Fred despairs about the time he’s waited for his evening meal and decides to end it all:

After a frustratingly long wait for food in Frankie’s and Benny’s ...... the place seems to contain the whole population of Morecambe, the streets outside being eerily deserted ............ we walked back to the hotel and were invited by Fred to look beyond the Loch Ness Monster (really) to see the tornado on the far side of Morecambe Bay. Mmmnn

We come across the Huddersfield Wheelers doing the same C2C as us but in 3 days. No comment needed – shades of the Darlington Walking Club?. Ready to go on the prom:

We thunder through Lancashire (the best way, I think) and reach Ribblehead half an hour before the support car. The climb from Ingleton to the summit above Ribblehead is just less than 12 miles in length, tops out at 12% and averages around 5%. A nice steady pull. More jokes about pulling and helmets ensue.

Good long descent into Hawes during which I’m puzzled by everyone overtaking me – it’s only when I’m overhauled by an old fella in a silver Skoda that I realise my front tyre’s flat. Not wanting to emulate Randall’s descent into Otley (when he passed Mal at over 40 mph with a flat tyre) I stop and fit a new tube. After Hawes there’s a gravelly couple of miles when gravel shrapnel hits Ben as he’s overtaken by caravans. And so the approach to Middleham:

The foregoing section of the ride contained many more jokes from Fred Lyn.

Thirsk for lunch – again half an hour ahead of schedule – and the pork pies put in an appearance. Excellent fare from Mr Morrison.

Into the Howardian Hills we look across to Sutton Bank and are so very grateful we’re not going that way. The road to Malton is lumpy and testing - 1200 feet of climbing in 20 miles, maxing at 11% and averaging about 5%. Alan begins to sneeze. Jude completes his first 100 just before Malton.

Once in Malton Andy and Pete attempt to make coffee:

Once we’ve had more pies, coffee, sandwiches, energy bars, gels, cake ........... you get the idea ...... we assemble for the final 30 miles:

We share reminiscences of Rich’s flat tyre and his memorable much patched spare tube in last year’s Wetherby-Filey. Why are we looking so cheerful? It’s because the end is in sight. We do need John’s help though to get us back on track when we inexplicably go wrong somewhere near Settrington. Maybe we’re just brain dead by this point – except for me, of course – I’ve been brain dead from the start.

Cleverly avoiding all major long hills on the way we head out towards Sledmere – where Pete punctures -  and on towards Brid. As the crest of each hill approaches Pete assures Ben that he’ll be able to see Brid from up here and Alan tells everyone it’s downhill from here. Neither statement is factual. The views across the Wolds are brilliant and the lure of a ‘proper’ (read ‘Yorkshire’) seaside town keeps us all going.

And so into Bridlington after 134 miles (depending on whose computer you trust):

The evening is spent eating fish and chips, drinking beer and coming up with more daft ideas for future rides.

And the following morning we assemble to ride back, Alan’s cold dictating a spell in the car:

This gives Alan a chance to complete his Support Apprenticeship under John’s supervision.

Coming back from Brid, the easy way over the Wolds, avoiding Garrowby:

And here we are in Barlby (just 4 miles after my 2nd puncture – damn those Smithies’ inner tubes), already coming up with even more barmy ideas for next year (Pete kept going on his own to ride back to his house):

And the charity page is still open – thanks to everyone for their support: http://www.justgiving.com/Ian-Wood5

The barmy ideas for future rides are on the club forum – Billy, Fred, Mal and I have already ‘signed up’ (if you can sign up for something that exists only in my head) for riding the 2013 TdF 3 days ahead of the race. You see the idea: Alan and I are 60 that year and it’ll be the 100th edition of the Tour. The 60/100 Bash!

Other crackers ideas so far: the Distillery Tour (Shearman), the non-stop LEJOG relay (Shearman again), the Rhone Valley (Lyn), the Tour of the Cakes (Forwood), from Luxembourg to Koblenz along the Mosel (Dickinson). And that doesn’t include Rich’s 40th bash ................ or Mal’s birthday ride .................... oh where, oh where will it all end? Stamp collecting, model railways or crocheting anyone?

How about allotment gardening? It’s healthy and packed with melons and cucumbers .................. not a euphemism in sight.

John would like to share his expenses receipts as proof: