Clifton CC

Decided that I couldn't put it off any longer and so ignoring the frost I pitched up at the square for my first ride of 2011. It was actually my first ride since November, so I was anticipating some major ssufferring!

A steady stream arrived at the square and eventually we were joined by Kevin in a very strange cycling outfit - jeans and a kagool. More worryingly there was no bike! He was ill! He really is the heart and soul of the club! He had brought along some suggested routes - many thanks Kevin. Dave was given the honour of leading the K ride and he did a brilliant job. I particularly enjoyed the tour of one little village that we spent a while circling!

We managed to lose Virginnie early on after she was kidnapped by Steph and the intermediate group. Hope your ride went well. Did you ever find that Brazillian chap you were both looking for?!

Cafe stop at millington was very nice, but heading back into the cold was tough. We picked up the pace as a group on the way back simply to stay warm. Got home after 4 with 70 miles on the clock. Really really glad I forced myself to go out. Thanks to all for great company and to Dave for shepherding us round and to Kevin for taking the trouble to meet us even though he was under the weather.

Mark

With Rob absent, the Sunday ride was more of a 2 up, with Andy Gardner the other incumbent. Andy was just leaving the square when I turned up so we headed down Bootham whilst I thought up a route. It was a 4-tops sort of day and I was fairly convinced it would be icy so we headed up the A19 to Shipton then Tollerton which I thought would be ice free. Helperby / Rainton / West Tanfield / Masham / Grewelthorpe / Ripon. We were going ok but as I said to Andy when were heading to Boroughbridge, we could really have done with a couple more bodies. After Boroughbridge we took the left to Dunsforth. We had a five minute stop in Gt Ouseburn just to straighten up a bit. As Andy lives on the South side of York we took the Whixley road, Tockwith and then crossed Wetherby road at Long Marston. I already had 70 miles on the clock. I would like to say we we had an uneventful ride back. Unfortunately I managed to kit the deck on the l/h bend before Angram one of those irretrievable front wheel slides. Luckily no damage done as my left knee took all the impact! I wouldnt mind but I'd slowed right down as I could see it was lovely smooth tarmac - although not at all icy! Straight back from there once I'd stopped hopping about. Hopefully thats my crash of the year out of the way. 83 miles at nearly 18mph door to door. Next.

Ouch!

Absent, but there in spirit Paul. Wanted to be back early today, so was on the road shortly after 8 for a 4h ride in the Wolds. More hills than you could shake stick at. A few slushy bits around on the top, but the only problem was the agricultural nature of the surfaces in general - all mud and pot-holes.

24 years riding out of York and still finding new roads within a 25 mile radius: says much for how good the cycling is here. Today's new one was the lane from Thixendale to Fridaythorpe and thence the left turn back to Burdale. Fantastic stuff. Must have done every other climb out of Thix scores of times, but never that one. Reminded me of Heather's challenge of a clubrun involving all 7 Thixendale climbs (no U-turns allowed). Just got to be done. Watch this space.

R

Had a great intermediates ride, 82 miles door to door which is most excellent for January! I dragged myself around the whole thing and only felt good for the last 10 miles when my sticky toffee pudding kicked in. It was quite funny because Ginnie went to peel off with the K group and we looked back and that whole group was missing! Aparently they had gone 10 miles back - oops!

First ride in three and half months for me on Saturday, just about eighteen miles on an out and back ride with a loop round Sand Hutton, it felt a bit strange at first as I rode it on my commuter bike which I havn't been on for nine months since I locked it up in the garage after my last ride home the day I retired from work.

It was good to get out again, had plenty of layers on for the cold but the weather was otherwise good, got home with that nice satisfied feeling you get after a ride , hopefully I will feel fit enough in the next few weeks to be turning up at the square again.

Ian

Another great ride with the Bray Wheelers that was only ruined by the massive crash that involved myself and one other. A group of about 20 of us were nicely going along at about 22mph when the shout came for debris (part of a car bumper) on the road which didn't get to the bloke in front of me quickly enough, he couldn't avoid it, hit it but slid down off it in slow motion (well it appeared that way) and hit the road, unfortunately for me I could neither stop quickly enough or bunny hop him in time and crashed straight into his bike, over the bars to land head first (I learnt my lesson from last year and held onto the bars, closed my eyes and hoped for the best), helmet did it's job and took the full force of the fall thankfully.
Luckily neither of us were seriously hurt, I had damaged his back brake, punctured my front wheel and put a bit of a buckle in it. He was not able to continue but after a few minutes rest and my front wheel repaired I managed to continue the ride to complete a hilly 70 miles in 3hrs 45.

Battered and severely bruised this morning

No Garmin stats I'm afraid as this too took a knock and is on it's way back to Garmin for repair.