Peculier Old 200 - route checking for a new calendar event

[yoav]

Sorry to hear that. This was my first ever Audax, having been persuaded by the lovely folks at VC 167 that I should give it a go. Several times I thought of giving up, because of the wind but somehow, I found the mental and physical strength to keep going, and it did get easier after Masham. I thought I was last to finish but turns out I was only 3rd from last. Thanks Deano and as you correctly predicted, my 'never again' from last night has turned into a 'well, maybe' today.

[madcow]

We are  very lucky to have some great cycling country spread across the north bit of North Yorkshire and the bottom bit of County Durham .
What we really needed was someone to get it all together , join the dots and set it to music.
Hats off to Deano for doing all this and thanks to all the other helpers manning controls and baking cakes.
With this ride becoming very popular and the two spring rides set to become classics as well, Darlington could soon be looked upon as a cycling mecca (well almost.)

As for yesterdays session, my arms ache from wrestling with the bike, I was blown off the road twice (I am the wrong side of 14 stone, so that tells you how strong the wind was) and yes I did wear the event jersey and drink a pint of OP at Masham just to complete the day.

[CrinklyUncle]

This was a great ride that I really enjoyed. It was a bit windy, the windfinder report from near the route at 12:00 shows average 32mph and gusts 45mph https://www.windfinder.com/report/copley/2017-10-28

When I got home I found that I lost my Jacket. It is a black goretex one jacket. Did anyone find it? I wore it until the second info control then took it off and put it in my seat pack. I think it might have fallen out at the last control and I guess the wind then blew it away.

[arabella]

cracking route, if a bit windy across the top (reminiscent of the friday night ride to the goths last nov, but with added daylight and less rain.)
combi of wind funnel + cattle grid + toe overlap meant I had a stroll towards the top. 
nice veg soup in Middleton Tyas.  A few bits around Barney had moved from where I remembered them to be last time I was passing (8+years back)
nice to see some old (Aidan, Lynne, Peter, Andy) and new faces (Graeme) too.
I managed to add an extra 10km at the end due to missing the R SP DARLO (SP obscured).  mainly 'cos I'd got it into my head I was looking for a T-junction.  So failed to mentally spot the 9.8km since last instruction were up and start looking (this usually works reasonably well).  It's time to review my 'reading the route sheet in the dark' solution.  (non existent on the geared bike)

[Deano]

Thanks, everyone, and I'll ask at the pub about your jacket, Mark.

I make it 83 starters and 79 finishers on the day - nothing major in the DNFs, they all packed before Middleton. I did let one rider enter on the line as he thought he'd entered, and he had. But for last year I reckon it was a success, on the whole.

You can't do this sort of event on your own, and it was lovely to have so many willing helpers - thanks to Lynn, June and Dan at Fishburn, Mark at the finish, D.A.L.E. for photographing the Langleydale bit, Graeme at Masham and Chris S and boab at Appleton Wiske. The #1 comment from riders at the finish was how much they enjoyed the spread of cake. PSA: there is a vacancy at Masham next year, so please submit your CV etc via the usual channels if you are interested in sitting at a pub for a few hours and spending riders' entry fees on beer and camembert (both optional).

A few people commented about the wind, and I do sympathise. Behold the carnage:

[Deano]

I went out to take a few photos, but they're all the front half of the field as I had to get back to the finish.

Whorlton hairpin:


madcow:


jiberjaber:


Karla/bunbury/whatever:


The rest are (or will be) here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/30024450@N04/albums/72157688557383104

[L CC]

I was very happy to be able to offer a choice of cake to every rider from the earliest (who managed 3 slices) and the latest- who also managed 3 slices, and took another few to fuel him for his ECE home.

Bob Bialek trialled every variety and voted the Caramel Shortbread as Top Cake and I was thrilled to have a taker for the vegan gluten free brownies (she said they were delicious- I thought they smelt rank when they were cooking). I wasn't sure how much people would want to stop / eat with only 20km to the finish but everyone seemed very glad to see us. Though that could be just because we're so lovely 

Somehow, we appear to have no cake left this morning.

Weather is looking less windy (yay!) but a little damp-er (boo!) for our outing tomorrow.

[arabella]

Somehow, we appear to have no cake left this morning.

guilty!  cake for breakfast etc

aside: having revisited next weekend but last years goth ride I suspect this year's weather wasn't as bad.  Strange how you forget ... 

[Deano]

Some of you might have spotted the photographer up Langleydale (aka the Windy Bit), and I've clagged his photos in the flickr album as well, for the benefit of those that don't do FB. He goes by @overhimavant on Instagram, by the way. I don't know why. https://www.instagram.com/overhimavant/

You'll have to click through for the rest, but here's yoav and Uncle Peter:

[yoav]

Yay! Fame at last!

Any chance you could ask the photographer to email me the original? I'd love to print it out and hang it on the wall, along with the brevet card, when it eventually comes.

[Karla]

The photographer is D.A.L.E. on here, who I'm sure will be persuadable via PM.

[D.A.L.E.]

The photographer is D.A.L.E. on here, who I'm sure will be persuadable via PayPal

Tidied.

[Karla]

If yoav wants to send you his payment details over an open forum rather than via private communique, that's fine by me.  I'll stand by and watch closely 

[yoav]

The deal is done!
Thanks

[D.A.L.E.]

If anyone needs me, I'll be on my yacht.