The Thixendale Spirograph expedition seems to have been lost without a trace, or at least they're being very quiet about it. Ian H has made it back to base, but there have been no reports of any of the others. Will we ever see them alive again? Is it true that after Rob's rim blew apart, he was heard to mutter "I'm just going to fix a puncture, I might be some time"?
Oh well, I'd better start this week's thread!
This was a testing weekend for me, with TTs both days. Fortunately, I'd put my electronics skills to use and hidden a GPS in the bike frame, which aligned my inner compass to the sun and allowed me to navigate. Unfortunately, this meant ditching the battery-powered motor that had previously been there, so I was a bit down on power. Saturday saw me successfully find my way to the Ravensthorpe 10, where I found menticknap in the showers and told him I'd try not to get lost this time, despite the fact that this course had no fewer than five roundabouts. I'd never ridden it before, but had looked at the profile - from which it looked like there was a hill in the middle but the effort would be the same on the out and back legs. My tactics were rapidly revised on the start line, where the guy in front of me said that no, the course was basically out/up, down/back! This turned out to be the case, and I don't think I gave quite as much as I should have given on the outward leg, so I ended up spinning out my (50x12) top gear in an effort to make up speed on the return. My time: 25.15 - drat those fifteen seconds! Team 100%ME were out in force and took the top six places on the roster, with me coming in at 24/59.
Sunday presented me with a different challenge: the Otley CC 25 on the A168 outside Thirsk. My dad had taken pity on me after the day before and agreed to drive me out there, so I was able to get a decent sleep the night before - thanks dad! This was my first open 25, though I'd timed myself on the B1222 the previous week and got 1h07, so I knew roughly what I was aiming at. The start sheet seemed a bit weird; I was off at 21 with some really fast bloke right behind me, so he steamed past while I was still trying to spin Saturday's lactic out of my legs. I hadn't seen this course before either, but it was better for this; it was two laps of an out and back, so I'd seen all of it by the time I was halfway round. Tim Richardson was also racing but I never saw him and his result hadn't been posted by the time I left - how did you do, Tim?
I got round in 1:01:21, which I was pretty pleased with. Next week I'm taking a sabbatical from Clifton duties to slip on my university jersey and ride the BUCS 25 down near Oxford, so the hour is firmly in my sights.
Weekend Roundup April 21st/22nd
Moderator: Moderators
Update: Tim beat me by 11 seconds, the cheeky so-and-so.
Circumstances dictated that I had ridden to just outside York very early Sunday AM, but with nothing then to occupy my time I set off, well before 9am, expecting either to be caught up or meet “en passant”. I’m assuming the inner tune integrity failures put the block on the first bit. Paths did cross a couple of times: picked out, I think, Dave C, Dave B, Jon G, Mr Broom, and Rob in and amongst others who passed in blur on their way down Gritts; and Dave C and smaller gang on Breckenholme (?). Otherwise I plugged away on my own round a really enjoyable route punctuated by numerous short chats with dog walkers, hikers, horse riders, photographers and a couple of chaps chin-wagging in their garden (I must stop talking to sheep though!)
I stuck to the route (I’d worry about someone who has a mind that can come up with things like that) including dropping down the “other road” from Fridaythorpe back into the dale to take in the long (and 7th) drag out to the east before swinging left on the main road and round to Wharram Percy – hope that was OK? I also stuck a big loop at the end round Leavening, Gally Gap, Howsham etc to add some miles on as I think I was a bit light on overall distance - my little computer thingy didn’t work so I’ve no accurate record of how far I rode.
I was all kitted out for foul weather. In the morning it made things very hot and sweaty, and then it rained – spectacularly so! Say no more! But the changeable weather plus the combinations and variations of blue skies, heavy duty lead skies, big fat wet clouds, now you see me now you don’t sunshine, bright fresh greenery, in yer face rapeseed, budding bushes and spindly leafless woods, with a few cinemascopic views from the tops thrown in for good measure, made this one of the most visually enjoyable rides I‘ve done for ages. I enjoyed the hills as well – I probably spent more time going up them than anybody else out there on Sunday – and had plenty of time to savour their respective delights.
Well done Mr Rob for setting up good day out.
I stuck to the route (I’d worry about someone who has a mind that can come up with things like that) including dropping down the “other road” from Fridaythorpe back into the dale to take in the long (and 7th) drag out to the east before swinging left on the main road and round to Wharram Percy – hope that was OK? I also stuck a big loop at the end round Leavening, Gally Gap, Howsham etc to add some miles on as I think I was a bit light on overall distance - my little computer thingy didn’t work so I’ve no accurate record of how far I rode.
I was all kitted out for foul weather. In the morning it made things very hot and sweaty, and then it rained – spectacularly so! Say no more! But the changeable weather plus the combinations and variations of blue skies, heavy duty lead skies, big fat wet clouds, now you see me now you don’t sunshine, bright fresh greenery, in yer face rapeseed, budding bushes and spindly leafless woods, with a few cinemascopic views from the tops thrown in for good measure, made this one of the most visually enjoyable rides I‘ve done for ages. I enjoyed the hills as well – I probably spent more time going up them than anybody else out there on Sunday – and had plenty of time to savour their respective delights.
Well done Mr Rob for setting up good day out.
Front rim blew out on the descent of Kirkby Underdale on the way home. I hate calling for a lift, and when this happened once before somewhere near Ingleton we managed to gaffer-tape it back together so I could limp home with 50psi and one brake. This time though the rim just descintergrated into little itsy-bitsy pieces and my goose was cooked. Those around me not suffering from tinitus after the shock wave kindly suggested that I had still earned the points. By the time I got down into KU I only had to wait about 20 mins - thanks Claire.
I enjoyed the day - a good one for those with shares in Michelin/Vittoria/Continental, and Fibrax/Clarkes/Aztec for that matter. We even once had the foresight to get 2 punctures over with at the same time.
Thanks for the company guys and for keeping positive and smiling - it was a stop-start sort of day!
I enjoyed the day - a good one for those with shares in Michelin/Vittoria/Continental, and Fibrax/Clarkes/Aztec for that matter. We even once had the foresight to get 2 punctures over with at the same time.
Thanks for the company guys and for keeping positive and smiling - it was a stop-start sort of day!
Yesterday was spent spirographing Thixendale with 12 or so others.
Here are a few highlights:
- Trying to choose between three identical chocolate sponge cakes at the village hall, I asked “What’s the difference between them?”
“They’re made by different people in the village”.
The tired little brain crumpled under this sensible-yet-useless reply. With hunger knock approaching, it was so nice to go primitive and just point to the biggest brown lump on offer. Haven’t we all been there before?
(As an aside, Thixendale didn’t have any television reception until the late 1990’s. The hillsides blocked the transmissions. And Thixendale is still cut off from another thing: inflation price of goods. The tea and cake cost just £2.50; about the same price we paid anywhere else in the late 1990’s).
Apart from cake, other highlights included:
- “Awww”-ing at the spring lambs with giant numbers inked onto their sides, written large because the wool shrinks in the rain
,
- For variety, descending dry roads one minute and climbing strangely familiar streams the next and
- Enjoying a 5 minute rest and chat every 8 miles or so, courtesy of puncture repairs (I must stop scattering sharp flints on the road every time the legs ache).
Thanks to Rob and everyone else for their cheerfulness throughout the day.
Here are a few highlights:
- Trying to choose between three identical chocolate sponge cakes at the village hall, I asked “What’s the difference between them?”
“They’re made by different people in the village”.
The tired little brain crumpled under this sensible-yet-useless reply. With hunger knock approaching, it was so nice to go primitive and just point to the biggest brown lump on offer. Haven’t we all been there before?
(As an aside, Thixendale didn’t have any television reception until the late 1990’s. The hillsides blocked the transmissions. And Thixendale is still cut off from another thing: inflation price of goods. The tea and cake cost just £2.50; about the same price we paid anywhere else in the late 1990’s).
Apart from cake, other highlights included:
- “Awww”-ing at the spring lambs with giant numbers inked onto their sides, written large because the wool shrinks in the rain
,- For variety, descending dry roads one minute and climbing strangely familiar streams the next and
- Enjoying a 5 minute rest and chat every 8 miles or so, courtesy of puncture repairs (I must stop scattering sharp flints on the road every time the legs ache).
Thanks to Rob and everyone else for their cheerfulness throughout the day.
Thanks for the ride Rob and the rest of the group as well. Glad to hear you didn't wait too long for Claire to arrive. Definitely a different experience to last years ride not in a negative way just made more of a challenge in the wet. Still great scenery and Thixendale is certainly a unique place in the Wolds. Oddly my garmin stats don't quite match last years in terms of ascent so there must have been some geological movement in the last 12 months . It was a shame the ride was a bit stop start at times butu I guess that's cycling in the rain.
It was another long day in the saddle for me as I decided to ride in and back from York which I didn't do last year that made it feel harder as well. I had just short of 125 miles on the clock when I arrived home annoyingly soaking wet after another downpour having just dried out.
Jon
. It was a shame the ride was a bit stop start at times butu I guess that's cycling in the rain. It was another long day in the saddle for me as I decided to ride in and back from York which I didn't do last year that made it feel harder as well. I had just short of 125 miles on the clock when I arrived home annoyingly soaking wet after another downpour having just dried out.
Jon
Sunday ride!
Hi to all, especially Rob!
Great day - thanks to Rob for setting off back to see if I was ok (one of the punctured!) Sorry I could not repay the favour - heard you were being 'rescued' and decided I didn't have enough in the tank to head on back.
As a side note, still no news on the 'rourke' 'delivery date' Also, this is my first time on the forum in over a month (it's taken BT a month and a half to connect a phone line!)
Whinge over. (is that spelt correctly?)
Mark
Great day - thanks to Rob for setting off back to see if I was ok (one of the punctured!) Sorry I could not repay the favour - heard you were being 'rescued' and decided I didn't have enough in the tank to head on back.
As a side note, still no news on the 'rourke' 'delivery date' Also, this is my first time on the forum in over a month (it's taken BT a month and a half to connect a phone line!)
Whinge over. (is that spelt correctly?)
Mark
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Broom Wagon
- Posts: 435
- Joined: Fri Mar 24, 2006 9:15 pm
Spirograph for me. Upsettingly, I'm even less fit than I thought I was and it was a bit of a struggle. I ended up whenever there was a stoppage, sneaking off up the next hill so I could climb it at a my own (slow) pace rather than trying to keep up with everyone else.
Thanks to Rob, though, for herding everyone around, pumping up everyone's punctures (your arms must have got as much exercise as your legs) and dispensing nutrition when required.
Thanks to Rob, though, for herding everyone around, pumping up everyone's punctures (your arms must have got as much exercise as your legs) and dispensing nutrition when required.
The Mtb section had a brilliant trip to the lakes staying at Langdale yha. We wondered whether it was worth bring all the families bikes considering the weather forecast. It turned out that we had beautiful blue skies for much of both days. The first days riding was lead by Paul crane and took us on a tour of natural bridle ways with interlinking fire roads and roads round coniston water. The pub we stopped off for food was excellent especially as this was between 3pm and 4pm and could not do enough for us.
Rachel and the children had a great day walking followed by building dens, playing pirates, building slides and swinging from tree ropes in the gardens.
Gill Crane then cooked a wonderful evening meal to round off the day.
The second day we overslept and missed everybody else who went off to Staveley.
As a family we did a 12/13 mile mainly offload trek from the youth hostel via skelwith, knipe fold, colthouse and Claife heights to near sawrey. The children grinned from ear to ear especially going down to knipe fold. Unfortunately near moss Eccles tarn I got distracted and forgot I Was on touring tires going down a wet grassy bank ( I had lent my Mtb to Rachel). I have yet to find out whether I have broken my thumb, sprained it or just badly bruised it. Unfortunately A&E could not tell due to it swelling up so much. At near sawrey the children and Rachel visited the Beatrice potter house and had a cafe stop. I road back to pick up the car. The main problem was changing gears as I could do nothing with my thumb.
Rachel and the children had a great day walking followed by building dens, playing pirates, building slides and swinging from tree ropes in the gardens.
Gill Crane then cooked a wonderful evening meal to round off the day.
The second day we overslept and missed everybody else who went off to Staveley.
As a family we did a 12/13 mile mainly offload trek from the youth hostel via skelwith, knipe fold, colthouse and Claife heights to near sawrey. The children grinned from ear to ear especially going down to knipe fold. Unfortunately near moss Eccles tarn I got distracted and forgot I Was on touring tires going down a wet grassy bank ( I had lent my Mtb to Rachel). I have yet to find out whether I have broken my thumb, sprained it or just badly bruised it. Unfortunately A&E could not tell due to it swelling up so much. At near sawrey the children and Rachel visited the Beatrice potter house and had a cafe stop. I road back to pick up the car. The main problem was changing gears as I could do nothing with my thumb.
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bernard turgoose
- Posts: 231
- Joined: Tue Nov 14, 2006 8:21 pm
Did I start a trend on Saturday's version of the spirograph with my front wheel giving up the ghost before I even got to the square? So Rob, but thanks very much for helping out with the spare wheel that kept me going the whole way round with approx 92 miles done. As for the climbing I'm awaiting Claires ride stats to tell me how high, although we could have done with an impact measuring device to decide how hard the hail was hitting us on the descent of the Gritts after the Fridaythorpe cafe stop!!
It was also good to have Kevin catch up with us after the first climb and wanting to stop with us for the rest of the ride - he & Mark helped pull a few of us oldies over the last few miles thanks to you both.
Bernard
It was also good to have Kevin catch up with us after the first climb and wanting to stop with us for the rest of the ride - he & Mark helped pull a few of us oldies over the last few miles thanks to you both.
Bernard
I did the Spiro aswell, a really great day and thanks Rob for compiling/leading the route.
Thanks Karl for lending me a tube. Jon G the garmin sometimes gives odd elevation readings in wet weather. I recorded 8,069ft (2,459 m) home to home.
Sorry to hear about your wheel Rob, didn't know about that as some of us waited abit further on and then I had to set off home, Simon came with me and we had a fastish ride back to York. (I didn't need the tube you kindly lent me Ian so I'll give you it back next time)
Thanks Karl for lending me a tube. Jon G the garmin sometimes gives odd elevation readings in wet weather. I recorded 8,069ft (2,459 m) home to home.
Sorry to hear about your wheel Rob, didn't know about that as some of us waited abit further on and then I had to set off home, Simon came with me and we had a fastish ride back to York. (I didn't need the tube you kindly lent me Ian so I'll give you it back next time)
The Sunday Spiro!
Thanks to Rob for the ride, the loan of a tube (I think I was number 2, hitting a rock on the way out to the wolds and pinching my only spare in a hurry to get going again), and suggesting a chocolate stop after climb number 4 (I think it was climb 4, I was getting a bit dizzy by then).
A challenging ride in all sorts of ways. Due to stoppages I managed to have a couple of sneaky slow climbs, which helped. Thanks to Karl for trying to pull me back in on the ride back from Stockton, but I was running on empty by then, and Dave for a crafty push when I started going backwards on a normally insignificant slope.
I'd recommend the carrot cake.
Thanks to Rob for the ride, the loan of a tube (I think I was number 2, hitting a rock on the way out to the wolds and pinching my only spare in a hurry to get going again), and suggesting a chocolate stop after climb number 4 (I think it was climb 4, I was getting a bit dizzy by then).
A challenging ride in all sorts of ways. Due to stoppages I managed to have a couple of sneaky slow climbs, which helped. Thanks to Karl for trying to pull me back in on the ride back from Stockton, but I was running on empty by then, and Dave for a crafty push when I started going backwards on a normally insignificant slope.
I'd recommend the carrot cake.