Sunday rides took on a new system today, splitting the ride into groups of similar abilities so more members can attend Sunday rides. As a result Ray met us at Tickton and Rachel on her first Sunday ride met us at Brandesburton.The group set off together from the Market Cross in good spirits especially Mark who’d cycled down from Driffield with 10 miles in his legs already.The group picked up Ray who was re-introduced to some Sunday members who he’d forgotten what they looked like. After the intro’s the group set off and soon the Hares broke away and Zog, Mark, and Stephen could be seen in the distance on the cycle path to Leven.

At Brandesburton we picked up Rachel who quickly joined the Peloton, and off we sped towards Nunkeeling and Dunnington, the Hares joined by Heather and James once again set off at a pace on great quiet roads, and the Tortoises regrouped again at Skipsea.

An organised split to Lissett saw us once again regrouped before heading off to Wansford. Rachel took to the front in the Tortoise group and quickly had the rest of the pack coming out of their shells and increasing the pace. This pace continued until reaching the Farm Shop where much needed refreshments were consumed, and it was particularly nice to sit in the warmth of the mid day sun.

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After the Farm Shop, the group stayed together until at the top of Bracken we came across Brian his son and daughter on the film set of the much awaited BK’s Tour de Bracken film 🎥 A quick organised group riding in pairs set off and Brians son manoeuvred the drone filming parallel to the now serious looking BK’s who were told not to photo bomb the shoot, and a very professional slick team set off down the hill. Well we thought we looked good, Brian might tell us a different story 🤔

After that the group stayed together and were looking forward to a nice quiet run home, until Neil shouted “Everyone ready to try the new BK2021Sprint” the response wasn’t what he was expecting, a few expletives didn’t put Neil off from organising the first attempt at this years sprint segment.Everyone had a good go at the segment after clear instructions had been explained numerous times!!

After regrouping at the end of the sprint, finish line photographer Neil rejoined the group only to mention that the attempt from everyone was ‘Pathetic’ and we were all going to do it again! This, as you can imagine caused more expletives from the group, but after being congratulated on their first attempt the group set off cheerfully and sweaty back to Cherry Burton. A last regroup at Cherry and then the Hares set off back to Beverley and the Tortoises planned an attack on Granny’s hump, and Rachel who’d been given a few tips on attacking this little end of ride leg killer, then managed a PB on the segment, not bad for a first Sunday ride.

The song came to mind near the end of the ride 🎶 “have you heard the story about the Tortoise and the Hare, the Tortoise took his time but he got there” 🎶 This was true on today’s ride and all left happily and the new system seemed to work well.

After a complex number of changes to Friday’s ride plans, route organiser the great Raymondo, organised who was in which group and the plans were sent via Slack the night before and all participants were to meet at the Manor House at 09:45 prompt. Steve G was last to turn up but Colin was surprisingly 3 minutes early, which gave us 3 minutes to regroup into Ray’s groups. As no one seemed to remember the groups, a decision was made to split the teams down the middle as we stood and those nearest the junction would set off first. Straight away a shout came from group leader Ray, “NO I’m not going with that lot, I want to ride with Knights that’ll wait for me”! So we said “we’ll wait for you Ray”, and in our group was Ray, Neil, Mark, Russ, Michael and Dave (Seadog) who joined us on his old bike with mudguards on. Well done Dave, the only one to implement the rule from 1/10/20, but as there was only 1 empty puddle on the route, I think he would have preferred to have taken out his S-Works monster. In group 2 was Steve, Colin, Heather, Iain, Chad and James.

Both groups decided to do an anti-clockwise route due to the wind direction, but as Michael hadn’t been to Allerthorpe before he got totally confused about the direction and kept going on about it until he was told to shut up and keep pedalling and try and decide on which new Carbon Wheels to buy. Unfortunately Carbon Wheel expert Steve was in group 2 so that conversation would have to wait until Allerthorpe.

When we reached Londesborough Mark was first up the hill and as he had a little time to spare decided to have a comfort break. As Neil rounded the corner to join the road to Pocklington a young female teacher with a zoom lens appeared out of a parked car and told us that shortly 500 school children were about to be coming down the hill at any moment. As Mark was blissfully unaware of this female presence he quickly aborted his comfort break and embarrassingly climbed back on his bike and disappeared before he was given detention!

On reaching Pocklington we made our way through the town centre, some Pocklington retirees were trying to park their car and were causing a bit of a hold up, “Bloody Hell” came a shout from the back as Ray passed all of the waiting vehicles grumping, then blocking the exit from the main street. “Don’t upset anyone”! was the shout from the other patient Knights who didn’t want to another complaint to the club.As the wind was behind us, we cycled quickly out of Pocklington to the roundabout. Dave then informed us that there is a cycle track out of Pocklington on the right hand side of the road after the school, after listening to his advice no one followed him, but Dave did and at the roundabout headed off in the wrong direction as Mark said, “see ya Dave” but on reaching Allerthorpe we all regrouped with the 2nd group following on only a few minutes behind, they’d have been there earlier but newbie James had a puncture which haltered their progress a little.

On reaching Allerthorpe we were the only people there, so masks were donned and a steady stream of Knights queued to place their orders apart from some who’d forgotten their masks and had to ask favours from other Knights to order butties and drinks.

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After producing a reward card and expecting a free drink, Neil then sat down to enjoy a delicious Battenberg cake :cake: and coffee. On further inspection of his receipt, he’d been charged for the free drink, so with a mask in hand headed back into the empty cafe to complain.The cashier realised she hadn’t given Neil a free drink and promptly proceeded to make him another one. A problem, refills for cyclists are only £1 so they owed him £1. Not to worry said Neil, “put £1 in a charity box”, problem, there wasn’t one, “I’ll have £1 out of the till” a problem, we don’t have £1 coin, “you’ll need to get your bank card and we’ll put £1 back on that”. Win, win, win, a coffee, the realisation that refills for cyclists on teas and coffees are only £1 and Neil got £1 back.

After the usual Knights banter, we all set off in the same groups, and turned into a strong headwind. We all took it in turns at the front until all regrouped at South Newbald as some wanted to go up Trundlegate and some didn’t. The groups were split and both groups battled into a strong headwind one up Trundlegate and one group up the left hand Beverley road through North Newbald. After regrouping at the crossroads at High Hunsley we all sped into Walkington “downhill all the way” shouted Mark
All headed home safely after an eventful windy ride, with no complaints…….yet!