Clifton CC

Tuesday and no write up yet?

The highlight was obviously the Etape yesterday to the top of Ventoux. Weather conditions looked good for the ride. A quick scan of the results suggests all our riders completed it safely so no doubt some good tales to tell when they get back. Results page here if you're interested, although it's typically quirky and French to navigate.

On Saturday I thought I'd pay Kev a visit for a change at the Square although he had different ideas and shoved me off with the Intermediates. 7 of us set off on the Cockayne ride with some stiff breeze and the odd shower on the way.

By Sheriff Hutton there was risk of a 'friendly' mutiny due to the pace, which was duly turned down to mark '7' to keep the group together. Apologies to those that were suffering.

Arthur won KOTM after spotting his opportunity up Bransdale and opened up a good gap on the rest that wasn't reigned in again until the Cafe in Helmsley. After lunch, and a good 'hosing down' by a spectacular shower at Ampleforth, we (almost) followed Kev's zig-zags back to York by 4.30. Thanks for the ride everyone!

On Sunday a group of the MTBers headed to the hills above Pateley Bridge for a hilly blast. In contrast to the rain we had in York, they returned with sun tans.

Alastair Kay an impressive 35th.

"Alastair Kay an impressive 35th"

And 1st Brit? and quicker up Ventoux than Laurent Brochard, of the mullet, who was once world champ in his Festina days!

Had planned to go down to the square on Sunday but bad planning meant I got there too late. Nonplussed I carried on across town and out via Bishopthorpe and Acaster Lane. Not been up there this year and as luck would have it chose a day when the road was flooded. After a bit of half pedalling I turned through the caravan park as I knew I could get round the flooding that way. Had chosen to take a 1 litre water bottle so that I could take a folding tyre and spare tube in the downtube cage. Managed to drop said bottle at Acaster Selby which split and emptied. I swore and kicked it about for a bit and was beginning think I might be better going back as it was also raining. But as I've posted elsewhere, I'd crashed the previous week and missed a long race so I really needed to get a good ride in. So I pressed on to Tadcaster & bought 2 750ml bottles of water at the garage with a pop up lid which fitted the cage. I shuffled the contents of me pockets about and squeezed the second bottle in the middle pocket and pushed on. Bramham, Bardsey, East Keswick, Harewood, Pool, Otley where I stopped briefly to bin first bottle and replace with second. Computer said 18mph average at the top of the climb out of Otley. Got me head down a bit on the way back - Castley, Sicklinghall, Wetherby, Wighill and back through Acomb. Got the average up to 18.5 coming up the garden path with 75 miles on the clock. God I sound like Will. But it was a good ride and I managed to miss the heavy showers although the roads were under water around Wetherby.

Paul, another example of where the little excuses enter into your head and overcoming them to turn a faltering start into a decent ride. Even at my modest level, I had one window of opportunity for an evening ride this week and have just taken in a 55km route out Leavening way on a rainy, cool, dark & dismal evening. At one point I couldn't have been more wet than if I had jumped into the Derwent! But I felt all the better for pushing on through.

Yes - a great ride around the Cockayne loop for the Sat Intermediate ride. Thanks to the team for waiting up and giving me wheels to follow, particularly for the 50 odd miles before lunch. Strangely, after a week off the bike with a minor cold virus, or as is happening all too often to my slow diesel engine (!), I seemed to ride myself in and felt comparatively stronger come the afternoon.

Best news at the square for me was seeing Julia back out on club rides after struggling through a couple of serious operations over the last few years. Hope your ride went well J, I'm sure Kevin gave his best looking-after services.

Cheers
ClaireG

I rode in the Cyclo X race that Andy organised in Ampleforth.

It was my first cross race so i was a bit nervous so i hung back at the start.
i think i came towards the back end of the field. However that was ok as I let people go at the start and i destroyed my rear derailleur and had to walk a lot of the last lap.

It was good fun and i shall do some more.

bought 2 750ml bottles of water at the garage with a pop up lid which fitted the cage

I did exactly that a few weeks ago. Really handy tip to keep in mind. I'd not realised before that they fit exactly and securely into bottle cages.