We really enjoyed visiting Dalby to check the control sites and then riding the trails again to hang controls Friday evening and Saturday morning. Dalby provides great route choice and excellent tracks for all abilities and it was great to hear people telling me how much they had enjoyed their rides on the finish line, even some who had struggled to find one or two controls.

As we have to do the planning several months in advance of the event in order to get the permissions and maps prepared conditions can change on the tracks. It was March when we went out to the forest to check out potential control sites and my photos of most of the sites looked totally different to what we found on Friday evening. I did try to pick locations where we could get the controls close to the path hoping they would not be too overgrown this clearly didn’t always work out. There were several sites where we had to beat the bracken down on Friday evening to get the sites we had  planned and there were a couple of sites, e.g. 57 where we moved the control across or along the path slightly to avoid the vegetation. Sites 51 and 45 confused a few people, so sorry if you wasted some time or could not find them. If in doubt make sure you read the description for control placements – these two were a little way from the map feature – I thought I had marked them clearly with red and white tape, but maybe it had gone missing.

The last event I planned in Dalby was September 2010. We had about 100 riders at that event and Andy Conn was the only person to get all of the controls, but 4 minutes late back. This time I laid the controls out to make the total distance a bit less for 2015 and so thought possible someone might clear the course. I also put several high scoring controls near the start to give the fitter riders more of a challenge and a more satisfying ride with some high scoring controls for the majority. I hope people liked this. It was a shame we did not have so many riders this year with the clash with the start of the school holidays, but we had some pretty high scores with Graham Tibbot and Tim Evans getting most controls.

Andy & Corinne

Dalby Forest Organiser’s Comments

Thanks to Andy & Corinne Parsons for an excellent course in a great forest. Thanks as ever to Jens for another excellent map, Michael Brough, Karen Blackburn and John Dixon for helping on the day and Ray, Dave, John, Steve and Graham who helped Andy & Corinne collect the controls in after they had finished.

Congratulations to Graham Tibbot winning M21 (and overall) with an impressive ride visiting almost all of the controls for 480 points; Tim Evans M50-455; Phill Collings M40-421; Sheila Pearce W40-409; Steve Wood M60-385; Steve & Andrea Foster X50-360; Karen Blackburn W60-320. You can follow their routes using the splits file and course map below.

It was great to be back in a forest after 2 Dales events and I thoroughly enjoyed my ride on dry tracks and with stunning views between 40, 41 and 46.

It was disappointing that there were only 55 riders. I was trying to fit it in with our holidays but I assume many of our regulars were just starting theirs so I’ll not be using this weekend next year.

A few riders had difficulty finding #45 so I have given them the benefit of the doubt and, more importantly, the 15 points. There are 2 mistakes in the published results. Pete & Brittany Scowcroft are in X21 and Simon McPherson wasn’t there. Please let me know if there are any other mistakes so that John can update the league positions accurately.

We have got 2 events next month on the bank holiday weekend as usual

4 hours from Malham on Saturday 29^th then 3 hours in Cropton Forest on Monday 31^st. There is also a Roof of England Sportive in Weardale on Sunday 30^th if you want a full weekend on your bike. Full details about the 90, 50 or 30 mile courses are on www.roofofengland.co.uk

Hope to see you there or at another NYMBO event soon.

Steve

PS Someone left a waterbottle at the finish so please let me know if it’s yours.

PPS We have just had the hottest 3 weeks for years at Samoens. The lifts are open in the summer and our apartment isn’t fully booked in August so let me know if you fancy some brilliant mountain biking and walking!! The Cascades route involves 3 lifts then a 14k descent from 2500m to 700m. There are 2 other routes with over 1500m of descent as well as 7 brand new downhill singletrack routes from Green to Black standard.

2015 Dalby 25000 Working Drawing with Controls 5th June

Whilst reviewing the map is less essential for forest events, it’s a handy reminder of the start/finish and the various trails.

Don’t forget to print a copy of the flier for the reduced entry fee of £4 into Dalby Forest.

VENUE Stoneclose Campsite, High Rigg Farm, High Dalby, Pickering YO18 7LP
COURSES 3 hour SCORE event (with a 2 hour option for NOVICES)
REGISTER 11.30 – 12.45 STARTS 12.00 – 13.00

Dalby Forest July 2015 Blank Map