The weather on Saturday could not have been better for an October event, and certainly better than the wet Friday that Liz had to contend with for putting out controls. Thanks to Liz and Harry for their efforts in putting together an excellent and challenging course. Here’s her report:
I’m a very slow mountain biker and took on planning a NYMBO in the hope of getting some training in while recceing the course. I was forced to go to those 30-pointers that I usually don’t bother with and I seemed to spend a lot of time pushing my bike uphill into a prevailing gale.
There are a lot of good bridleways in Wensleydale but not a lot of bridges over the Ure so having the event centre by the Aysgarth Falls bridge gave more route choices immediately from the start. We needed to have the bridges at Worton and Wensley on the map and I wanted to take the event as far as possible into Coverdale since I don’t think NYMBO has been there recently. This made for a big map and I probably did not need to fill all of it with controls. I haven’t seen the routes yet – did anyone beside me (putting out) and Harry (collecting in) go up Stakes Allotment? Anyway we both enjoyed the decent if not the climb up. (editors note – 7 riders went up to control 28 at Stakes Allotments, although the results two riders went from control 13 but did not get control 18 which seems odd)
The weather turned out pretty well in the end – just the sight of a bit of sunshine improves morale. I thought the Falls Cafe turned out an excellent venue and thank you to them for being so helpful at short notice when the alternative was not. The organisation for NYMBO events seems quite ..er.. relaxed and I was not sure how it was supposed to go but thanks to Steve, Dave and John who made that happen and to Tim for the map and rounding up a large band of helpers to collect in, and thanks to the helpers and especially Adrian and Ben for getting the tough 30-pointers. Also thanks to my partner Harry who ended up doing much more mountain bike training than me over the weekend.
I hope everyone enjoyed their day in Wensleydale – thanks for entering and turning up when the weather was not looking so promising.