Clifton CC

This w/e's Saturday ride comprised 2 groups lead by Kevin and Howard. Howard's group, comprising Howard, Dave C, Bernard(headed back after Huby), Simon, James Belham and myself did the Cockayne loop clockwise ( 85 miles approx, as advertised) via Huby, Crakye, Coxwold, Ampleforth and Helmsley. In glorious sunshine the views across the moor were fantastic. A leisurely lunch at Nunnington, then back to York via Slingsby, Castle Howard, Barton-le-Willows, Bossall etc.

Thanks to all for an excellent day out!

Saturday I was going to do a Saturday run from the square but did 30 miles on my own instead, Friday I did 62 miles from Manchester but posted that in the week old weekend round up not knowing it was a week old.

12 MTBers took on my 'NOT the 3 Peaks' Challenge in the Dales this weekend. 2 days, 90 miles, 3400m climbing, all mostly off-road, made for a tough but enjoyable weekends ride from Pateley Bridge to Hawes and back.

The group and weather were amazing and the riding had everything from open track, rocky descents to unrideable bridleway.

Yesterday we lunched at the Pen-y-gent Cafe in Horton to see the real 3 Peaks, and Charlie, in action. He was too focused to notice us cheering him on I think.

Medal of the weekend has to go to Jez who'd never ridden such distances before and battled on like a trooper with a backpack the size Chris Bonnington would have been proud of. At least he was the best dressed male in the pub on Saturday night

I went out with Kevin's group on Saturday for a steady 50-odd miles. Group of six including Elaine, Phil Suddaby doing well on his first group ride with the club, and a very hungover Japanese lad. As Dave said, wonderful countryside under lovely end-of-summer sunshine. A chilly breeze kept it cool on the roads and the shelter of the courtyard at Nunnington made it the perfect place for lunch. Great stuff. And then back home to discover Nicole Cooke had won the Worlds. Yay!

Sorry Paul. It wasn't that I was too focussed more that I was too p'd off with the event. The most stupid event I have ever done. I thought I'd gone to a bike race. The only time I needed the bike was for the road sections between the hills. Pointless.
I did notice Andy Johnston and Colin H (who seemed to be everywhere!) and did appreciate the shouts.

How many bike events are there that the preparation involves carrying your bike rather than riding it? Doe that still make it a bike race? Not in my books.

4 hrs 3 mins. Never again.

Charlie, what exactly were you expecting before the race? Or was it particularly muddy this year?

There were any number of red and black jerseys in the Arther Metcalf charity ride on Sunday. Thanks to Helen for stewarding them. While Photoben, Richard, Mac, Carl, Andy Smith, Justsweat, Alice, Nick and others hung back a bit for the 50 mile loop, Andy, Jonty, Nigel, Muzzy, Helen, Ian H, me and others got sucked along in the slipstream of the 75milers. Much entertained by the behaviour of many who were taking it very seriously (sprinting up the outside, communal bio-breaks, corners of numbers folded in before affixing - presumably to reduce drag). As the hills started I hung back with Helen and Muzzy who had both punctured and we gradually swept up assorted others on the way including Ian H at Hovingham Cafe, and a Geordie who rode his £3k Pinarrello only in 53x11.

Hope the rest of you had a good ride.

having done 73 hilly miles fri and 50 hilly miles sat was expecting an easy ride sunday having sore legs already, got sucked in with fast group ( didn't realised you punctured muzzy - sorry - i pulled group back together on down hill to amotherby ) was going well until going up out of nunnington when managed to wreck front hub, flange broke to leave 2 spokes hanging out ( didn't notice until turn in hovingham ) so had to go home in case got any worse still managed 101 miles tho - not a bad 3 days

in case your wondering its a hope hub and its going back

"in case your wondering..."

You read my mind!

Rob, I was expecting there to be some reason for me to have a bike with me. I knew there would be a considerable distance to carry the bike. The race program stated that 5km was unridable. My completion time of 4hrs 3 is considerably different to my ride time of 2hrs 50 mins. That obviously does not include the time the wheel was roatating when off the ground, or when I was pushing the bike...

Dad and I did the 50mile loop and I have to say thanks for his guidance on my first time up terrington. Halfway round we were stopped by a flock of sheep and that gave us chance to compare routes with a lost rider .
Not all smiles though, I managed to have a fall going down one of the banks??and it hurt! To make things even better I crashed into the verge and got mud all over my face. Luckily my bike was okay! Limping abit but it is turning out to be a truly fantastic swollen bruise.I got back on, finished the route, and got home avoiding york via school where there was a scorching hot bath waiting

PhilBixby wrote:"in case your wondering..."

You read my mind!

Is there something about Hope hubs I'm unaware of? My front wheel's run one for 7-8 years now (mostly cyclo-cross, so it's had a bit of punishment) and is still going strong, on the original set of bearings to boot. Although it is one of the old sort with separate flanges and body - maybe the new one-piece design is more vulnerable?

Dave

charlie wrote:I was expecting there to be some reason for me to have a bike with me.

111th in a field of 500 in a specialist event ain't bad for a rookie. I'm impressed anyway. Good report on the BC website.

Alice.S wrote: Not all smiles though, I managed to have a fall going down one of the banks??and it hurt!

The moon must have been in a peculiar phase this weekend for female hormones. We had a number of 'spills' in the Dales by the girls, the worst of which was Steph who picked a fight with a Mercedes coming down Fleet Moss..and lost.

Maybe stabilisers would help.

Had a great day, in the end, after a pretty dodgey start. My chain decided that it needed a break (choosing to relax on my stay rather than graft on the chain set!) Got that sorted out then we took the mandatory 'wrong turn'. We got there in the end though! Big thanks to the lads for waiting for me to get my self together! Thanks to Rob (again) you were right about doing the 50 miles, vice the 75 (it's not that I couldn't have managed it - it was just that I didn't have my lights with me for a night time finish!) We got back to the infirmary and listened to poor Alice's crash story; I hope that bruise hasn't ruined her week? See you next time - might be a Saturday for me this week though.

Hung on in with the lead bunch on the 75 route until Hovingham when a 2nd groupetto formed to limp into Easingwold. Not sure it met my expectation of a casual Sunday ride - must do something to stop following the wheel in front and instead set my own pace?!