On Saturday 11th April, Hamish and Ryan rolled out from the usual club meeting point in Rawdon, meeting David en route at the Fox & Hounds in Bramhope. It’s a familiar routine, riders joining along the way depending on where they’re based.

The day started in typical Yorkshire fashion. Light rain, low double-digit temperatures, and a stubborn grey sky hanging overhead.

We set off towards Cawood, with our sights set on The Village Tearoom. A well-known stop, and often the first café on the club’s annual ride to Scarborough.

Early on, there was an “old boss, meet the new boss” moment on the climb out of Bramham. Hamish just edged it from Ryan, although an untimely SPD unclipping nearly told a different story. David, watching from behind, claimed he was riding for “economy rather than speed”. That said, he soon showed he had something in the tank, taking to the front and driving the group along at 25mph for a final push into the café.

Thirty miles in, the stop was well earned. We sat outside and refuelled. Eggs on toast for David, a toasted teacake for Hamish, and a rocky road for Ryan. Decisions that, in hindsight, may not have been entirely performance-driven.

Setting off again for the remaining 40-mile loop, it quickly became apparent we’d been enjoying a generous tailwind on the way out. The return leg told a different story.

The headwind was relentless. Cold, biting, and impossible to ignore. At times it felt less like a club ride and more like a battle of attrition. Progress slowed, conversation faded, and it became a test of patience as much as fitness.

But we got it done. Through shared turns on the front, quiet determination, and a refusal to let the conditions win, we made our way home.

The final tally: 74.4 miles, 3,632 feet of climbing, and an average speed of 15.4mph.

Numbers only tell part of the story. They don’t capture the brief bursts of sunshine, the lift of a tailwind, or the grind of riding straight into a cold Yorkshire gale. Nor do they reflect the quiet satisfaction of getting back, knowing you’ve earned it.

A tough day on the bike, but a good one.