W/E Rides Round-Up 21/22 Dec

[Rob]

We are lucky. In at least 3 directions from York there is some of the finest cycling in Britain, indeed in Europe. Sunday was a case in point with this year’s edition of the Winter Solstice Tan Hill Ride. Muzzy and I took to a spot of reminiscing, as is often our way. The first running of this event was in ’98. It “lay fallow” then until ’05 and we’ve planned it every year since. One event was cancelled by the snow, which makes yesterday’s the 9th. If we were cats, we’d now be pushing up the daisies. When we got to Leyburn for the second time yesterday I suggested that I was going to do a Graham Swan and retire, job half done. But it was pointed out there was no plane home….

I reckon that improvements in winter cycling “stuff” have made this ride far more accessible in the 15 years since ’98. Our first go was done with Ever Ready “Wonderlights”, and we had to carry 4 spare “D cells” each in our back pockets. Winter bikes are a couple of kilos lighter, tyres roll, and clothing is more waterproof/less water absorbent.

Nevertheless, it’s still a ride to be respected. The atmosphere threw everything short of the kitchen sink at us yesterday. It was just above freezing (we’ve been colder), there was a 20mph westerly (it’s been windier), but I can’t ever remember a ride with more hail. After pottering cautiously over Buttertubs the hail was lying deep in the road and on the surrounding fells and, with the temperature dropping, we remembered at Thwaite that this wasn’t “Tan Hill or Bust” and turned right down Swaledale. In fact, as we huddled in the lee of a dry-stone wall with the hail driving over our heads, Cooky muttered memorably “its forecast snow later”. There followed an unforgettable ride down Swaledale in a hailstorm – our own White-Christmas!

Fantastic riding all day from the “Seasonal Seven”. 18 year old PeteH is now a veteran of two WSTH rides. Muzzy was as consistent as ever. Steen and Cooky did their turns all day. AndyG showing few signs of 6 weeks off the bike with a fractured pelvis in the Autumn and newcomer "Stongman Rob" picking a hell of a day for his first Clifton Clubrun!

My Garmin battery gave up the ghost when nearly back in York, but I reckon it was just shy of 140 miles, average speed of about 16mph, for the out of town section (ie. most of it), about 8000 Garmin kcal and 347 normalised Watts (OK, I really made that bit up

See you in the New Year for some more sensible clubruns.

[IanH]

Well done you guys, I was with you in thought only, especially as it got dark at about 4 and you still had over 3 hours to go.

Maybe next year in er Summer.

Ian H

[mikeh]

Well done guys. Complete respect. I did a 28 mile ride on Saturday and 37 mile Sunday with a burger in between at the Cross Keys Christmas Lunch on Saturday.

[G.]

Hats off to all the Tan Hill lunatics.

Also, hats off to Stu. The Cross Keys is a fine pub, my lamb shank was delicious and made for a memorable club run.

Just a request to everyone else on the Saturday ride though (and everyone else in general): could we all check for dropped riders a bit more often please?

Happy Christmas all!