Seven of us meet up at Skidby on a very foggy morning. Neil and Mandy Dean, Sean Nicholson, Richard Guymer, Mike McAllister, Matthew Johnson and myself (Andy Carroll).

 

We were down on numbers as we have a few riders with colds and some away on holiday.

 

We decided to keep it simple as the foggy conditions made it a bit challenging. With our young road captain Mark Walker stuck in his sick bed the captain’s armband was passed to Neil Dean.

 

We made the decision to go out towards Market Weighton and Goodmanham and then back home. We headed out down Eppleworth Road and up the drag to South Cave. This was taken at a steady pace with the group chatting away as we do.

 

The decent down to South Cave was taken at a slower pace then usual as the conditions dictated this and as my glasses kept fogging over. My speed didn’t go much over 30 mph down the hill.

 

Having regrouped in the village we headed out towards North Cave then on to Market Weighton. As we headed down the road Mandy turned off as she was heading home early as she had a time trial in the afternoon as the East Hull Harriers were taking on the Sunday Girls Cycling Club on the 9 mile tt course at Skidby as a bit of end of season fun.

 

With Sean and Mike on the front we made it to Market Weighton in good time dodging the pot holes as we went. This was good as I had needed a pee since we left Skidby! We had a quick splash and dash then headed out to Goodmanham. At this point we said goodbye to Richard as he was heading out to Millington for some tea and cake. I ended up on the front with talented young Matty, and straight away I knew that I was in trouble as he was half-wheeling me on the flat part even before the drag up through the village.

 

As we hit the lower slopes I started going up the gears and Matty just got quicker. I hung on for a while be he put me into the red and I went out the back as everyone went passed. We got back together after about half a mile but you could see that Matty was like a Terrier on a lead he didn’t want to be on.

 

We headed over to Etton and the fog just seemed to be getting thicker here. We went down towards the Etton road course where I expected to get dropped again but it all stayed together and we went up the first climb together. The second part of the climb up to the start finish line is were we usually have a bit of a sprint but with the fog we couldn’t judge were it was so we just rolled over the line together.

 

From there we went over to Cherry Burton with Matty once again stretching his legs up the climb. We said goodbye to Matty in the village as he was heading home. The rest of us were heading home via Skidby. I think my legs were happy when Matty turned off as I don’t think I could have stayed with him up the last few climbs of the day. Neil came along side me and we headed towards Bishop Burton. We took the climbs at a steady calm pace (to my relief) and we made our way across from Walkington to Little Weighton and then down to into Skidby with Mike turning of to meet up for a coffee with his girlfriend.

 

I ended the day having done 48 miles with and average speed of 16.7 mph and feeling I had had a good session.

 

My rider of the day had to be Matthew Johnson as I think having come back from an enforced layoff after breaking his collar bone he is just getting stronger and stronger. I can’t wait to be racing with him next season – as long as I can keep up with him of course.

 

Andy Carroll