Page 14 - Linton Link

From Left to Right: Lt Pete Crease RN, Flt Lt Iain ‘Marshy’ Marshall, Flt Lt David ‘Archie’ Gemmell, WO Andrea Morrell, Flt Lt Simon ‘Kinno’ Kinnersley, Sqn
Ldr Andy Paul, Flt Lt Ben ‘Pinball’ Hanson (out of shot: Flt Lt Matt Benson and Flt Lt Paul ‘Giz’ Taylor manning the cameras/ wagons).
RAF100 SWIFT SPIN
On the first working day of the New Year, Flt Lt Simon “Kinno” Kinnersley floated the idea of an RAF 100 Commemorative Cycle Ride. The idea was to cycle, over 100 hrs (roughly 4 1⁄2 days), 100 km per day over a route encompassing 100 points of historical RAF military interest in North Yorkshire.
Thus, after much discussion, “Swift Spin” was born – to involve RAF Linton on Ouse personnel on a challenging, but enjoyable, thrash around the beautiful Yorkshire countryside.
As the year progressed, it became clear that the summer was destined to be epic and excitement grew, as did the list of names of those wishing to join in the fun. The week of 3-7 Sep 18 was selected with the mind’s eyes of the protagonists wandering to a potential Indian Summer.
However, nearer the time, it became apparent that summer commitments meant that 24-28 Sep 18 was more conducive to the collective working schedule. Some nervousness became more evident as this was perilously close to Oct and the change of the seasons. True to form, a series of Autumn Storms (Ali and Bronagh) blew through the area the week before. Luckily, the forecast for the dates in question became clear as excited faces pointed at various phone apps, giving
“thumbs ups” accompanied by approving glances.
DAY ONE
And so, on the morning of Mon 24 Sep 18, the Team assembled outside the front of the Officers’ Mess RAF Linton on Ouse to be conveyed, Team Sky-like (in two half- and-half’s) to Newby Hall (below) – the designated start point for the ride.
Newby Hall was one of those residences, designated by The Coats Mission, established for the purpose of evacuating the Royal Family in the event of a German invasion.
The first day was fairly straightforward – around 70 km in total and encompassed RAF Ripon (now the racecourse!), RAF Dishforth, RAF Topcliffe, RAF Catterick, RAF Helperby. RAF Dalton,
RAF (RCAF) Skipton on Swale, RAF Scorton and a number of crash sites involving wartime Hurricane, Halifax, Blenheim, Fortress and Lancaster aircraft as well as post-
Skipton-on-Swale Memorial
war types such as the Vickers Varsity. The route terminated near RAF Leeming with Marshy and Pete Crease opting to complete the final 20 km at a pace that almost beat the wagons home!
The Team suffered its only near loss of control incident of the whole event on the first morning with Kinno, whilst warning of the presence of a Royal Mail Van approaching rapidly in the nine o’clock, catching his front wheel on a tarmac bump in the road which
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