Gargrave Organiser’s Comments

Thanks to Graham Fielding for an excellent course in a mainly new area. It was great to be riding lots of new dry tracks in typical, cracking Yorkshire Dales scenery despite the brisk cold wind. Unfortunately, Graham couldn’t be there at the weekend so thanks to Ray, Mick, Ben and David who helped us put out the controls on Friday and then collected most of them in on Saturday afternoon after they had ridden.

Thanks also to Jens for another excellent map, Frank & Sandra Appleton, Karen Blackburn & Adrian Baskerville for helping on the day as well as David Lloyd and the Coiley family who also collected controls so that I was back in Richmond by 8.00.

Final thanks to Gargrave for an excellent event centre with very welcome refreshments.

Congratulations to Alex Pilkington winning M40 and overall with 445 points; Ben Martin M21-400; Ray Morriss M60-395; Michael (Simon) Trickett M50-383; James Martin Y18-355; Sheila Pearce W40-340; Andrea & Steve Foster X50-310; Ben & Stephen Collins Gen-235. You can follow their routes using the splits file and course map on the NYMBO site.

2015 Gargrave 40000 Working Drawing with Controls 8th May

I enjoyed putting out the southern 4 controls on Friday but decided to head north on Saturday to ride bridleways that I hadn’t ridden before – without visiting Malham Cove, Gordale scar or Mastiles Lane – and succeeded. It was great to see all of the work that the national park have been doing to make many of these bridleways more rideable. I had never ridden over Flasby Fell before so I had kept that treat for the end. I was definitely very weary as it got softer on the way up from 46 and very disappointed at how tough it was on the way down – but glad I’ve done it now.

Our next event is another 5 hour event at Ingleton on Saturday 20^th June. Don’t forget that you can enter the Non-Comp class for only £6 if you want a shorter ride. This event is part of the OvergroundUnderground weekend so plenty of other activities if you fancy spending longer in another beautiful part of the Yorkshire Dale. You can subscribe free of charge at http://www.ogug.co.uk/ and download the full programme of activities.

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

Steve

PS Sorry that these comments have been written a bit later than usual but we have been visiting our family since the event.

Thanks to Peter Swanborough for planning an excellent course and all of the helpers who made it possible especially Matthew Streets. Congratulations to Andrew Windrum and Sheila Pearce for their winning scores

Here is the map so you can follow the routes from the split times in the results

2015 Nidderdale 40000 Working Drawing with Controls 22nd March 2015

Nidderdale Organiser’s Comments

Thanks to Peter Swanborough for a brilliant event at his first attempt. It was the perfect length with Andrew Windrum nearly clearing up (but not quite), plenty of route choice for everyone, superb views on excellent but tough bridleways and all in a Yorkshire heatwave! He had also been very successful in negotiating the use of the private Yorkshire Water tracks and very thorough in visiting many of the farmers and landowners on route as well as preparing and placing various signs to avoid any problems.

Thanks also to Matthew Streets who helped Peter before during and after the event, Jens for another excellent map, Frank & Sandra Appleton, Karen Blackburn & Adrian Baskerville for helping on the day and Graham Townsend, Mike Connor, Ray Morriss, Andrew Windrum & James Turner who collected controls so that I was back in Richmond by 7.00.

Congratulations to Andrew Windrum winning M40 and overall with 498 points; Mark Rowley M50-440; Ben Martin M21-418; Andrea & Steve Foster X50-382; Sheila Pearce W40-380; Ray Morriss M60-380; James Martin Y18-330; Dave & Gabe Collins Gen-312

I enjoyed my ride until my bottom bracket jammed at #35. I was looking forward to more brilliant views on Fountains Earth Moor before descending into the valley to ride around Gowthwaite Reservoir. However, at least I didn’t need to pedal to get back to the finish.

Our next event is at Gargrave on Saturday 16^th May. Don’t forget that you can enter the Non-Comp class for only £6 if you want a shorter ride. There is also a Sprint MTBO event at Fewston Reservoir at 9am the same day if you need a warm-up before a 5 hour event!!

I have planned the OMM Bike & Lite events at Bamford in the Peak District next weekend (25^th/26^th April) and Jens has drawn the map. It’s a 2 day event with 7,5&3 hour options on Saturday and 5,4&3 hour courses on Sunday. There are still a few spare maps and you can ride only one day if you prefer. Entries have closed but you can reserve a map by emailing me and full details are available at www.theomm.com

Hope to see you at Bamford or Gargrave.

Steve

Photo gallery from the event:

The blank map without controls for Saturday’s 4 hour event at Lofthouse is now available – worth checking out the tracks and the callout box for the bit that goes off the map!

VENUE GR 102 734 Lofthouse Memorial Hall, Thrope Lane HG3 5RZ

FACILITIES Parking next to the cricket field (100736) 300m NW of the hall

REGISTER 10.30 – 11.45 STARTS 11.00 – 12.00

FEES SENIORS £12.00 JUNIORS/STUDENTS £6.00

You can enter online here (by Wednesday night please)

18 April 2015 Nidderdale Blank Map

The route is from Ravensglass to Ravenscar, which is rated as one of the toughest C2C routes out there, it was devised by the guys at Pedal North (http://www.pedalnorth.com/content/mtb-c2c):

• Over 250 miles (about 90% fully off-road)
• Over 32,000 feet of climbing
• Going through / over the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and the North Yorkshire Moors
• Plus, we will be completing the red trails at Grizedale and Dalby Forest on the way through

We would like to request your support and encouragement in the form of sponsorship. There are a couple of ways that you can donate; firstly the JustGiving Coast to Coast 2015 web link – http://www.justgiving.com/c2c2015, secondly you can  donate via text message using the Vodafone details below.

Thank you for your support

Sheila & Dennis

Lofthouse is located in the heart of an AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and is a new venue for our MTB score events with a guaranteed downhill finish ! The event area to the North covers the stunning Upper Nidderdale reservoirs and surrounding moors on a superb range of bridleways and permissive tracks. The picturesque steep sided valley follows the course of the river Nidd with road and bridleways heading South to Ramsgill, past Gouthwaite Reservoir, and onto Pateley Bridge. More excellent bridleways await, passing through the disused mines beyond Ashfold Side, and onto Greenhow and Bewerley. The event has been planned to provide a great days riding for all abilities with some interesting route options, however the best of the views may involve some hard work ! If you have not visited this special part of Yorkshire before……. treat yourself ! See you at the start.

Pete Swanborough (Event Planner)

Yorkshire Wolds MBO Score – 28^th March 2015

Planner’s Comments

When we offered to plan this event we decided early on to make use of the Northern Wolds. The major challenge was in securing both an event centre and parking. Ideally it would have been preferable to find somewhere central but this was not to be. Weaverthorpe Village Hall whilst providing the necessary facilities clearly could not provide the sufficient parking. We were delighted by the response from Sleightholmes of Helperthorpe who could not have been more accommodating and provided the off road parking on hard standing, which we felt essential for the time of year.

We pride ourselves that we always spend time riding everything we expect the competitors to ride before finalising the courses. Although we had ridden our road bikes in this area we were surprised by some stunning rural views both on the bridleways and at some of the control sites. Our aim as always is to provide sufficient navigational challenge for everyone and we hope we succeeded.

The Wolds are very deceptive as the perception of rolling countryside disguises some serious climbs! Unfortunately we could do nothing about the challenging weather you encountered on the day which turned many of the rideable bridleways into a mudbath. The difference in conditions between Friday, when we put out 20 controls, and Saturday when they were collected in, was only too evident. The number of punctures was also high and frustrating for all concerned. Only people using tubeless tyres seemed to come through unscathed!

A big thank you to the small team who make the event happen – Steve W, Karen B, Adrian and Frank, along with those who helped collect the controls – Dave L, Dave E and Garry.

Karen Clark and Steve Roberts

All of the riders seemed to enjoy the event but It was disappointing there were only 16 starters. These events cannot continue with such low numbers so I would be grateful for any suggestions

Thanks to Andrew Windrum for putting out all of the controls and manning the start/finish. Congratulations to all of the category winners – half of the starters.

Here is the XL Results file as Gill Crane & Mary Carrick finished after my computer died so didn’t make it onto the Autodownload file

Allerthorpe Results

Hope to see more riders at Fewston on May 16th warming up before the Gargrave Score event

Yorkshire Wolds Organiser’s Comments

Here is the map so that you can see where the riders went

2015 Yorkshire Wolds

Thanks to Steve Roberts & Karen Clark for yet another excellent course, Jens for an excellent map, Frank Appleton & Karen Blackburn for helping before the event and Dave Evans, David Lloyd & Garry Wright who collected the controls with Steve & Karen so that I was back in York by 6.30.

I thought the area looked very large but, with calm and dry conditions, Andrew Windrum might even have cleared up. There was plenty of route choice and it was interesting to se that Andrew W and Andy C set off and returned in totally different directions. Most riders seemed to enjoy the event despite the wind, rain and punctures. It is an interesting area with great views and good tracks (when you can lift your head up to look). I enjoyed my ride but would have preferred to have had fewer punctures.

Unfortunately, from the splits it looks as though some riders have been taking illegal shortcuts. It is difficult to marshal or prove so please email me if you went along the footpath between 53 and 54 or through Thirkleby Manor between 48 and 55. I know they are tempting but using them gives all mountain bikers a bad name as well as an unfair advantage over those riders who stick to the rules. This time I will just deduct the points for the control after the shortcut. In future, it will mean disqualification.

Congratulations to Andrew Windrum winning M40 and overall with 445 points; Tim Evans M50-390; Nathan Parker M18-364 (and 5^th overall, 1 place ahead of his Dad); Steve Wood M60-330; Andrea & Steve Foster X50-295; Dave Winterborne M21-294; Sheila Pearce W40-also 294.

Just a couple of admin comments. Please can those riders whose membership has lapsed rejoin? If you have changed or lost your SI card, please can you update your details on the BMBO web page?

I have 2 items of lost property so please contact me if you lost a Garmin Etrex 30 on the Wolds or left a pair of shoes at Grewelthorpe last October!

Our next event is at Lofthouse in Nidderdale on Saturday 18^th April.

The following weekend (25/26^th), I have planned the OMM Bike & Lite events at Bamford in the Peak District. It’s a 2 day event with 7,5&3 hour options on Saturday and 5,4&3 hour courses on Sunday. Entries still available at www.theomm.com

Hope to see you there.

Steve

WE HAVE GOT 75 PRE-ENTRIES (for the Yorkshire Wolds event) WHICH HAVE NOW CLOSED SO JENS HAS PRINTED 100 MAPS. Please email by Friday noon if you want to reserve one or enter on the day.

WE HAVE GOT 15 PRE-ENTRIES (for the Allerthorpe event) WHICH HAVE NOW CLOSED SO I HAVE PRINTED 25 MAPS. Please email by Friday noon if you want to reserve one or enter on the day. The NYMBO account isn’t work so please send to stevewillis3@btinternet.com