Clifton CC

Okay... 9am and the Clifton banner is flying in front of the gazebos. I've got a boot full of Bromptons, and CH's Piers is here with a couple of very fancy new Scott race bikes including one with the new Di2 electronic shifting system.

The sun is shining, the sky is blue. The BBC Radio van is parked up next to us so we're hoping for maximum airtime, and we've got a portable climbing wall on the other side of us so if you fancy a bit of recreational climbing, then you're in luck.

Okay Cliftonites.. get yourself over here - Heworth Stray and head for the banner. Willy's Easy Riders should be assembling here for their 9:30 depart soon....

And Willy's here, enjoying the sunshine, dozing in THE mostr comfortable folding chair! If no EasyRiders turn up soon he'd be quiote happy to spend the whole day hugging that chair!
On the other hand, EWagerEasyRiders will be in for a real treat, riding out to the race in Pocklington on this fabulous day.
Let the adventure begin......

9:40 and Willy's just set off with three Easy Riders - one complete newcomer who first found out about us through the Festival of Cycling. Dr.Dave is here and has had a first twiddle of the Di2 levers and has a wild, spendy look in his eyes....

Where are U Howard - one look at the Di2 in the flesh and you're hooked - the sound the servo mech makes is worth the purchase price alone!!

It's lovely sunshine down here - circuit for the folding bike racing is laid out - and I hear that individual entries are now being taken so come on down and give it a go!

Hi Phil

See you in 5 mins.

Come on Cliftonites let's see a good turnout for this spectacular chance to feel involved with a first class cycling event right on our doorstep.

Ian H

Wireless is finally working again! This is Arthur M now, I got here about 15 minutes ago. I rode down the finishing straight, in the company of loud music, but I eventually found the Clifton tent, after nearly getting stuck inside the Brompton circuit.

Dr Dave is happily pedalling away on the turbo, Phil is on the climbing wall, the Radio has come on air next to us and the sun is shining. Perfect.

Ian's just arrived, fortunately I've been able to pursuade Arthur that the turbo is a good training opportunity - it's jolly hot pedaling away in the sun!

Phil again...

..Okay we've got Ali Kay now, and we've got the entire Gilham family here, plus local racer Craig Gath. Ali Kay reckons the brommies on grass is "hard" so there's a challenge to rise to. We've set it up as an individual time trial so get yourselves along and see what you can do!

First round of brommie races now completed...

Arthur Marshall in the lead with 28:14 but Ali Kay and the real professionals are yet to throw their legs over. The Gilham family is easing its way in though with Kit's dad John turning in a 29:02 with teeth firmly gritted and wearing cycle clips...

We've had a bundle of young kids from Bradford have a go - all of them posted faster times than me, despit some of them needing the saddle set lower than the pedals at the top of their stroke....

John Gilham here,

Clifton CC are putting on a great event in the arena - they even let me ride a Brompton against the clocl for 1 lap. So far I'm oldest and third ! And there have been more than 3 competitors. Come on down.

It's baking on malton rd 500m from the finish... Still no riders! Peloton safety bike arrives..

Race reports now saying about ten miles from the finish, so everyone's down near the finish line... commentator getting very excited!

Further round of brommie racing later - we've got a stack of wine from the council to give away as prizes.

Race finish imminent...!

6:30 and back home.

The race finished, and most people saw a colourful blur pass by.

We did another 40 minutes or so of Brompton racing, and then called a halt in order to take up the Lord Mayor's offer to dish out the prizes. Kit Gilham won it, with Jo (Mrs) Gilham taking top woman rider and John (Dad) Gilham taking best old bloke. Many thanks to Cycle Heaven for vouchers for the top ten and City of York for bottles of wine.

Many thanks to everyone who turned up and helped with the Brommie event or by staffing the stand and talking to visitors. Special thanks to Andy J for organising the Brommie racing and Clifton's involvement in the Go Ride event.

Andy, Cath and I took the stall down and had everything packed by about 4:45, and a phone call to Piers at CH alerted him to the fact that he not only needed to get back to Heworth pronto to rescue his very expensive Scott demo bikes, but he needed to give Andy J a lift back to Stamford Bridge for guarding them when the rest of us cleared off...

...via dropping off the helmets at Bob Trotters (thanks to them, and to Rab for biking off to borrow them) and the Brommies at Get Cycling. Lots of unloading later, and I've just remembered I haven't eaten anything all day. Ah, and I've got a race tomorrow. Ooooerrrr....

Well done to the organisers of the Clifton bit of the fun on the stray. I enjoyed my short morning stint there and it sounds like it continued in success mode for the rest of the day. The family Gilham are an awesome team!

Hope knee is OK Dr D.

Yesterday Yorkshire was smiling, everywhere happy people, seems that a real Tour de France carnival holiday spirit had invaded!
EasyRiders arrived in Pocklington where Bernard was already kitted out in Marshal (note missing second 'l', shame British Cycling spellers). By that time the Easy Rider group had grown to 5 people, including two who had come over from Harrogate. And some more had missed the start of the ride due to the difficulty getting through the elaborate barrier system at Heworth Green in time.
The marshalling at Pocklington School was interesting! Masters out in force ensuring that all the Boys ties were regulation tidy and shirts tucked in. Boarding Boys delighted to be let out for a few moments before being herded back in as soon as the peloton had whizzed past.
The crowds at Pocklington were amazing, 2 or 3 deep it seemed as far as you could see. Maybe one reason that when we got to the fabled Buddhist super-cafe the food choice was limited to cake or cake!
Footnote: the 2 escapees had 10 minutes at the Pock Sprint, and deserved having the 2 mins rail crossing delay knocked off their time. Those 2 minutes would probably have seen them at Heworth ahead of the bunch.