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 Yorkshire Enduro ClubRyedale Rally 2011 It was a somewhat smaller and tighter team of Yorkshire Enduro Club members from West Yorkshire who entered a dry and dusty North Yorkshire on Wednesday, July 6th to prepare for the 2011 Ryedale Rally. They were welcomed into a new HQ hotel: the Blacksmiths Arms at Hartoft End and then split into teams to begin the marking out of parts of Cropton, Dalby, Langdale and Wyekham Forests and liaison sections through the villages between. It had been exceptionally difficult this year for course designer Jeremy Wilson to negotiate a route as although we enjoy the full cooperation of the Forestry, some new residents and the National Parks Authority do not welcome even legal motor cyclists into the area despite our contributing tens of thousands of pounds to the local economy every year – especially to pubs, B&Bs and petrol stations.
As the start/finish field took shape on Friday afternoon with the arrival of the marquee, the burger van and a 5 strong convoy of communications support vehicles from 5 Medical Regiment (Catterick Garrison), the weather took a downturn and the formerly “localised showers” seemed all to settle on Cropton and turned the access to the camping field worryingly muddy. So much so, that some concerned organisers arrived at 6am on Saturday and with the welcome support and cooperation of the landowner, laid bales of straw to soak up some mud and also devised a new slalom style entrance to the field through a copse – which was well negotiated by the many drivers of motorhomes, horseboxes, trailers and large vans which transported the packed entry for Day 1. 162 riders set off in sunshine from 10.30am to attack a 150 mile course through Cropton, across scenic moorland via Goathland (Aidensfield) and Fylingdales to drop into Langdale forest. Here, the riders were presented with a new direction for 21/2 laps, including a special timed test before riding across to Wyekham Forest and Troutsdale. All went well though the morning and then huge black clouds billowed overhead and the most intense downpours of thundery rain turned the roads to riverbeds and the tracks to slop. This was accompanied by ear shattering thunder (& lightning – some of which struck a fence and ran alongside a team of travelling Marshals) and a couple of whiteout hail storms. Competitors and Marshals mainly rode bravely on although a few were spotted cowering in a van and some actually lying under bushes and shrubs!
Sadly, the weather proved spiteful, and as the riders left the forest for the long liaison section home, the clouds followed and burst over Cropton to welcome them back – mainly in very good spirits having enjoyed a challenging but great day’s riding. One rider suffered no less than 5 punctures and another guy lost a sprocket bolt but was lucky enough to meet a Marshal with the skill to cannibalise another Marshal’s trailer for a suitable bolt and get him on the road again. Sadly, the familiar pizza boxes suffered in the rain and were seen languishing soggily in a hedgerow but on the whole, a safe day’s riding was enjoyed by most – those who took waterproofs along having made a good decision….
Sunday promised calmer weather but the organisers did fear that the entry would be exceptionally depleted after the soaking that rider and kit had suffered on Saturday. Happily, the riders were sufficiently determined and looking forward to a 3 lap course through the local Cropton Forest and only 20 riders dropped out for day 2 which began early at 9.30. The organisers were thrilled to receive reports back from the riders
that it was a “brilliant” course and included “the best special test
ever ridden in a Rally” by Craig Bounds. Clare Griffin (riding in her
first Rally - previously having brought her pushbike and camera) may have
arrived home last, but couldn’t believe how much fun she had been
missing and pronounced the course an absolute “giggle”!!! Riders 1, 2
& 3 (Steve Hague, Craig Bounds and Patsy Quick) mainta The entry (which had filled to the limit in just 8 days so be sure to get your entry in quickly next year!), was wide ranging and included a finisher in the Over 70 class and another finisher on a bike dating from the 70s in the twinshock class. This Honda CL 350 lost a footrest on Day 1, but completed Day 2 with a tyre lever jubilee clipped into place as a substitute on day 2! Needless to say, the rain returned to welcome the riders in to the finish, but little harm was done and most vehicles made it out of the campsite under their own steam – just a few of the bigger rigs needing a tow from a Marshal’s quad. The YEC owe thanks to many people and institutions which give
unfaltering support to this event, including:
3rd time lucky
- with the weather!!! After a couple of years of monsoon weekends, the Ryedale Rally enjoyed
almost perfect weather conditions for its 2 day event through the North
Yorkshire Moors and Forests at the beginning of July 2009. It was a very
well supported rally and the organisers were sad to have to close entries
and disappoint a number of potential riders - we really missed some of the
coIourful regular characters. On the first day riders tackled a 165 mile ride through Cropton Forest via Heartbeat country to LangdaIe and Wykeham forests and back. Those who were able to raise their eyes from the track ahead commented on the brilliant scenery which even included a sighting of the North Sea and Whitby Abbey. The second day was a three lap circuit of Cropton Forest but no less enjoyable and challenging according to many riders who rated it as good as Day 1 - and the going was made extra interesting by a short, sharp, tropical rainstorm just before the final lap which definitely affected the times on the special test! The tests were generally considered to be tough but fair - especially on Sunday as width was available to allow riders to pick their own line. The organisers really admire the efforts of the "big bike" riders & rate them as heroes - almost all of them battling through the last bit of the Sunday test, even when it cut up… To those of you that entered just think about that for a minute. Instead of an easy ride on a modern enduro bike, ride something that will make it more of a challenge.
The YEC members were thrilled to be complimented on the marshaling and marking of the course and were delighted when one very experienced rider told us he had been riding for over 50 years and this was the best event he had ever ridden…
It was also good to welcome a contingent from the Isle of Man for the first time in a while. Great to see Bob Room again - he rode the YEC enduro over 30 years ago, trying to keep up was Jim Jones - who claims to be 71 years old. Is that true? The YEC would very much like to receive feedback and suggestions about the event and any ideas for improving it next year - eg: Did you enjoy the hog roast? How was the new camp site? How can we encourage more twinshocks and classics? Please post your thoughts on the NEEC forum at: www.enduro-neec.org.uk where there are also provisional results. We hope anyone who felt bumped, battered and bruised has now recovered and we trust we will see most of you back next year. In the meantime, please re-live the weekend via Marshal Ian Golton's excellent Video
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It seemed that no sooner did we begin the task of marking routes, than
the long drought which had lasted through the Spring and early Summer
(leaving some outlying properties entirely without water!) finally broke
– and with a vengeance. As different parties arrived back at HQ for
further supplies of arrows, varying reports came in of downpours, hail
storms and thunder and lighting – in fact typical Ryedale Rally
weather!!!
Fearing a mass exodus from the forest of soaked riders (unfounded!) and
suspecting problems with extra mud back at the camp site, the start/finish
Marshals decided quickly to return to base and prepare for a possible
early finish. Taking to the main road to speed their journey, on
approaching Snainton, the roads appeared dry. And by Thornton - le - Dale,
tourists could be seen enjoying a Mediterranean climate and sunning
themselves in tee shirts. Indeed the campsite had not seen a drop of rain
all day!
The evening proved to be sunny and warm, and as the Marshals departed
the field to work on a now horrendously muddy Sunday course, they left a
scene of great sociability as competitors enjoyed a splendid hog roast
accompanied by roast potatoes and a sumptuous range of salads in the
marquee.
ined their place
ahead of the field although Mark Mollinaux on his tuned HP2 suffered
multiple punctures which put him under pressure to stay at the front!
Ryedale Rally 2009
As usual, the Ryedale Rally benefited from terrific medical and
communications backup, not just from star event medic Evan on his
Quad/Stretcher combo and the private ambulance team, but also from the
army guys who involved a 4 man riding squad as well as technical &
First Aid help.
Special memories of the 2009 Ryedale include the Pizza delivery man -
how did that box stay intact? We enjoyed seeing the BMW HP2Megamoto and
wondered at the skill of its rider with such power available at the mere
twist of a wrist. It was sad to see Steve Guard's Triumph Pack in early on
Day 1 but brilliant that he had his son's new bike to resort to - wonder
what his son said when he saw the state in which it was handed over to
him??? We were glad to welcome the AJP family again - and they were
thrilled to see their pic was on the beer bottle memento label - (remember
to wait 3 weeks before drinking it folks…) Rebecca from this family also
suffered nut trouble. Having lost her rear axle nut, in true rally
fashion, she struggled on to the end with her axle held in by 2 cable
ties!