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NYMBO Update Swaledale Trailquest - Saturday 20th June 2009 I thoroughly enjoyed planning this event as it gave me a good reason to take time off work and ride my bike regularly in fantastic countryside. I checked every bridleway and marked every gate which I hope was helpful. Jens added them all and produced an excellent map. Unfortunately I forgot to tell him about a new landrover track between #19 and #30 as well as the extended track on Newsham Moor which should have been marked out of bounds. I am sorry that these omissions caused problems for at least 2 riders but a closer look at the map would have told them that they were in the wrong place. A number of riders couldn't find #17 but it was in the right place on the gate on the western bridleway. I placed it there to create an alternative route down to Langthwaite - using the steep singletrack rather than the awkward, longer route through Booze. A couple of riders also couldn't find #12 but it was still there when it was collected in and clearly visible from the track junction east of the shooting hut. The gamekeepers were very welcoming and haven't reported any problems so thank you for riding responsibly. The Dales Biking Centre provided and excellent start and finish venue. Stuart and Brenda Price were very accomodating and provided prizes for the leading riders as well as delicious refreshments afterwards. (PS If you forgot to pay for your cakes before you left please send them a cheque!!) Hopefully you will let your friends know about the centre and return for a social ride, course, bike maintainence or comfortable bunkhouse accomodation. Their details are on the NYMBO website. Thanks to all the helpers again - especially the control collectors and in particular John Dixon who also put out the 10 southern controls on Friday.(He then set off north when he was competing on Saturday!!) I put out the northern controls and ran out of daylight after 8 hours so that I had to put out #28 first thing on Saturday morning. I did save the Apedale circuit for myself on Saturday evening and had a wonderful 2 hour ride collecting in those 6 controls. Congratulations to Andrew Windrum and Mandy Faint for scoring the highest male and female totals on the day but a special mention to Phil Webster who won the M40 class with only 8 points fewer than Andrew.
Thanks to Sammy Wilson who has written the following article which gives a rider's perspective of the event. Since the Generation team made the inevitable split at the end of our debut season, I have ‘gone solo' and entered the youth category. After spending the Easter holidays in Muker for at least ten years, the Swaledale event will always be one of my favourites, the perfect weather conditions and luxury start/finish at the Dales Bike Centre made it even better. Things got off to a flying start (quite literally) after the top half of my helmet, for no apparent reason, was blown off on the short journey from the camping field to the start. After some running repairs, consisting of fixing the helmet back together using the mighty power Blu-tack, some free aloe-vera muscle rub and some invaluable last words of advice from Steve (“the hardest part of the whole thing is getting the map in the bag…”) I was ready to go. Not being one to stand around looking at the map for a good route, I made a quick scan for the big points and raced off towards Langthwaite. This apparently was not a good idea - it took me forty minutes to score any points – but after that I thought I was doing ok and had the basis of a good route planned out. “You've got a long way to go yet lad!” were the words shouted to me by a passing walker as I set off on the climb up through the disused mining works (scenery I thought was not too dissimilar from being on the moon). I reached the first 30 points of the day and made the superb descent into Whaw. I joined two other riders in picking up 25 points here, before leaving them to take the bridleway to the 10 points at Shaw Farm whilst I took the road. I was secretly rather pleased with myself as I arrived at the control a couple of minutes before them. With plenty more controls, as well as fantastic views across the dale, in my sights I headed onto Booze Moor. However, regardless of all the climbing, this was where things started to go downhill. I wasted precious time searching in vain (and in the wrong place) for control 17 before the killer blow appeared in the form of a puncture. Not being quite as educated as some competitors in the mechanical side of things, it was quite a challenge, the punctured inner tube was removed in no time but I spent a long and frustrating forty minutes or so trying to work out my pump and various valves. Luckily a saviour appeared in the form of a NYMBO regular (unfortunately I do not know his name) who very kindly took some of his time to give me a hand (and a pump that worked) meaning I did not have to limp back with minimal points and a flat tyre. The descent along Moresdale Ridge was fantastic but, due to the loss of time, I was forced to cut my route short and head for home over Fremlington Edge and another exhilarating descent. A final score of 140 was really very disappointing, , but it was an enjoyable ride and a fantastic weekend camping in Swaledale. The leading positions have changed in the NYMBO League. M21 Will Simmons M40 Wayne Nicholson W40 Mandy Faint M50 Dave Lloyd W50 Karen Clark M60 Roger Tyler W60 Karen Blackburn X40 Dennis Jacques & Shelia Pearce X50 Chris & Ralph Defty M18 Sam Wilson I have corrected the version that was posted on the web page on Monday. There was one item of lost property so please let me know if you lost a watch or if you found an SI dibber!! Eccup Lanequest Wednesday 17th June 28 riders started from the New Inn last week to cycle around the lanes and bridleways north of Leeds. The weather didn't look promising but it turned into a beautiful evening. North Leeds didn't sound romantic but the bridleways through the grounds of Harewood House (including the set of Emmerdale), past golf courses and Eccup Reservoir were a pleasant surprise. As this event was part of Leeds Bike Week prizes had been generously donated by Mike Taylor of G. Bradbury Floorcare & Laundry Equipment (Bike Pressure Washer); Iain Johnson of Cycle Yorkshire (MTB Skills Training Day); Leeds City Council's Bike Week team (Mini floor pump, water bottles and T-shirts). Congratulations to Rik Thompson and Maria Dixon - the leading male and female riders. We had printed 100 maps as we didn't know how many to expect so there will be another event here this winter. Results for both of these events are on the NYMBO web page. Future events The planners have been busy checking out the forests for our next 3 league events so I have just sent the maps to FC for final approval. They are three cracking course so I hope you can make it. Saturday 11th July and Sunday 12th July NYMBO 2 hour MBO events in Cropton and Newtondale Forests Event Centre at Mauley Cross, north of Stape GR796944 Camping available both nights so why not come for the weekend? Portaloo and water but no showers this month. Please note the start times are between 1 and 2pm as usual on Saturday but between 10 and 11am on Sunday Entries to nymboentries@stoneriggs.plus.com but please do not enter late by email if you are not certain of turning up. It is a waste of a map. Wednesday 15th July NYMBO 2hour Lanequest Fleece Inn, Bishop Wilton, Yorkshire Wolds GR797550 Entries to nymboevents@btinternet.com Full results and details of all our MBO events are on the 3 web pages Please let me know if there are any errors in the results, any links that don't work on the NYMBO page or you want your details removing from the mailing list. Hope to see you at one of our events in the near future Steve Willis |
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