Short Ride 1
Once again with so many takers for the short ride I offered to lead a breakaway group. Arriving at Ripley there was moisture in the air so we decided to press on and keep moving. Up Scarah bank (the descent home is so much better!!) and on towards Markington. Making sure we didn’t loose anyone to last weeks coffee stop we carried on through Bishop Monkton and Littlethorpe to Ripon.
Concensus was to stop at the top of the hill so on through the deer park to St Mary’s church. The deer obliged by posing for photographs! Suitably refreshed it was just the last undulations before that swoop into Ripley.
Thank you to Jenny, Graham, Russell, David and Frankie for your company. JJ
Short Ride 2
Here I am ‘Maid Marion’ (Liz F) to find my merry men and women for a merry meander round the greenwoods and dales. Linda, Sarah, Sue, Jenniann, Jackie, Paul the Postie and new boy Leighton join me. Little Jill took the first bunch and off she went with the eight of us left to follow on. Leighton was to become ‘Man of Day of our Merry Band’ as he was the only one non electrical!! Paul was put in charge of making sure we did not lose him and Jackie took his water bottle and was hydration warden. Off we set through the Stray down to the Greenway, riding through the dales. On to Ripley and then up Scarah Bank. Gold star to Leighton as this was his first time climbing Scarah Bank and soon got to the top. On to Markington past the farm where Tims tale of woe was told. Up to cross that busy main road and down to Bishop Monkton. All in tact as we turned towards Littlethorpe and on to Ripon. Stopped briefly at the place where Wilfred Owen stayed and viewed the blue plaque then cycled on to the end of the road where someone had placed a rude balloon on the signpost causing slight amusement. Then on to Tates for refreshments, Leighton not used to large portions had to have a box to take half of his sandwich home. Up to Studley Royal and the deer park where we stopped to admire the deer. Then down Fountains to climb the steep hill, again Leighton managed to climb this with non electric assistance unlike the rest of us. Down hill turned left for Markington, Scarah Bank, Ripley to the Greenway. At Bilton Cross we all went our different ways home. Hope Leighton will join us again and he got home safe and not too shattered with all them thar hills!! Never saw my trusty Jill and her group again but know she also enjoyed her cycle through the dale. 32 miles. Liz F
Medium Steady Group A
We despatched a very slightly faster cohort off first and my group of seven followed comprising Me, Alison, Margaret, Diane, Lilly, James and John C. We never saw the others again. James and John took up joint back marking duties, possibly because with five women at the front, talking simultaneously, it was the quieter option. It was really pretty cold first thing but nobody was complaining as we have all just about had enough of heatwaves.
This is a nice easy, steady route and in no time at all we were through Wetherby, Walton and Whixley thinking of a lunch stop in Boroughbridge until John suggested we went to Ouseburn Post Office Cafe. He assured us it was nice – and he was right. It was warm and sheltered in the outdoor area, which has a triathlon type rack to hang your bike on and they were very nice to us. Today was only Lilly’s second outing with Wheel Easy so we put her through the full interrogation and learned two things (1) she lives just two doors down from Monica W and (2) she has a dog – called Kevin, which made us all, rather tactlessly, burst out laughing!
The second half of the day was equally pleasant and gradually warmed up as we made our way through the Dunsforths to Boroughbridge, then the Minskip, Staveley, Knaresborough route home. We covered 39.3 miles on a most relaxing, enjoyable day. You were a lovely, easy group to lead – everyone knew what they were doing and where they were going. Didn’t really need a leader! There did seem to be a lot of leaves swirling about, an early sniff of autumn? Helen T
Medium Steady Group B
Medium Steady/Brisk (Route 26). There were four of us in the brisk group (Peter J, Steve, Mark and Gordon T).
The morning was damp with a few showers but it did not stop Peter setting a fast pace. Part of the road between Follifoot and Spofforth has been resurfaced and it was a joy to ride on. At Spofforth we decided to go on the road via Little Ribston and the Deightons rather than go on the cycle path. At one point a large bird of prey flew across a field and almost hit Peter. We rejoined the route at Wetherby and made good progress. We stopped for refreshments at the Hideaway café where the service was exceptional. We just seemed to place our orders and the food arrived. After the break we returned to Harrogate via Minskip and Knaresborough hill. 39.87 miles in 2:45:51 with an average speed of 14.4mph. Gordon T.
Medium Plus Brisk
Only 4 takers for route 216 to Ampleforth- obviously everyone else had better offers. After a light shower we set off towards Boroughbridge, Thornton Bridge, Carlton Husthwaite, up Thirsk Bank towards Coxwold. As we approached Ampleforth we were stopped due to a cycle race. Lovely coffee stop at the Abbey then down past the cricket pitch into Gilling and the site of a model railway. From then it got a bit ‘lumpy’. Into Easingwold towards Alne and Zoe’s corner- no incidents thankfully! At the top of Knaresborough hill the other three went for a beer and I headed home. 63 miles and over 3,000 feet of climbing. Janet G
