Its been quite a weekend of sport - we need to add Clifton's escapades to the headlines today.
Edinburgh - York midnight ride. Self and Andy were heading N on the 2033 out of York station. Somewhere north of Newcastle we both looked at each other and said something along the lines of "its a sod of a long way isn't it....."
Met up with Broomy, Steen and Ian in Waverley Station at about 2330. Just enough time for some scalding hot Burger King coffee, then out into a the warm scottish night at 0000. Right turn, bunny hop the tramlines, then onto the A7 heading south. Humid night, no moon, no traffic, lots of wildlife. Watched it get light, but no sun first thing.
After 75 miles took a left turn at Langholme and pitched across country towards Haltwhistle. In the middle of nowhere at 0700 Andy and Ian spotted the landlady of a bunkbarn and talked her into making us breakfast. Cereal, full english, loads of coffee. We were there nearly 2 hours and it brought us round.
More backroads to Alston and getting quite warm now. Broomy insisted that he wanted to make his own way. We protested for a long time, but eventually accepted he would be more comfortable riding his own pace. Hope you got back OK Steve.
Endless climb followed by a fantastic descent of Teesdale brought us to Barnard Castle with 150 miles done at about 1300. Lots of bizzare conversations, caused by, no doubt, bizzare blood-sugar levels and sleep deprivation - mostly about the vertical challenge of various european nations - though the details are now hazy. Having destocked the cafe of crumble and custard we could stay no longer and pressed on into the now strong sunshine. As we decended into Richmond I reflected we were nearly home.... then told myself not to be silly - still 50 miles to do.
Bernard and Ian (another one) met us in Bedale and paced us home through Helperby - I don't think we were really sparkling company. Thanks though guys.
Back home at 1830, just over 350km, 3000m of climb (tbc), average speed of about 26kph. Thanks for the ride chaps. Great adventure. Not sure how we'll follow that in future years....
Weekend Roundup 8/9th
Moderator: Moderators
Sounds like another great adventure, well done to all of you I like the way you got a full breakfast rustled up but how could she refuse when you told her what you were up to.
When you say your not sure of how to follow this in future years I am confident Rob will come up with something to suit the masochists (if that's spelt correctly)
Ian H.
When you say your not sure of how to follow this in future years I am confident Rob will come up with something to suit the masochists (if that's spelt correctly)
Ian H.
Are we there yet
Great stuff guys. There's something about riding through the night that's unique. Not sure if it's the Sleepmonsters or the surreal world of creatures (and humans) that move around during the night that we don't normally come into contact with.
In contrast, the Sat 845 group set off in glorious sunshine to head for the hills. Karl had suggested a route but managed to sleep in
leaving 18 of us sort of following his route until he caught us up. Out via Acklam and Birdsall, I detached from the group to head home due to time pressures, as they sped their way to Settrington to bag some more KOTM points. A bit more of a leisurely pace this week (c.18.5mph) although I still had 60m door to door so the others must have done nearly 70m round trip. Was suffering with the heat a bit by midday too...body seems to have got too used to riding in cold/wind/rain.
In contrast, the Sat 845 group set off in glorious sunshine to head for the hills. Karl had suggested a route but managed to sleep in
leaving 18 of us sort of following his route until he caught us up. Out via Acklam and Birdsall, I detached from the group to head home due to time pressures, as they sped their way to Settrington to bag some more KOTM points. A bit more of a leisurely pace this week (c.18.5mph) although I still had 60m door to door so the others must have done nearly 70m round trip. Was suffering with the heat a bit by midday too...body seems to have got too used to riding in cold/wind/rain.Well done night ride lads. 8.45 for me.set off from home to meet up with them.left a bit early so did a loop around stamford bridge.then headed to a hill with the group that I'd only heard about.think it was barthorpe.nice leg warmer that is.headed around settrington and duggleby then split off at langton to head home to fill my bottles up before heading to Flaxton.only to find I had to get to the furthest marshal point. Just shy of 80 miles from door to door in that heat.roll on winter.ha
With the combination of great weather, the Tour de France and everyone at the peak of fitness, between 18-20 riders did Saturday’s 8.45am ride. Biggest group yet. At 8.47am I luckily met the others at the Square traffic lights, sorry! The riders were: Steve A, Shaun W, Tony G, Jon G, Allan H, Steve W, Howard D, Pete, Nick, Paul C, Liam, Paul W, Jeff B, John and 6 newer faces (some new to group riding too) which is great.
The peloton was ‘grupetto compacto’ for the first 10 miles, as it was going to be a tough stage with two ‘hors category’ climbs (Acklam and Settrington Bank) and a 1st category (out of Kirkham Abbey).
In fact Tony advised that going up Grimston Hill would “break us” in the heat so we tweaked the route. Bizarrely, as we hauled up the climbs in 25C, it felt good for a rare moment in the year to see sweat on the forearms. It just needed some people shouting "allez!" for you to feel like a Tour rider.
Even with the hills stretching the pack, twisting lanes putting any trailing riders out of sight and some junctions on the route, we pretty much stayed together (thanks Shaun and Tony for helping)… until the last 8 miles when it split into two groups rolling home, which is perhaps how we should have started.
Then we got back to watch Froome take yellow… and nearly lose it on Sunday!
54 miles in 3 hrs 10mins at 17 mph.
The peloton was ‘grupetto compacto’ for the first 10 miles, as it was going to be a tough stage with two ‘hors category’ climbs (Acklam and Settrington Bank) and a 1st category (out of Kirkham Abbey).
In fact Tony advised that going up Grimston Hill would “break us” in the heat so we tweaked the route. Bizarrely, as we hauled up the climbs in 25C, it felt good for a rare moment in the year to see sweat on the forearms. It just needed some people shouting "allez!" for you to feel like a Tour rider.
Even with the hills stretching the pack, twisting lanes putting any trailing riders out of sight and some junctions on the route, we pretty much stayed together (thanks Shaun and Tony for helping)… until the last 8 miles when it split into two groups rolling home, which is perhaps how we should have started.
Then we got back to watch Froome take yellow… and nearly lose it on Sunday!
54 miles in 3 hrs 10mins at 17 mph.
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craigdabrown
- Posts: 353
- Joined: Fri Jun 17, 2011 8:19 pm
With the Open TT and other events happening over the weekend, numbers were somewhat limited for the 10 o’clock Saturday social rides from the square. Kevin led a group to Hovingham, with the intention of watching the TT action unfold in the afternoon and the “A” Group decided on Bridlington and a trip to the seaside. That left myself, Graham, Pete, Dave C and Dr. Dave pondering what to do before deciding on, not so originally, a route to Hovingham.
Dave C was competing in the TT and so left us around Sutton on the Forest and Dr. Dave sat up and turned off somewhere shortly afterwards. We assumed you’d stopped for a call of nature and would quickly catch us up Dave, and we did come back to look for you when that didn’t happen, but you’d obviously headed off in another direction.
Graham wanted to ensure we did around 80 miles and so a quick change of plan so us head for Helmsley via Ampleforth. After the café stop, we came back through Slingsby and while Pete continued on along Castle Howard Drive, Graham and I headed for Malton, on towards Stamford Bridge and then back to York.
We popped in to see Ian H. on the way home for a very welcome cup of tea and we also caught the end of Stage 8 of the Tour. 73 miles for me, great to be out in the sunshine and Graham and I just about avoided saying “It’s actually a bit too hot!”.
Dave C was competing in the TT and so left us around Sutton on the Forest and Dr. Dave sat up and turned off somewhere shortly afterwards. We assumed you’d stopped for a call of nature and would quickly catch us up Dave, and we did come back to look for you when that didn’t happen, but you’d obviously headed off in another direction.
Graham wanted to ensure we did around 80 miles and so a quick change of plan so us head for Helmsley via Ampleforth. After the café stop, we came back through Slingsby and while Pete continued on along Castle Howard Drive, Graham and I headed for Malton, on towards Stamford Bridge and then back to York.
We popped in to see Ian H. on the way home for a very welcome cup of tea and we also caught the end of Stage 8 of the Tour. 73 miles for me, great to be out in the sunshine and Graham and I just about avoided saying “It’s actually a bit too hot!”.
Well done to all the Edinburgh-York riders. I had intended on doing the ride, but I was still feeling the after effects of C2C the previous week.
I did utter the imortal "Actually, it's too hot!" on Saturday and Sunday.
Hoping for either the Saturday Audax or Sunday run this week all being well.
Thanks,
Andy
I did utter the imortal "Actually, it's too hot!" on Saturday and Sunday.
Hoping for either the Saturday Audax or Sunday run this week all being well.
Thanks,
Andy
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Broom Wagon
- Posts: 435
- Joined: Fri Mar 24, 2006 9:15 pm
Phew just walked in the door from Edinburgh! Only joking.
Upon leaving Edinburgh I soon realised (what I already knew but wouldn't admit to myself) that I was woefully under prepared : insufficient sleep, not enough food, not enough training and too much weight. No one to blame but me, but I seem to be trying to keep too many balls in the air at the moment.
You don't need to be a great climber for a ride like this but you do need to be OK and whilst sometimes I can bluff it on a hundred mile ride I couldn't for 250. By the time we were in the North Pennines it was clear I was starting to become an impediment to the group's pace and with still 130ish to go it just wasn't fair to everyone else. No-one there would have ever said, 'look mate, you need to get the effing train,' so I knew I'd have to make that decision. I told everyone to go on and I pootled on very steady over the rest of the Pennines and then easy pedalled to Northallerton where I got the train home. Another thing I should have packed was a map. If I'd had looked at it then, through bloody mindedness l'd had ridden back to York as it isn't that far. Still I'd done 195 miles by the time I walked in the door, not my longest ride ever but not far off and more undulating and on a heavier bike. Thanks guys for nursing me on and putting up with my moaning and to Steen for throwing energy bars at me.
Upon leaving Edinburgh I soon realised (what I already knew but wouldn't admit to myself) that I was woefully under prepared : insufficient sleep, not enough food, not enough training and too much weight. No one to blame but me, but I seem to be trying to keep too many balls in the air at the moment.
You don't need to be a great climber for a ride like this but you do need to be OK and whilst sometimes I can bluff it on a hundred mile ride I couldn't for 250. By the time we were in the North Pennines it was clear I was starting to become an impediment to the group's pace and with still 130ish to go it just wasn't fair to everyone else. No-one there would have ever said, 'look mate, you need to get the effing train,' so I knew I'd have to make that decision. I told everyone to go on and I pootled on very steady over the rest of the Pennines and then easy pedalled to Northallerton where I got the train home. Another thing I should have packed was a map. If I'd had looked at it then, through bloody mindedness l'd had ridden back to York as it isn't that far. Still I'd done 195 miles by the time I walked in the door, not my longest ride ever but not far off and more undulating and on a heavier bike. Thanks guys for nursing me on and putting up with my moaning and to Steen for throwing energy bars at me.