Clifton CC

Looks like it is my turn to start the weekend round-up.

I've always hankered to do the famous/infamous Hill Climb known as "The Rake", which is organised by the Lancashire Road Club and starts and finishes in the centre of Ramsbottom, near Bury. It's reckoned to be the oldest hill climb in the country and has been going for 70 years. It's also one of the most generous with prize money of over £1500 on offer. This year there were 70 riders entered with lots of Juniors, Ladies and
Juveniles among the entries. Also entered was the favourite and current
National Hill Climb Champion Matt Clinton plus former champions James
Dobbin and Jim Henderson. For the ladies the current champion Lynn
Hamel was also on the start line. The Hill starts in the main street of Ramsbottom and is just under 1000 yards long. The average gradient
is 1 in 6 but the last 200 yards is a leg killing 1in 5 increasing to 1 in 4
just before the finish. The climb is closed to all traffic with spectators
standing 3 and 4 deep all the way up the hill. The atmosphere is tremendous and I now know what it must feel like for the Tour de France
riders when they are fighting there way through the crowds on the climbing of the big mountains. All I could see, as I was struggling to get up the climb, was a sea of faces and bodies which parted mysteriously just before I made contact with them. The noise too, from the crowd, was incredible so loud that even though my wife and brother were shouting encourage-ment only inches from my ears, I couldn't hear them.
Matt Clinton won in a time of 2.26, second was James Dobbin and third
was Jim Henderson. Lynn Hamel won the ladies event. I finished in a time
of 4.25, but there were quite a lot of riders behind me, so I have to be satisfied with my ride.
A tremendous event and I'm looking forward to the same event next year.

Pics at http://www.sportsunday.co.uk/#13.23 and http://www.sportsunday.co.uk/#13.134

I decided to enter the last event in the challenge series which was Gerry's Autumn Audax. Arrived at the square not really expecting to see anyone as there was no arrangement however a few were just setting off to Wigginton. There was a decent turnout not only fron Clifton but all over. I even bumped into a lad I'd met on this years L'etape at the end. Small world .

Went round with a fairly sizable group able led as usually by Rob, Bernard, Claire et al so thanks to them as always. Overall a pleasant day it was shame about the showers early on just glad I used the winter bike

Jon

Having had a week off work and literally spent it all in various stages of contortion fitting Elaines ex-fitted kitchen into ours, and barely having seen the light of day save a couple of trips to B&Q, I through caution to the wind and decided to unfold myself on the H ride. Only 4 takers and we set off behind H himself at a good pace down the A19 bound for Bolton Abbey. A departure from the norm and an anti clockwise route, but I knew what to expect. We stayed in single file but I was ok with this considering the size of the group and the fact it was a long ride and I wanted to be home as early as possible. After Markington the climbing started and when we came out on the Pately Bridge road at Fellbeck, H turned for home feeling unwell. Hope alls well Howard? I knew the route without sat nav and as Yorks' Folly was the chosen ascent out of Pately that's the road we took. Believe me my hill climb win is but a distant memory and climbing this beast on 39 x 25 is neither pretty or clever! We gathered ourselves at the top although for myself and John a defibrilator would have been more appropriate, whereas Andrew was just about breaking into a sweat! Stump Cross and then the lovely road down to Bolton Abbey past the Strid. I stood in for H in the cafe ordering the full English + apple pie which barely touched the sides. Took us back the usual Wharfedale route and departed from the advertised ride and carried onto Otley and back through Wetherby. I was seeing stars by Wighill as Andy and John were keeping the pace high with the tail wind. 102 miles for me door to door at just under 18mph - a great day out.

... the best laid schemes o'mice and men (and mal) gang oft agley ... as proved by a third party rearrangement of the weekend, which put paid to my plans to complete a hat trick of Gerry's rides on Sunday. A hasty revision saw me set out 25 hours before the oficial start time on a saturday solo circuit instead. Route on t'net, no sat nav needed, hey! ho! and away through the morning mist, which proved to be cold, wet and persisted until Malton. The steady rise from Malton to Easthorpe took me out of the mist with, to my right the North Yorks Moors bathed in sunshine, and to my left a cloud of damp covering the Vale of York.

After that it was a very pleasant trip round a gently bumping route which shows off that part of North Yorkshire really well - hills, moors, ruins, quiet country roads, pubs, posh bits and the odd panoramic vista thrown in for good measure. And I never got lost once.

I don't know how far or how fast as computer isn't working but it felt like about 70 miles and I was out just over 4 hours.

Oh and can I please have a point towards the Challenge series? I reckon I'm almost a sliver this year.

I did the Audax last Sunday, along with a large contingent from Clifton.

Ian H and me set off near the front and lead a small group at a good pace, with a tailwind, all the way to Malton which was good fun.

From Malton to Ampleforth there was Ian, Shaun and me, now with rain and a headwind. On the way back to Wigginton we grouped up with 2 other guys and we had a good blast back.

Very enjoyable day.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/15883034