When: 28/09/2013
Distance: 67.3 miles
Elevation gain:
Café stop: NO!!!!
Route: http://ridewithgps.com/trips/1855701
Hero of the day: all those who pedalled up Carlton bank before 8.30am
We, the men who love café’s, gathered early for the penultimate ‘big’ ride of the season. It was cold but we were all looking forward to the spin out over the moors and as usual we were heavily laden with foodstuffs inspired by the feed zones portable book. After a slightly delayed start caused by a couple of last minute worry wees we were soon faced with an ascent of Carlton bank, one of the North Yorkshire Moors finest (?) climbs. I think important to point out the two hotshots of our ramshackle group managed sub 10 minute ascents of Carlton bank so respect is due. The two non-hotshots just managed it.
Aside from the tedious slog up Negate Bank it was onwards and downwards to Helmsley. Unfortunately our chairman, in his wisdom, forbade us from visiting Porters Café in Helmsley. Two rides blogged and not a café stop in sight-we may have to change our name. Some lovely riding through picturesque villages made up for the lack of coffee and cake and led us, separately by this stage, to Kilburn Bank, the second big hill of the day. I’m not sure how my fellow café racers fared but I thought it not too bad really-my good legs for the day. Shortly after the climb I stumbled up on our two sub 10 minute hotshots by the side of the road-one looking decidedly peaky and the other stumbling furtively into the bushes. The mind boggles!! More pleasant riding followed, over lumpy moorland terrain, leading us on to Osmotherley for a quick snack and drink before an uneventful blast back to Stokesley for a sub 5hr finish. A convivial and sophisticated post-ride coffee was brewed up and drunk sprawled out sweatily in the middle of the car park.
Well, the first full and proper road riding season is nearly over. The weather has been fantastic, the riding superb and the company outstanding. We’ve gone from being the relative newbies who were worrying about completing a 50 mile sportive to successfully completing the Fred Whitton challenge with a clean sheet, managing the whole distance without pushing up a single hill. We all have proper bikes and lycra now but none of us have been man enough to shave our legs.
End of season thoughts: I think we need to visit more café’s, more frequently, to justify our club moniker; why do so many sportive riders sprint past me on the flat for me to ride past them 10 minutes later pushing up a hill? What challenges can we set for next year to top the monumental amount of vertical ascent we’ve packed in this year? Is it possible to make a feed zones portable style sherry trifle? And finally, if one of us does shave the old pins where does the razor stop- boxer short, briefs or neck level?
Until next time,
Dom.
[click photo for full album]
