Weekend Round-up (well someone has to start it!)

Dr Dave · Post by **Dr Dave** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 8:48 am

As usual the Saturday riders split into groups - 3 this week I believe with Howard, Bernard and Kevin leading.

Kevin had supplied Howard with a North York Moors ride to Osmotherley via Castleton. 7 riders headed out via Terrington Bank: Howard, Ian H, Dave C, 'Broomwagon' Steve, Shaun, Willhub, and myself. From Terrington we traced a path via Coneysthorpe, East Ness, Welburn, then into the Moors via Fadmoor, Hutton-le-Hole, down Rosedale (? worse going down than up), then up the long drag to the north end of Blakey ridge before dropping into Castleton for the cafe stop.

At this stage the word Osmotherley was dropped into the conversation. Dave C sensibly announced he was going to head straight home - the rest of us nailed our colours to the mast and tracked around the northern rim of the moors through Kildale via Great Broughton, Swainby. At this point, realising we would be late back, a flurry of mobile phone calls was made to homes hopefully forestalling severe chastisement on our return. After this we toiled up a pesky 1:5 climb over to Osmotherley.

By this stage some of us lesser mortals were beginining to flag a bit and so a discussion ensued as to whether we should reascend the moors via Hawnby as originally envisaged, or whether to wimp out and skirt the eastern fringes through Nether Silton and Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe. Somewhat to Howard's disappointment the wimps prevailed and so we meandered back to Kilburn, then via Coxwold to Easingwold where a brief stocking up at the local Costcutter enabled batteries to be re-charged before we cruised back to town via Huby.

Unfortunately Steve had a p******* just inside the ring road and I - under a curfew - had to head straight home. Apologies for this but thanks to all for a really good hard ride.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 12:54 pm

Top ride guys. That road through Commondale and Kildale has made many a grown man cry.

We've been away on holiday in Devon for a couple of weeks. Grabbed a couple of hours en velo every other day. Extremely heavy roads - steep and narrow with high hedges. The 5 miles from Croyde to Woolecombe (both at sea level) takes a good 30 mins - Willhub would combust spontaneously on day#1! Also got some mtb in on my brother's "twingle speed" in the Black Mountains on the way down there - this was my first ride on knobblies since last Dec - note to self: do some more!

Willy H · Post by **Willy H** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 1:16 pm

Ah well, 3 Clifton rides on Saturday? There were actually FOUR!

The junior section got underway last Saturday with a great First FunRiders ride! Read all about it a couple of posts down.

Next one will be Saturday 23rd leaving Memorial Gardens (this is very near the Great Northern hortel and station) at 1.30

Question: where will the next V. Pendleton and B. Wiggins come from?

Answer: you can make a start telling your age 9/10 year and upwards about FUNRIDERSand never look back!

NickScull · Post by **NickScull** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 2:15 pm

I was feeling bad about running late for the start (ride leaders are allowed to be late aren't they), but it was only Helen and I who had been daft enough to venture out, and even Helen was thinking twice about the full distance.

Once again our resolve was rewarded, and amazingly we only got wet from standing water rather than any rain.

Mark - that Helperby Road was bb deep in a few places - is there an alternative for this Sunday?

We forgot the planned shop stop at Catterick and by the time we reached the top of the Stang my legs went. Helen was very patient nursing me back over Holgate Moor to Marske, and down to Masham for lunch (a new record? - 4.45pm).

An excellent day out. Looking forward to Tan Hill next Sunday.

willhub · Post by **willhub** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 6:21 pm

Saturday was a good ride, I got lost as my front derailleur packed in again and was all bent so had to try fix that, then I almost fell into a ford, was very slippy, I know I should of gone over the bridge

. I seen them going up a small drag but I was a fair bit behind, but I kept going at speed to catch then up then I had to put the breaks on hard when I noticed I was going onto the A19 dual carridge way, so me thinking they cant have gone on here!?!?!?! turned back, went back a mile or so, noticed no other turns so went all the way back!, I must have been blind as the second time I actually noticed them in the distance but I did not like the dual carridge way with those cars flying past at 80+mph.

I blew up again slightly, not as bad as last week despite doing more miles this week and IMO it was about as hard this week due to the fact we had some climbs that where not as steep but they where long, I knew I must have done something right though taking the more time off as I was able to put power in on the way home unlike last week crawling home.

Going down rosedale chimney was very scary too!!, I was trying to pull on the breakes in a way thats called "milking it" apparently but that never worked even though I tried I'd have gone over the edge, so I got down and felt my rims, so hot you could cook an egg on them! Had to look on the bright side though, at least I got my tyres pumped up for me for some time, they where rock solid after that decent.

After that there was this other climb/drag that was going for a long distance, I was quite surprised, I kept up with howard almost and everyone else was in the distance behind, was bizzare really as I could have gone alot faster if I wanted so I've been doing something right, after that it started getting flat and faster untill we turned off onto the road that lead us to the cafe stop, it was all down hill from there at 30+ mph, I was aiming for 50mph but it was not steep enough only for 46mph.

I cant remember where we went on saturday but I think Dr Dave covered it, I'm rubbish when it comes to names of people/places, I cant match the names in Dr Daves post with the people who where there apart from Ian H, Howard and Broomwagon and Dave C.

Twas a good ride anyway apart from REALLY bad stomach then my earphones dieing on me so was a lack of music and that must have slowedme down abit too

. This must be the longest post I've done, I'm pretty sure I could make it longer aswell

I'm also looking forward to tan hill, hoping to do that and cope even better than saturday despite it been about 140 miles.

BroomWagon · Post by **BroomWagon** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:27 pm

A good day out with good company. Nice to come along on the Saturday ride for a change and.....wait for it.......no rain. Good to go on some roads I'd not been on for some time. Especially (even though I was battered at that time) that senic 1 in 5 to Osmotherly. I said to Ian I'd never been on that road but now I think I have though not since young Will was nothing more than a twinkle in his dads eye...ahem, surprising how tired I was on Sunday considering I'm a veteran of the Dales Grimpeur this year. Must be getting old.

Thanks for assisting with the puncture Howard.

Told my good lady I was so late back because I had to wait for everyone else, "I'd have been back 3 hours ago if I hadn't waited." She didn't believe me for a second, gah she knows me so well

paulM · Post by **paulM** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:28 pm

Due to a complete lack of any racing I've had a couple of weeks of rest and reflection. Did a three hour ride on Sunday having waited till the rain had stopped, the roads had dried a bit and the sun was out. Didn't help though as was still going crap despite heading out North via Crayke to Kilburn, up White Horse Bank and round Rievaulx, one of my favourite rides. was considering continuing on to Hawnby but common sense prevailed which was a good thing as it was a right slog back home into the wind.

Must say though I've been struggling to fit training in round watching the Olympics - incredible stuff - the British cycling team have raised the bar - not only with the other cycling teams but with other sports generally.

Next (and probably last race) will be ours - something to aim for though.

mal · Post by **mal** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 9:13 pm

In Sunday's window of good weather I ventured forth for my longest ride since the fateful White Rose Challenge - a fifty mile four flood epic round the western end of the Howardian Hills. Flooded road 1 at the bottom of Skewsby was tackled tentatively and gave my rear mech a good wash and my feet a good soaking. Up and across Yearsley down the dreaded bank I was confronted by the raging torrent of fast flowing ford in full spate - hasty retreat back up aforementioned Yearsley Bank. (Extra hill interval session in anticipation of club hillclimb? - I don't think so). High speed descent from Yearsley to Brandsby - nope! huge lake across road did a deep dark impresion of Dirty Harry - "do you feel lucky punk?" - no I don't Mr Eastwood - shoulder bike and cyclo-cross style strugge along verge - more nettle stings than I'd care to mention and mud up to my ankles. From Bransby to Crayke I surfed the streams and sheets of water running off the hillside. And then joy of joys, a dry road and a tailwind until the final confrontation with Stocton on Forest Falls - circumnavigated by a quick bunny hop up the pavement. One more hill than planned and several more hazards than anticipated but a jolly good romp in the fresh air and sunshine. Might be up for a club run again soon.

dave c · Post by **dave c** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 1:59 pm

Howards ride has been covered by Dr Dave, Steve and Will so not much to add except I had to be home for 5 pm so headed back after Castleton cafe stop.

Went back over the moors via Blakey and Hutton Le Hole with Headwind, then via Amotherby and Terrington. Really enjoyed the day, back at 5.10 92 miles.

Looking forward to Tan Hill Challenge on Sunday.

cath · Post by **cath** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 4:23 pm

Okay - two more groups set off from the Sqaure on Sat. I think Kevin's group were going to Helmsley? Our group had 6 and we followed a Bernard route to Beverley, couple of mechanicals along the way - 2 punctures (inlcuding an impressive blowout from ArthurM) plus a broken spoke...didn't have a computer but it was over 70.
Thanks to Bernard for a good route.

IanH · Post by **IanH** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:16 pm

Plenty been said about saturday's ride led by Howard it was a great route , Thanks to Howard and the others for waiting for me when I was going through a bad patch (the Bonk) or from my distance running days (the Wall) when we still had 30 to 40 miles to go, this is the first time in ages that I have experianced it but Howards mars bar which he gave me kicked in after about 8 miles and I was off again feeling good at the finish.

Dave B · Post by **Dave B** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 3:04 pm

Hooray! After several months in bits, I finally resuscitated my cyclo-cross bike ready for the autumn, but not before an ill-judged attempt to touch up its paintwork meant reaching for the Nitromors followed by the purchase of a couple of spray-cans

Anyhow, took it out for a proper test run after work last night, and it was good to be back off-road, and in suitably foul weather. My nice shiny 'new' bike is rather less shiny now, and my white socks ended up a fetching shade of brown. All good fun though

Dave

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:35 pm

OK, something a little different from last weekend. My little brother, Phil, rode the HPV world championships in Norfolk. Claims, with tongue firmly in cheek, that he would have taken the rainbow jersey if he hadn't been brought down in a 3 bike pile up in the crit on Sunday afternoon. Link to photo of Phil in full flight:

http://s242.photobucket.com/albums/ff12 ... gp2192.jpg

There'san album full of photos there of lots of people having rather a lot of fun.

I can confirm that Phil will take on any form of deviant sport going and it is only a matter of time before he discovers "extreme ironing" or "bog snorkling".

I have had a go on the bike in the picture; its good fun but I can't quite imagine going on a clubrun! This is a "lightweight" at a smidge under 20kg, but goes well on the flat! The trick is to keep your feet on the pedals - once you let your foot slip off you're in big trouble as the force to lift your foot back up again steers the bike in the opposite direction!! - just managed to stop before I went into his neighbour's BMW

Anybody else willing to admit trying to ride a recumbent?

IanH · Post by **IanH** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 8:45 am

Hi Rob

I've rode several versions of them at the York Cycle show, good fun but I would not be keen to have a go on the open road.