GYBR2007
John C.
Posts: 2,113
The best laid plans of mice and men. June was hot so I'd be on my lightest bike, full 105 kit with next to no luggage and we would fly. No long stops where we would cool down too much and seize up, an early start head down go for it, 160+ miles and home for Dr Who re-hydrating on John Smiths finest. Well that was the idea.
The June monsoons arrived just as they have done for the last 40 odd years, just look at Glastonbury and Wimbledon, how may times have they been washed out? A ring round on Friday night even after several of Yorkshires major rivers had burst their banks and we were all still up for the ride, I think Steve Bolton said it all really ' I've got three hundred pounds of sponsorship I've got to do it'.
So a lightish bike was loaded up to the gunnel's with waterproof winter kit which increased its weight by 50% and I headed off down to Wetherby, at 7.00 Emma rang me to find out where I was and to hurry up as they were letting us go half an hour early at 07.30. The weather was warmer than I had expected so the first layer came off and I set off at TT speed to the start arriving just in time to say hello take a couple of pictures .
Steve Bolton on his new light weight bike and James set off at a colossal speed leaving the rest of us in their wake , this year there was a route change which although I enjoyed the lanes last year, having the first 10 miles running up the A1 service road makes sense, it gives every one the chance to sort themselves out safely. The first drinks stop was ignored and that I assume is where we passed James and Steve, and on through Alne, Easingwold and the second drinks stop at Stillington, where we had a quick toilet stop, it also gave me the opportunity to shed my longs as things were warming up and staying dry although we could see heavy rain coming down in the distance. Jumping back on the bike we fell in with a couple on a tandem, the pilot looked a bit worried as I explained the virtues of his stoker using a cattle prod when he slowed down on the hills (Tandems are always slow up hills) , With this in mind we approached Terrington Bank, thoughts of a cattle prod were obviously in the pilots mind and they flew up at an alarming rate as we spurred them on.
The lunch stop although a bit early was as well organised as ever and the sandwich, pasta and slab of cake went down a treat although I must admit my legs were a bit heavy for the next mile or so. In every ride there is a bit where I think, I'm going to regret this. this was the bit I practically rode fixed wheel, I didn't change down for the hills, just increased the work rate, well OK I changed down but I didn't spin, even Setterington bank was ridden on the middle ring although I did have a scare when the guy in front of me stopped and pulled out a Ventolin inhaler, being asthmatic myself I made sure he was OK before carrying on. My speed increased and I spent more time in the big ring than ever cruising at 20mph even on slight inclines, the next drinks stop arrived and I waited for the others to catch up, The asthmatic arrived and explained he was on a drug trial for a new generation of ventolin, but he still carried the old one just in case. The others arrived and we headed on to Filey again cruising at 20+ miles an hour, it may have been the knowledge that at the last drinks station there is always a selection of home made cakes, this year unfortunately the woman who makes them has broken her hip, so no cakes ! So on a purely selfish note I wish her a speedy recovery and I sincerely hope she is there next year, 8 miles to go and there was no sign of the pace slowing, there was also no sign of any rain. Filey arrived and the ride end, A very relieved tandem pilot dismounted his bike as we explained to his wife how to buy cattle prods cheaply on e-bay, We were somewhat surprised when he said he wasn't riding back with us.
After teas and biscuits and a phone call from Mark saying they were on Setterinton Bank we about turned and headed for home. We didn't see James finish so we assume he sneaked in the back way, Steve Bolton was next to be spotted with only about 3 miles to go so the new bike certainly seams to have paid off, This was a very enjoyable part of our ride , spotting friends as they past us by.
I thought we may be heading into wind as our speed in had been so high but the speed remained again around the 20mph mark, this lasted for half an hour or so and then it was evident that some of us were a little bit more tired than we were letting on (We had done 110 miles) and the speed slowed to about 17 .As we approached West Lutton we saw Martin and John closely followed by Mark and Lynne on her first GYBR. In West Lutton we refilled our drinks bottles and headed off this time around setterington Bank to Malton, here 3 of our little group turned left for York and Wetherby leaving 4 of us returning to Thirsk and Bishop Muncton. The cafe we planned to stop at was full of cyclists and we didn't think they could all have been returning from Filey, we then spotted one of them clutching a card and asked where to get it signed, they were on an audax, then I saw the Bentons and had a quick natter before asking where they were heading . The answer put it all in perspective, our 130 miles we had done was a mere warm up for them, in a round about way they were heading to Blackpool on a 600K Audax. I felt a little deflated at that point even after Ann did her best to say what we were doing was very good. I then saw Martin who I last met on a cycling+ ride just after he'd done the London-Edinburgh-London ride in something silly like 4 days. That's just another league.
And so we set off on the final leg back home and the speed dropped again to about 15 mph although we did make full use of Terrington Bank with Tony reaching 47mph. As we got to Easingwold phones started ringing, I said I'd be about an hour and I'd stayed dry, My wife Julie said they were in the middle of a storm and the drains couldn't cope, looking north we could see the rain coming down. Emma got a call from her son Tom, with a very important question 'Would she be home for Dr Who ?' At Helperby we parted company and I did the last 10 miles on my own, The roads became waterlogged at Sessay but the storm had moved on so I arrived home at about quarter to Eight, or to put it another way just in time to oil the chain, have a shower, pour out the first can on John Smiths and sink down to watch Dr Who.
Will The Master come back ? Is this the end of Dr Who ?
For the statistitions of you I did 167 miles, our average speed to Filey was 16.2 mph and by the time we got home that had dropped to 15.8, My maximum speed was 46.3 down Terrington bank and my rack pack weighed 7 lbs.
A thoughrally enjoyable day out and yes I'll be back next year.
http://www.ripon-loiterers.org.uk/index.asp
He who spins lasts longest
The June monsoons arrived just as they have done for the last 40 odd years, just look at Glastonbury and Wimbledon, how may times have they been washed out? A ring round on Friday night even after several of Yorkshires major rivers had burst their banks and we were all still up for the ride, I think Steve Bolton said it all really ' I've got three hundred pounds of sponsorship I've got to do it'.
So a lightish bike was loaded up to the gunnel's with waterproof winter kit which increased its weight by 50% and I headed off down to Wetherby, at 7.00 Emma rang me to find out where I was and to hurry up as they were letting us go half an hour early at 07.30. The weather was warmer than I had expected so the first layer came off and I set off at TT speed to the start arriving just in time to say hello take a couple of pictures .
Steve Bolton on his new light weight bike and James set off at a colossal speed leaving the rest of us in their wake , this year there was a route change which although I enjoyed the lanes last year, having the first 10 miles running up the A1 service road makes sense, it gives every one the chance to sort themselves out safely. The first drinks stop was ignored and that I assume is where we passed James and Steve, and on through Alne, Easingwold and the second drinks stop at Stillington, where we had a quick toilet stop, it also gave me the opportunity to shed my longs as things were warming up and staying dry although we could see heavy rain coming down in the distance. Jumping back on the bike we fell in with a couple on a tandem, the pilot looked a bit worried as I explained the virtues of his stoker using a cattle prod when he slowed down on the hills (Tandems are always slow up hills) , With this in mind we approached Terrington Bank, thoughts of a cattle prod were obviously in the pilots mind and they flew up at an alarming rate as we spurred them on.
The lunch stop although a bit early was as well organised as ever and the sandwich, pasta and slab of cake went down a treat although I must admit my legs were a bit heavy for the next mile or so. In every ride there is a bit where I think, I'm going to regret this. this was the bit I practically rode fixed wheel, I didn't change down for the hills, just increased the work rate, well OK I changed down but I didn't spin, even Setterington bank was ridden on the middle ring although I did have a scare when the guy in front of me stopped and pulled out a Ventolin inhaler, being asthmatic myself I made sure he was OK before carrying on. My speed increased and I spent more time in the big ring than ever cruising at 20mph even on slight inclines, the next drinks stop arrived and I waited for the others to catch up, The asthmatic arrived and explained he was on a drug trial for a new generation of ventolin, but he still carried the old one just in case. The others arrived and we headed on to Filey again cruising at 20+ miles an hour, it may have been the knowledge that at the last drinks station there is always a selection of home made cakes, this year unfortunately the woman who makes them has broken her hip, so no cakes ! So on a purely selfish note I wish her a speedy recovery and I sincerely hope she is there next year, 8 miles to go and there was no sign of the pace slowing, there was also no sign of any rain. Filey arrived and the ride end, A very relieved tandem pilot dismounted his bike as we explained to his wife how to buy cattle prods cheaply on e-bay, We were somewhat surprised when he said he wasn't riding back with us.
After teas and biscuits and a phone call from Mark saying they were on Setterinton Bank we about turned and headed for home. We didn't see James finish so we assume he sneaked in the back way, Steve Bolton was next to be spotted with only about 3 miles to go so the new bike certainly seams to have paid off, This was a very enjoyable part of our ride , spotting friends as they past us by.
I thought we may be heading into wind as our speed in had been so high but the speed remained again around the 20mph mark, this lasted for half an hour or so and then it was evident that some of us were a little bit more tired than we were letting on (We had done 110 miles) and the speed slowed to about 17 .As we approached West Lutton we saw Martin and John closely followed by Mark and Lynne on her first GYBR. In West Lutton we refilled our drinks bottles and headed off this time around setterington Bank to Malton, here 3 of our little group turned left for York and Wetherby leaving 4 of us returning to Thirsk and Bishop Muncton. The cafe we planned to stop at was full of cyclists and we didn't think they could all have been returning from Filey, we then spotted one of them clutching a card and asked where to get it signed, they were on an audax, then I saw the Bentons and had a quick natter before asking where they were heading . The answer put it all in perspective, our 130 miles we had done was a mere warm up for them, in a round about way they were heading to Blackpool on a 600K Audax. I felt a little deflated at that point even after Ann did her best to say what we were doing was very good. I then saw Martin who I last met on a cycling+ ride just after he'd done the London-Edinburgh-London ride in something silly like 4 days. That's just another league.
And so we set off on the final leg back home and the speed dropped again to about 15 mph although we did make full use of Terrington Bank with Tony reaching 47mph. As we got to Easingwold phones started ringing, I said I'd be about an hour and I'd stayed dry, My wife Julie said they were in the middle of a storm and the drains couldn't cope, looking north we could see the rain coming down. Emma got a call from her son Tom, with a very important question 'Would she be home for Dr Who ?' At Helperby we parted company and I did the last 10 miles on my own, The roads became waterlogged at Sessay but the storm had moved on so I arrived home at about quarter to Eight, or to put it another way just in time to oil the chain, have a shower, pour out the first can on John Smiths and sink down to watch Dr Who.
Will The Master come back ? Is this the end of Dr Who ?
For the statistitions of you I did 167 miles, our average speed to Filey was 16.2 mph and by the time we got home that had dropped to 15.8, My maximum speed was 46.3 down Terrington bank and my rack pack weighed 7 lbs.
A thoughrally enjoyable day out and yes I'll be back next year.
http://www.ripon-loiterers.org.uk/index.asp
He who spins lasts longest
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Comments
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GYBR?
A little more context perhaps???0 -
Nice report John,very well done indeed! those 600k Audax riders are something else arnt their? hope you enjoyed Dr Who? i thought it was superb especially the subtle reintroduction of the Master!!!0
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GYBR = Great Yorkshire Bike Ride. A 72 mile charity ride from Wetherby to Filey.
Great report, John. I must have been an hour or so behind you. I blasted up Terrington, but cramped up badly on on Settrinham Bank. Still, we made it at an average speed of 15mph despite of that. Great day out and the weather was not too bad.0 -
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<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by IanTr</i>
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GYBR?
A little more context perhaps???
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
SORRY forgot the world carries on below Sheffield
http://www.ripon-loiterers.org.uk/index.asp
He who spins lasts longest0 -
My 4th GYBR and once again immaculately organised. First time I've done it with just the lads and nobody with their mrs or with a nipper on a trailer bike. have done very little cycling recently and nothing above 30m for about 6 months, so very pleased to end up at Filey feeling ok with 70miles done at an average of 17.3mph - we had a speedy section after lunch after one of us punctured and we tried to catch the other two who were out front at the time - and we missed the cakes too - get well soon, Sylvia!
Any ideas for a similar day out?
may the dawes be with you...
andymay the dawes be with you...
andy0
