Controls: Alfreton, Info Control, Howden, Helmsley, Scarborough, Willerby Services, Gainsborough, Alftreton.
I had met Chris Asher whilst riding the Elenydd 300K audax earlier in the year, he was a friend of Jim’s and for the most part he was with us around the demanding 300K ride. Chris had said to me at the end of that 300 that if I wanted to ride with him again, then he would be up for doing a permanent with me. So, with my first Diagonale attempt on the horizon, I thought I would take Chris up on his offer and I selected the Moors and Wolds Permanent for us to have a go at. I suggested a date, Chris agreed and then we got on with it.
I met Chris in Alfreton near the Tesco in Alfreton, and after saying hi and catching up briefly we were off, it was 06:10. We headed north east out of Alfreton to Pleasley, and from there for the next 100Km or so we were northbound and parallel to the M1. It was reasonably flat riding, and it was interesting to be on quiet roads but to keep catching views of the busy trunk roads. We also got a pretty good view of the Drax power station site as we rode up past Goole. Further north it was more flatt-ish terrain, but after around 140Km as we skirted east of York, the Howardian hills began to take us upwards.
The climbs were pretty tough going, and Chris was showing himself to be a very powerful rider. After 175Km, we stopped for a sit down and some hot food in a café in Helmsley, the 4th control stop. Until then controls had been 1 info, and quick stops at shops in the relevant control towns. One of the things which struck me here was how efficient you need to be off the bike for audaxing. Chris was quick with choosing, ordering, eating, drinking and toiletting – totally minimising faff (and hence time). I was a little slower with almost all of these elements, and was being shown a lesson in how to minimise your time off the bike from Chris’s experience as a long distance rider.
It felt great to have a brief stop and to have had some hot food, its often such a lift to have hot food as opposed to a garage sandwich. From Helmsley we were heading east towards the next control at Scarborough, and at some point we stopped at a pub to fill up water bottles. To my amazement, Chris came out with a pint of bitter! He drank it very quickly and claimed it made him feel much better. I think it would have sent me the other way… I stuck to my water for now. We didn’t head into the centre of Scarborough, but rather skirted it and then went south from there to Staxton, Chris knew of a suitable place to control here which would be acceptable for a Scarborough control, so thats what we did.
270Km in and we were again in need of food, so we pulled up in Beverley and had some supermarket food – sandwiches and rice puddings. Beverley wasn’t a control but it was a decent enough place to stop. As we ate our food outside the supermarket, I watched a guy walk past us, and as he did he pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and inadvertently, whilst doing so he dropped a tenner without realising. I clattered over to the dropped money and then trotted after the guy, explaining what I’d saw. He was very grateful and surprised that someone had not taken the money, but had decided to give him his money back. Good deed done, we finished up our food and cracked on southbound.
I was looking forward to crossing the Humber bridge, and the evening sun was providing a great backdrop to the latter stages of the ride. By this time and after 285Km, I wasn’t really able to come round Chris and take turns on the front anymore. He was just too strong, and it was taking me all my efforts to be able just to stay on his wheel. I explained to Chris that I was struggling, but I should think it was pretty obvious anyway. We carried on like that, and didn’t particularly relax the pace. I had to call for a stop in Kirton in Lindsey, there was a Spar shop still open and I needed food and a brief amount of time off the bike. Chris obliged and encouraged me to keep eating and to find my dig in speed.
The next control was Gainsborough at 340Km, a garage just out of the town centre. We stopped and got some more food and drink onboard, and whilst eating on the forecourt we were witness to a rather ugly scene. A couple pulled up for fuel and as one of their doors opened a small dog jumped out and was running around near their car. The women initially screamed at the dog to get it back to the car, but then she changed approach and became all nice to the dog, this worked and the dog approached her, and then suddenly she grabbed the dog and almost threw it into the car. Very unpleasant. The only comment Chris made upon seeing this scene was “Fooking Scum” that was literally all we said about it and I thought Chris’s summary was perfect.
We rolled onwards from Gainsborough, fatigued but keen to get finished. Again, I was on Chris’s wheel and just trying my best to stay on it. It was very dark by this time and it was a slog to continue to the finish. However, at around 20 past Midnight we made it back to Alfreton, and controlled at the end with an ATM receipt. Chris and I said our goodbyes, with Chris cycling home (as he lived nearby) and me packing my bike up onto my car and getting changed. I was physically exhausted, but so pleased to have finished in such a good time. I wouldn’t’ have been able to do that without Chris, and the ride was a great learning experience for me. I drove away from Alfreton and punctuated the drive home with a few sleeps pulled over in lay-bys. Eventually I got home around 4am and slept after a shower.
