Tuesday 23 September 2014 06:36, UK
Sunday 21st September can be categorically summarised as the toughest day so far.
The sunrise we glimpsed through the motorhome windows at 630 this morning put us in a positive frame of mind and, after a hearty breakfast courtesy of Moortown Golf Club (where generosity seemingly knows no bounds), we rolled out of the club car park at 0830 in a fourball format which was to last for the entire 68 mile stint to Ganton.
Sadly, our bright mood was fairly short lived when the flat-ish route we’d been expecting quickly developed into a series of relentless climbs through the Howardian Hills.
Despite a stiff breeze and some of the toughest climbs we’ve experienced to date, we arrived at Ganton bang on the predicted time of 1pm (a tour first!). Once again, we were afforded a welcome one might expect from parents after being lost in the desert for quite a while (think Mark Thatcher, if you’re old enough to remember his jolly jaunt in the Sahara).
Ninety minutes and three-hundred-weight of soup and sandwiches later, we split into a foursome format, each pair clocking up 20 miles before handing over to team mates and retiring to the motorhome for flapjack, sympathy and a brief cry.
On a more positive note, the route beyond Ganton rewarded us with the most fabulous views and a bottom-clenching decent of Sutton Bank.
Our original intention had been to pitch up for the night at Yarm, just south of Middlesbrough. However, a review of the mileage which remained for the following day soon highlighted that many more miles needed to be achieved before we turned in for the night.
There’s no denying that each of us reached our breaking point at some stage today, yet somehow we seemed to get a late afternoon second wind and rode the final 40 miles well, finally calling it a day when, east of Durham, we reached a well-known chain of budget hotels that guarantees guests a good night’s sleep.
To summarise, the planned 129 miles became 148, each rider contributing a whopping 108 miles.
We were joined at various stages of today’s haul by guest riders Terry, Dave and Rick, whose company contributed in no small way to the progress we made. Special thanks are due to Rick who rode out front and sheltered us for much of the route beyond Ganton.
Highlights: Another fabulous reception - this time from Ganton, and a day of great progress, stunning scenery and surprising punctuality.
Lowlights: Hills and wind. ‘Nuff said.
Check our Sky Sports blog again tomorrow as we take on the penultimate stage of the Tour de Ryder Cup, or catch up with us en-route at https://twitter.com/TourDeRyderCup or https://www.facebook.com/tourderydercup.
Donations in support of our efforts can be made at www.justgiving.com/teams/TDRC.
Andy Crowther, Darren Tordoff, Andrew Walker and Rick Gillgrass
Tomorrow: Stage 8 – Durham - Muirfield
