Weekend round up 12th/13th March
Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2016 5:19 pm
A glorious spring morning brought plenty of cyclists down to the square to enjoy a fine day's cycling.
Twelve of us headed out on the 'A' ride to Osmotherley, namely Tony, Rich, Graham, Dr Dave, Ben, Andy, Stuart, Jon G, Kev N, Tony G, Ian W and myself.
We were keen to get going and make the most of the fine weather and a light southerly to ease our passage over the mountain road. Dr Dave led us out of town through Haxby following which Rich and Andy set a blistering pace at the front leaving the rest of us wondering just what the hurry was. Andy was going so fast that his tyres were simply not up to the job and he punctured on the Sutton on Forest to Farlington road and declared that he wasn't feeling 100% and would head off on his own for a shorter ride. Remind me not to try and hold your back wheel when you're on form please Andy! I think Tony G took his leave at around the same time leaving the rest of us to continue on through Yearsley and Ampleforth and then the back road from Byland Abbey to the bottom of White Horse Bank. Most of us seem to have found our climbing legs and we weren't waiting long at the top of the climb to regroup and carry on via Hawnby and Snilesworth Moor to our destination.
There were plenty of other cyclists out enjoying the spring weather including a good few of the mud loving variety. We passed a group of them on the climb up through Hawnby and I remember marvelling at the size of the sprockets on the cassettes. I'm sure I'll incur the wrath of MTB enthusiasts here but how can they pedal so quickly and yet move so slowly at the same time? The mind boggles!
We arrived at the café just after 1pm to find that a couple of 'A' ride exiles in the form of Dave C and Ian H had beaten us to it and already thrown their towels on the sun loungers. Presumably just getting in some practice for your week on the beach, eh boys?
In to a slight head wind for the ride back through the Siltons, Kirby Knowle and Felixkirk and down to Kilburn. Dr Dave had pressed on ahead by this time while we waited for one or two stragglers to catch up and we never did catch him. Proof that the tortoise and the hare theory is alive and working well in North Yorkshire. He was allegedly already back in his box munching on sweet hay by the time the rest of us arrived back in York! I do remember him remarking, as we passed the turning for Boltby Bank as we rode through Felixkirk, that the time to climb it is at this point in the ride on tired legs and, to be fair, I think he has a point. My Garmin reckoned we climbed just over 5700 feet, which is barely more than half what we'll face in the Whitton in which the hardest climbs come right at the end. Food for thought, guys!
Arrived back home at 4.45pm with just over 87 miles on the clock. All in all one of the most enjoyable days cycling I've had in a long while. Great company, great scenery and great cycling. Happy days!
Twelve of us headed out on the 'A' ride to Osmotherley, namely Tony, Rich, Graham, Dr Dave, Ben, Andy, Stuart, Jon G, Kev N, Tony G, Ian W and myself.
We were keen to get going and make the most of the fine weather and a light southerly to ease our passage over the mountain road. Dr Dave led us out of town through Haxby following which Rich and Andy set a blistering pace at the front leaving the rest of us wondering just what the hurry was. Andy was going so fast that his tyres were simply not up to the job and he punctured on the Sutton on Forest to Farlington road and declared that he wasn't feeling 100% and would head off on his own for a shorter ride. Remind me not to try and hold your back wheel when you're on form please Andy! I think Tony G took his leave at around the same time leaving the rest of us to continue on through Yearsley and Ampleforth and then the back road from Byland Abbey to the bottom of White Horse Bank. Most of us seem to have found our climbing legs and we weren't waiting long at the top of the climb to regroup and carry on via Hawnby and Snilesworth Moor to our destination.
There were plenty of other cyclists out enjoying the spring weather including a good few of the mud loving variety. We passed a group of them on the climb up through Hawnby and I remember marvelling at the size of the sprockets on the cassettes. I'm sure I'll incur the wrath of MTB enthusiasts here but how can they pedal so quickly and yet move so slowly at the same time? The mind boggles!
We arrived at the café just after 1pm to find that a couple of 'A' ride exiles in the form of Dave C and Ian H had beaten us to it and already thrown their towels on the sun loungers. Presumably just getting in some practice for your week on the beach, eh boys?
In to a slight head wind for the ride back through the Siltons, Kirby Knowle and Felixkirk and down to Kilburn. Dr Dave had pressed on ahead by this time while we waited for one or two stragglers to catch up and we never did catch him. Proof that the tortoise and the hare theory is alive and working well in North Yorkshire. He was allegedly already back in his box munching on sweet hay by the time the rest of us arrived back in York! I do remember him remarking, as we passed the turning for Boltby Bank as we rode through Felixkirk, that the time to climb it is at this point in the ride on tired legs and, to be fair, I think he has a point. My Garmin reckoned we climbed just over 5700 feet, which is barely more than half what we'll face in the Whitton in which the hardest climbs come right at the end. Food for thought, guys!
Arrived back home at 4.45pm with just over 87 miles on the clock. All in all one of the most enjoyable days cycling I've had in a long while. Great company, great scenery and great cycling. Happy days!
Always a good route and its was very pleasant when the sunshine made an appearance. Speed was brisk heading out with tailwind, looking at the computer it read 23mph most of the time albeit on the flatlands. I was quite glad when Andy p******d and was able to catch my breath and it calmed down. Im always aware of having to pace myself with the extra miles to do once back in York and as always am grateful of others pushing the wind on return leg. I should have stuck with the rest of you at the wiggy lights but decided to join James going back through Haxby. I even got back in daylight myself which was a bonus