Clifton CC

Well, I can count the number of November rides completed in short sleeves on the fingers of one hand.... with enough fingers left to count the number of brake blocks on my bike...

Great Sunday ride today. Started with a baker's dozen in the Square and only lost one (had a note in planner to be allowed home for lunch). Breezy start and some wet roads early on. Mudguarded riders were most popular, those "going commando" ostracized to the rear. Had been planning a route through Etton and Walkington, but after 20 minutes lost to a triple puncture session in Millington we replanned for something slightly shorter and simpler to Driffield.

Some gnarly lanes on the way back. Always entertaining when the racing snakes have that bewildered expression "where the 'eck are we". Even Muzzy admitted to having only a vague idea where he was.

We were all a bit whacked in the last few miles and mention in dispatches this week of new rider Barbara. The distance was no problem, but the pace much higher than what she was used to - some admirable teeth gritting.

80 miles door to door, and drinking tea in the kitchen at just after 3pm. Thanks for the company everyone. Rosedale next week. The chimney is on Eric's bucket list.

7 out on the trip to Helmsley on Saturday. Along with the regulars Karl, Graham, Kevin, joe we had guest appearances from steen and jonathan from Sunday. Straight forward route out through Crayke, coxwold, Kilburn, up white horse bank and across the ridge to the turn to old byland and down to the ford at he bottom. Whilst waiting at the bottom we saw a vintage car come down and through the water, we did fear what might happen but why would you take a car down that road in the first place. Up the steep climb before descending down the road passed rievaulx abbey . Very picturesque in the autumn colours and the sunshine. Longish stop at the cafe in Helmsley before a standard route back via hovingham and sheriff Hutton. We lost Kevin at Helmsley when he arranged to meet his lift home. Steen turned off at hovingham. We even picked up the remnants of the other rides in strensall on our way back into york Not the longest ride of the year but far enough for the time of year. Good company has usual but I did have to ride up and down the road at home to break the tonne.

As is normal I will know better late in the week if I'm out next week but if so I would think somewhere like millington or ripley are possible destinations

Jon

Ian H and myself had our own Sunday ride. After our Barcelona epic we arrived back at Leeds Bradford Airport on Sunday afternoon with our bikes in cardboard boxes, kindly given to us by a friendly bike shop in Barcelona. Unpacked and built the bikes up and then had a good ride back to York in great weather to finish off our trip.

Cheers

Dave