RR Three Bridges Audax 156km - Approc 100miles
 

Today I had a stab at my first imperial century with York's Clifton CC
Audax. Unusually for me, I was half an hour early thanks to my riding
buddy giving me a lift in his car and he's a stickler for extrem punctuality
:-)

The Clifton crew were a happy welcoming lot and although two groups set off,
the hares and the sedated hares ;-). I found the sedated hares group a tad
too fast though my pal, a speed skater disappeared with them for a while
before turning back and rejoining me. A regular Audax participant, Roy
Winterburn also found the pace a bit to fast and we hung around together as
a collective lanterne rouge

The first forty kilometers had some nice rolling scenery after Pocklington
and the climb up Trundle Gate after Hotham was particularly enjoyable.
Swanland was an interesting place with lots of expensive looking houses
which seamlessly merged with North Ferriby's expesive looking houses. The
Humber suddenly appeared and the bridge was not immediately apparent until I
looked to the left and the sight was awesome. The sedated hares group were
having their break in a garden centre as the cafe at the bridge was not
open. The lanterne rouge pressed onto the tourist information centre at the
bridge and had a snack there. The slow hares caught up with us, got their
cards stamped and then disappeared but not before one ot them came over for
a chat having recognised me from a hilly Audax in Derbyshire last year.

The view from the appraoches to the bridge were great. I liked the windmill
by the banks of the Humber. The bridge is impressive. The next phase of
the ride through Burton Upon Staher and Flixbourough was great before
crossing a big bridge over the Trent. I had a strange feeling of deja vu
and Roy told me that I'd ridden over it in the Thorne Audax in January.
Much of the ride between Garthorpe and Goole was done at around 30km/hr as
we'd gained the benefit of a tailwind. Reedness has a curious church with
thiteen in roman numerals instead of twelve on its church's clock tower.
Very soon were were over the Boothferry Bridge getting our cards stamped at
the Family Diner and making our way back to Stamford Bridge via Howden
(great Co-Op), Sutton on Derwent, Elvington and Kexby.

Mark antrobus the organiser and a helper were till there, the leader of the
'sedated hares' having just left and congratulateing us on his way out f the
car park. Arthur Clunes suggestion of eight hours proved to be a tad
optimistic and I was happy to finish feeling surprisingly fresh in nine and
half hours auguring well for an attempt at a 200km Audax soon. I tried to
oblige Marks entreaties to eat all of the left over cake but failed
miserably.

All in all a cracking day out. The weather was nearly perfect - a 100% tail
wind would have been the icing on the cake. A lot of the scenery was
interesting though their is a limit to the attractiveness of flat acres of
oil seed rape. The hedgerows were snow white in places with hawthorn
blossom and there was much of achitectural interest to look at in the form
of abandone chapels, railway building and new builds along with the
windmills that would benefit from being refitted with sails though the
rennovated towers were very nice indeed. No exotic road kill though I did
see a live stoat cross the road.

I can not recommend this ride enough and the currenlt low numbers of riders,
39 ought to be much higher. I'll be back next year for another go.

RR Three Bridges Audax 156km - Approc 100miles
 

vernon wrote:
Today I had a stab at my first imperial century with York's Clifton CC
Audax.

I'm glad you enjoyed it and everyone was friendly. Hopefully next year
we'll arrange it so it's doesn't clash with the Teesdale Mtn TT and
I'll be able to ride and will see you there.

Cheers,

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune. http://www.cliftoncc.org

RR Three Bridges Audax 156km - Approc 100miles
 

"vernon" wrote in message
...


The first forty kilometers had some nice rolling scenery after
Pocklington and the climb up Trundle Gate after Hotham was particularly
enjoyable.

Trundlegate in South Newbald enjoyable? You want your head examining Sir ;-)

Swanland was an interesting place with lots of expensive looking houses
which seamlessly merged with North Ferriby's expesive looking houses.

I do believe you were down our street at that point :-)

Well done on the rest of the ride!

--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

RR Three Bridges Audax 156km - Approc 100miles
 

"Arthur Clune" wrote in message
...
vernon wrote:
Today I had a stab at my first imperial century with York's Clifton CC
Audax.

I'm glad you enjoyed it and everyone was friendly. Hopefully next year
we'll arrange it so it's doesn't clash with the Teesdale Mtn TT and
I'll be able to ride and will see you there.

My two riding partners also enjoyed the ride and we'll all be back. Perhaps
the numbers will rise in a non PBP year? It certainly deserves a bigger
field.

RR Three Bridges Audax 156km - Approc 100miles
 

"Simon Mason" wrote in message
...

"vernon" wrote in message
...


The first forty kilometers had some nice rolling scenery after
Pocklington and the climb up Trundle Gate after Hotham was particularly
enjoyable.

Trundlegate in South Newbald enjoyable? You want your head examining Sir
;-)

Perhaps satisfying would be a better description. I used to need several
rests on such drags and would not ahve coped without the 22 x 34 gearing of
my Galaxy. I got up it on 30 x 28 gearing without straining so the
experience flags improved fitness/technique. I am not a grimpeur I just
relentlessly twiddle my way up inclines like Trundle Gate.

Swanland was an interesting place with lots of expensive looking houses
which seamlessly merged with North Ferriby's expesive looking houses.

I do believe you were down our street at that point :-)

Certainly full of des res abodes!! The view of the Humber Bridge is
stunning I still can't get over the surprise of seeing it for the first
time. It's got a much nicer setting than the old Severn Bridge.

Well done on the rest of the ride!

Pocklington to the Humber bridge and then the Trent bridge was all new
territory to me. It was bizarre though to ride from the Trent bridge to
Boothferry Bridge again without recognising much other than the Trent bridge
and the clock with the wrong numerals. I must have been in a trance on the
Thorne 100 in January.

Now for the Hessle 200km ..I've been told it's a bit lumpy. I suppose I'd
better design a few rolling scenic DIY routes to get some practice in.

RR Three Bridges Audax 156km - Approc 100miles
 

"vernon" wrote in message
...


Pocklington to the Humber bridge and then the Trent bridge was all new
territory to me. It was bizarre though to ride from the Trent bridge to
Boothferry Bridge again without recognising much other than the Trent
bridge and the clock with the wrong numerals. I must have been in a
trance on the Thorne 100 in January.


It's not too difficult on that route, it's more or less a flat featureless
void. In fact, there is a spot in that area which contains the only 1km
square on the Ordnance Survey maps which has nothing in it at all.


http://tinyurl.com/gxh2o
--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

RR Three Bridges Audax 156km - Approc 100miles
 

Now for the Hessle 200km ..I've been told it's a bit lumpy. I suppose I'd
better design a few rolling scenic DIY routes to get some practice in.

You should meet up with your riding buddies from the Mini Northwest
Passage on the Hessle, as I have to cycle home from The Old 240 that
weekend, which means they are out and about somewhere......believed to
be the Hull area.
Prior to that I know my dads riding the 150km from Alfreton, and my
Brother in Law and Nephew are at Wiggington on the 100km.
Hope to see you on the road soon

Andy S

RR Three Bridges Audax 156km - Approc 100miles
 

Simon Mason wrote:
"vernon" wrote in message
...


Swanland was an interesting place with lots of expensive looking houses
which seamlessly merged with North Ferriby's expesive looking houses.

I do believe you were down our street at that point :-)

In Yorkshire, 'expensive looking houses' means houses with doors and
windows.

RR Three Bridges Audax 156km - Approc 100miles
 

"Andy S" wrote in message
oups.com...
Now for the Hessle 200km ..I've been told it's a bit lumpy. I suppose
I'd
better design a few rolling scenic DIY routes to get some practice in.

You should meet up with your riding buddies from the Mini Northwest
Passage on the Hessle, as I have to cycle home from The Old 240 that
weekend, which means they are out and about somewhere......believed to
be the Hull area.
Prior to that I know my dads riding the 150km from Alfreton, and my
Brother in Law and Nephew are at Wiggington on the 100km.
Hope to see you on the road soon

Andy S

Great!

I've got a largish gap in my calendered events - I've had to withdraw from
Wiggington due to work commitments and the next one after Hessle is likely
to be the Vermuyden CC's Beverley 100. I wonder what has happened to their
200 as I enjoyed that last year. The Hartside is tempting, I'm fitter than
I was when I tried it last year and I welcomed the spoke breakages that
brought me to a halt at Kirkby Stephen. I'll be filling in the gaps with
some 100 and 200 permanents. I might even do some Peak Audax AAA perms
during the May half term holidays.

-=V=-

RR Three Bridges Audax 156km - Approc 100miles
 

"Simon Mason" wrote in message
. uk...

"vernon" wrote in message
...


Pocklington to the Humber bridge and then the Trent bridge was all new
territory to me. It was bizarre though to ride from the Trent bridge to
Boothferry Bridge again without recognising much other than the Trent
bridge and the clock with the wrong numerals. I must have been in a
trance on the Thorne 100 in January.


It's not too difficult on that route, it's more or less a flat featureless
void. In fact, there is a spot in that area which contains the only 1km
square on the Ordnance Survey maps which has nothing in it at all.


http://tinyurl.com/gxh2o
--
Funnily enough, I remember riding past that square though my attention was
taken by the sign post to the car park for the bird sanctuary on the
opposite side of the road.