Right...report time.
Back to Friday. After umming and aahing about which service to go for, fast and rather early for my 1333 booked train, or slower but less but still plenty of time, I went for the first off-peak fast one to Waterloo. In at about ten minutes before noon, then up to Islington, where I went shopping in Sainsbury's (no yellow stickered bargain sandwiches, but a couple of bananas for mid-ride snacking) before over to KX. First class lounge is very busy indeed, one of the coffee machines is down, and judging by all the mugs and glasses everywhere, the staff have been rushed off their feet. Utterly trivial compared to the reason it's so busy. The delays caused by the death on the line had been long, though they seemed to be clearing rapidly. I certainly wasn't expecting to be leaving pretty much to time, but the announcement was made that the train was ready, so got round there and boarded, and we left about five minutes late.
As it's always been for me, LNER 1st class was a pleasure and well worth the upgrade price (Avanti West Coast it is not...). A good lunch of spicy bean pasta followed by a dessert pot, plenty of drinks and snacks. Train in about ten late, understandable after everything earlier. Less good: someone had decided to use the spare bike space for a suitcase of ridiculous size (and there's a notice about not doing that...). Very helpful when trying to get self and loaded bike off in a tight space crowded with people. Got there in the end without ending up travelling to Newcastle. Found friend Daryl in the second of the two places he might have been waiting (his message to me hadn't pinged through) and then we were off riding up to Newton. As usual, a longer and more scenic route than I'd usually take, and a contraflow on the opening stretch didn't help the speed either. But no need to hammer, of course, and more pleasant a route than just sticking to the A19 as I do. As ever, a warm welcome from Jen, caution from Nora the dog (though she did warm to me, as usual), total indifference from Agatha the cat (she's still biding her time....). The only pics I took on the weekend were of the four-legged pair, so I'll post some in that thread. A most splendid evening followed- Nora took us for a walk, and as ever mine hosts cooked up a storm, carb-loading accomplished with very great pleasure. Chinwagging, tailwagging and general mooching made for a most pleasant evening.
Just before 2230, time to head back south, with fabulous brownies from Jen in pannier (insert many noms here). Quick edition of Autumnwatch on Moor Lane (an owl sitting on the road, flew off of course). Route one, tailwind, and quiet traffic (boy racing idiots thankfully going in the reverse direction) made for a rather faster trip. Even got round the Roundabout of Death (York Edition) without resorting to the underpass. Without really hammering I was back at the Minster, 8.5 miles from Newton (a mile and a half shorter than Daryl's quieter route) in 38 minutes (53 going north), and first there at 2305. I'd overshot the Sainsbury's Local on Bootham, so I walked back there for my alternative to the dubious nutrition of the golden arches. Yellow-stickered pasta pot at 32p. Mine! Mine! Darryl, who I didn't recognise but knew me from previous rides, was the first to join me, followed by the rest of our select gathering. I have of course invited friend Daryl to join me on this magnificent ride on multiple occasions, but neither mileage or overnighting appeals to him. He saved the rest of us any nominative confusion on the night, anyway! Pleasure to meet
@DCLane, who frequently showed off a ridiculous turn of speed and climbed without troubling the smaller ring. Git
Ten had registered, but that included Tim, who had forgotten the double-booking with his trip south to north across Germany. Apart from David, I'd ridden with everyone else at least once or twice before, if not many times before-
@Andrew Br,
@Domus, Ian J (again on his Brompton G-Line), and Steve (his better half Dawn sitting this one out, but they will both be joining self and no doubt numerous others for the Brighton ride). One lady with dubious-sounding phone communication issues declined to show, or let ride leader know. Three minutes past midnight, and we were off.
All of us were strong riders (though tail-ender Peter complained about the pace, he kept up), we had a tailwind…unsurprisingly, our pace started strong and stayed there, despite the obligatory Eric Morecambe navigation outbreaks (multiple people had the route apart from ride leader, so errors/umming and aahing were quickly sorted out). The Solar System path was safely navigated without issue this time, and there wasn't a single mechanical of note all night. I was reminded of the pace we had on the last ride I did in 2022 (post Andrew having to leave us). This time, however, it was more through efficiency than expendiency. With such a small group there was no need of waymarkers, regroups were of convenience rather than a need to wait, and we had that rare, pleasant, phenomenon, almost mythical in fact, known as a tailwind. Not as many PRs as when we were putting the hammer down four years back, but still flying along nicely. Selby, 15 miles in, reached in 1:20. Elapsed, not riding. Traffic light, and what there was was considerate, which was nice.
First stop was at Airmyn services west of Goole, where we were pretty much the only customers at the 24 hour garage, with handy indoor seating area, so no need to perch on bags of compost and charcoal briquettes. Aforementioned brownies were offered to the nocturnal peloton and politely declined both here and later on. I'll just have to work through them with the parent. Oh dear, never mind, how sad
Costa machine was so slow I wondered if it was getting fresh beans over from Colombia, but the coffee hit the spot.
Then, onto Goole, Swinefleet, Whitgift (clock that goes to thirteen invisible in the dark), then south, past the village hall at Garthorpe (sniff, again), Keadby, Gunness, and round to the delights of the golden arches just about five. I just had a tea, the pasta and some more of my supplies. Then, suitably (or unsuitably) sated, on we went. Through Normanby, then the short-but-steep climb at Thealby. Andrew thought we hadn't climbed it before on this ride, I knew I had. Checking on Strava, that was my seventh ascent of it, including Colin's forum ride from York down to the Bridge and back in 2015, we did it in 2022, and I remember doing it multiple times before on this ride. Couldn't make 2011 but they did it on that one. Not long after that, the biggest climb of the night (OK, it was morning now) at South Ferriby. No Ditchling, though still a workout, but I used the 34x34 gear for convenience rather than necessity. David still didn't need the small ring…
After that, big climb no.3, the suspended bridge one. A bit blustery up there, but I've always enjoyed it. Then the home stretch, through Hessle and into the land of cream phone boxes, and at Wetherspoons by 0730 or so. Average speed nearly 13 mph since the Minster! I was doubtful about riding back already, and given what I had left of my food, I went for a lighter breakfast than usual. Porridge with banana hit the spot. Less than an hour after arriving, I decided to test the waters- well, wind- for heading back. A couple of minutes heading back west on Anlaby Road was enough to make the HOW MUCH? Northern fare (yes, capital letters needed) to York a considerably better option. As it's one an hour direct, I'd made sure to give myself time to do that test, and make the next train rather than hang about. Riding back to Newton would have been utterly miserable and utterly exhausting. So, train it was, joined by Steve and a couple of other cyclists on the two-car train (topped and tailed, room enough for four bikes in the two bike space, guy with a
Ribble found room somewhere too). Back into York just after ten, goodbye to Steve, and then on my way again. Daryl's route out of the station was much better than my usual out-the-front (there's loads of ongoing work on the main entrance side) so went for that (and I'll stick to it in future) before heading back up the A19. Overall speed was barely slower than the trip south had been (41 minutes, 12.7 rolling average), but Moor Lane (westward) was hard work- I was still keeping a steady pace, but it was a workout that reinforced the sense in not trying to ride back. Back just before eleven, a tea then a nap. David, as he noted, made splendid time on a route much like the one I take, to easily make his train. Multiple chapeaux, especially hard into that wind.
Sentience restored, lunch, more dog walking, another excellent dinner, and an early night. For some reason, I needed it
This morning, porridge, a slightly slower ride back to the station, just before eleven, and another excellent LNER service- delayed by signalling problems, but everything else up to scratch. Bacon roll went down nicely (unlike the McD version!). Then over to Waterloo, in plenty of time for the one-an-hour actual train option available (the main line services terminating at Petersfield, eighteen miles from home, and the dreaded rail replacement bus). That, too was late, but as I pointed out to Jen, there were much worse alternatives. Avanti West Coast followed by Southern would have been type zero fun...Back into Hilsea just after four, then eight minutes riding later, home. Back to work for a rest tomorrow (oh joy).
Thanks everyone! Hopefully back next time. And Brighton awaits...
