17th & 18th January, 2015
Everyone congregated at 10:30am Saturday morning for the long awaited CW’s race team ‘away weekend’!
The two groups set off – the steady group taking the more direct, but extremely hilly route over the moors, and the faster group intending to head out towards Osmotherley & Hornby before picking up the main Scarborough road at Helmsley.
Due to road conditions, the fast group had a change of plan, deciding it would be safer to take the lower option – circling around to Northallerton, Thirsk and up over Sutton Bank. Adding the extra mileage put doubt in people’s minds…none more so than Martin Brearey – who then came up with a whole host of excuses for additional ‘stop’s’ – 3 x glove drops, 1 x puncture, 1 x grease on rim. Never the less the group worked well, passing Helmsley, Kirbymoorside and onto Thornton-le-Dale for a well deserved coffee stop, where the steady and fast groups converged.
After the brief stop, and with a relatively short distance to go – the final destination of Scarborough could be sensed! The pace went up and within no time everyone was checking into the Youth Hostel…all apart from Chris Roose, who was still out on the road with light fading?!? Rumours were circling that he had ridden into the town centre to play on the ‘penny slots’ and get a ‘I love Scarborough’ tattoo? However, these rumours were put to rest as Chris then walked through the door – delayed after taking a wrong turn.
The evening was spent refueling after a tough day in the saddle, at a fantastic Italian restaurant – Tricolos…with some people literally eating anything that is put in front of them… Simon!
Next morning – with sore legs and a heavy frost, it was up to each member to decide which route to take – the slightly hillier route over the Howardian Hills, alternatively taking the direct road back towards Helmsley – both options equally tough with the miles from the previous day in everyone’s legs.
After a brief converging of both groups in Helmsley, it was then onwards and upwards to our return destination – Stokesley, as snow was forecast later in the day.
Thankfully everyone made it back just in time before the heavy snow arrived! Well done to everyone who took part…fantastic effort!
A big thank you to Marcus for organising a thoroughly enjoyable weekend with a great group of people! It has got to be a regular feature on the CW’s calendar! Also a big thank you to the Tanfield family for transporting our bags and making sure we were all OK on the road!
Words: Andy Curson.
Photos: Various
Cleveland Wheelers 