February 2012
M T W T F S S
« Jan   Mar »
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
272829  
Categories
Latest Postings
Links
Archives
Meta
« cycle ride | Club 10 mile TT Championship and Handicap 2012 »

Batley Bash 2012

At the library on Sunday morning were me, Alastair, Gentleman Geoff and Mad John. We rode steadily to the start of the Bash, joined on the way by Spinner and Mick and Jonny and Fry Up at the start. There were about 80 riders in all at the start. There was a quick speech from Craig Newton which went something like “Do what you want, just do it safely”.

I was new to the Batley Bash and didn’t quite know what to expect. I had already learned that there was no stop (unlike the Pocklington 100) and that everyone took it seriously. It seemed a bit like a proper race – but it couldn’t be, could it? Surely not!

Well, we set off at quite a pace. There were spells when we went at 25-27mph. Some of the time we were much slower than that, but the pace was more than brisk, but manageable. I rode with Alastair on the way out for most of the way, and near to Selby the pace got much quicker. However, I was enjoying it. Then, coming out of Selby the only female rider fell off in front of me on a roundabout. I was heading towards her at a fair turn of speed and confident that I could steer round until another rider hit her and fell off. I then had two choices, ride over his back wheel or jump off. I headed for the verge, unclipped and dived off, forward roll, back on my  feet, ran back to the bike, picked it up, got back on and pedalled like hell to catch Alastair up again. No harm done!

The pace got quicker. Alastair at one point said to me “We averaged 25mph on the way back last year. We have averaged 18mph so far”. As we approached Boothferry Bridge, he then said “Here we go”. “What’s he on about”, I wondered.I soon found out. The pace went mental. 27mph. I dropped back 4 or 5 riders but kept in the group. The pace just never seemed to drop. Flat out, jostling for position, trying to eat some more (thankfully I had eaten in the first half of the ride). The field split, and I am pleased to say I stayed in the lead group until Pontefract when I got spat out the back on two hills with a dozen others. A group of 6 of us managed to get a fair old pace going, and I managed to get back to the finish. 70 miles, 3hrs 29mins. Average speed was 20.1mph which gives some indication of how much faster it was in the second half of the ride.

It was a good day!

This entry was posted on 13/02/2012 at 10:24 am and is filed under Blogroll. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

| Print

21 Responses to “Batley Bash 2012”

  1. Alastair says:
    13/02/2012 at 11:44 am

    You rode really well mate - very strong indeed. Hope you’re not too badly bruised today after the fall at the RB. Women, eh?!!

  2. Doug says:
    13/02/2012 at 12:43 pm

    After your performance, Alastair, will you now accept my advice and go road racing, please!?

  3. Alastair says:
    13/02/2012 at 12:49 pm

    I can’t get into any events mate. They are all fully booked up months in advance. It takes the pee pee really. I’ll keep trying, though. Plus the organisers give preference to clubs/teams that organise RR Events and my team only organise TT events so it’s a hard nut to crack!

    Hope everyone had a good day out and got home safely.

  4. phil johnson says:
    13/02/2012 at 01:22 pm

    the other thorpers on the day made the stop at selby, going to cj”s. Geoff, Craig newton, Mike k, mad john,jonny dyson,Spindler john and me. With us also was a wakey cc rider Dougie Dunbar who rode back to Cas vegas with us. no points for him Al but Richy Creaser and Les were also out on the day.

  5. Tomac-76 says:
    13/02/2012 at 01:32 pm

    It was a good day out me and Al held the fort for the Thorpers and team Swift in the front group all the way back to Wakefield. Glad no of us got caught in the crash and came of badly. It was getting a bit dicy around those round abouts.

  6. Tomac-76 says:
    13/02/2012 at 01:34 pm

    PS- My legs are abit tierd today.
    & Ben what was your excuse.

  7. johnthewliss says:
    13/02/2012 at 02:03 pm

    Doug you must have done about 90 miles has those that stopped at Selby had 66 in .
    Great ride out at one point i was doing 26 mph when Alastair over took me after a pee stop doing 30 and above .
    after being stopped twice by lights and then rail crossing there was no way i was getting back on so stopped at the cafe in Selby with the rest of the Thorpers .
    Great day great company good laughs.
    where to Sunday Al.
    I may make one in but week after is my first TT of the year on the V910.
    have fun

    Mad John

  8. Steve McCall says:
    13/02/2012 at 02:15 pm

    Sounds excellent guys, a little crazy but still excellent, well done to all.

    Mad- “First TT of the year”, does that mean there will be 2 or more???????

    Get in you beast, you will soon be a sad lonely isolated figure with spit and snot over their face and bars who trundles up dual carriage ways and hates talking to people :-)

  9. Tomac-76 says:
    13/02/2012 at 02:48 pm

    Al/Phill
    Are we doing the 60 in 6 from brighouse on the 26th as a club run?

  10. johnthewliss says:
    13/02/2012 at 04:13 pm

    lots more steve may even bump into you now and again , still trying to talk the missis into a new bike

  11. BenBlyth says:
    13/02/2012 at 04:24 pm

    My excuise is I am a puff. Nothing else to it. I’m not going to claim there was any reason why I wasn’t out. Saw what I thought was bad weather and bottled it. I am truely ashamed.

    I throw myself at the feet of the (Kangaroo) Court…

  12. Doug says:
    13/02/2012 at 05:06 pm

    Mad John. The actual route from start to finish was 70 miles. I did 85 in total but started my computer at Tingley and took the finish times at Tingley at the end of the ride.
    Ben - you now have to make up for your misdemeanour.

  13. BenBlyth says:
    13/02/2012 at 05:50 pm

    Yes, I am aware of that Doug. Flogging myself fixed to work this morning was a start.

  14. John says:
    13/02/2012 at 07:15 pm

    Great ride,Boothferry next year.Fry up you’ll have to find us a cafe near there.See you on the 60 in 6.

  15. phil johnson says:
    13/02/2012 at 07:52 pm

    i did john but when i said it was a flat route everyone gave me the finger.

  16. JD says:
    13/02/2012 at 09:23 pm

    Good day although I struggled big thanks to geoff for keeping me going nice one doug/rich and alister for finishing so well

  17. Al and Sarah says:
    13/02/2012 at 10:50 pm

    Well done lads wish I could have joined you but I thinkI would have been dropped about a mile out of the car park!! The 60 in 6 will be the club run on the 26th and this Sunday we will be again trying to reach Thrybergh Country Park, so get ready for some sort of extreme weather to stop us…

  18. jack the flying dutchman says:
    13/02/2012 at 11:16 pm

    Well done guys, sorry i missed it. Had a longndrive to London in the afternoon but managed to do my favorite Oxenhope, Hebden Bridge, Cragg Vale route in the morning. Weather was great!

  19. Doug says:
    14/02/2012 at 03:51 pm

    Jack - you rode your “morning leg stretcher”? Well done!

  20. jack the flying dutchman says:
    14/02/2012 at 10:02 pm

    Yep - next week if weather is OK going to Colne…anyone joining?

  21. John says:
    17/02/2012 at 06:56 pm

    only in the van.lol.

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.