by myself, alone” – but being Mr Grumpy I can live with that and thereafter joy unsurpassed: all hills climbed on two wheels with grace and panache (nobody can prove otherwise); passed a couple of guys on Greenhow; only passed by a couple of “racing snakes”; all the way round with only one wrong turning; first Cliftonite back I think (so what if the rest of you were doing the 180); matched my planned average mph (did take a couple of breaks for coffee and cake on top); perfect panoramas; wonderful weather; superb scenery; a real sense of achievement; bloody hard work.

High spots – Beating Malham, Settle, Park Rash, Jordan’s and all the other strength sapping, not so little, bu**ers that came fast(well in my case slow) and furious; knowing what was, literally, round the corner for Pete, Steph and Darren (resplendent with huge grin) as they hurtled down towards Settle when I was climbing back out; and, with some amusement, the walker who insisted on stopping me for a conversation on the climb out of Kettlewell to discuss how he could get back to Horsehouse.

And a special mention for Nige, Shaun and Heather who put Planet X back on the road at such short notice – it worked treat!

[Jess]

3.5 hours riding Paul, and you didn't even tell me it was your birthday!

Many (belated) happy returns, and thanks for a good ride on Sunday - though I'm pretty sure you went easy on me.

Glad you escaped the rain. I didn't. Heavens opened on me just as I was getting into York (to a point where I could barely see!) so I arrived home a little soggy to say the least!

Grimpeur sounds like a fantastic day - well done to all who tackled it!
Maybe next year.......