Short Gentle Ride
No point in denying it. It was cold. Minus 1 when I left home but couldn’t see any traces of ice as I rode up to the showground so things could only get better(or warmer in this case). Mmm. Seven hardy souls joined me full of optimism as we departed for Ripley. Lost our first rider at Claro Road due to a zip malfunction on his wind jacket. Lost rider two as we got to Ripley and the cold was being felt. Liz P then picked up a front wheel puncture as we entered the car park. She decided on a call to her husband rather than we tackle the job in the cold. Initial call failed but at the second attempt Richard responded. Hurray. Thank you Richard. The ride through Nidd Brearton Scriven Scotton Lingerfield was lovely but cold. We had decided on Marigolds for coffee but as it was only three /four miles from home Diane and Dave opted out as they had a Sunday roast to prepare. So only three for coffee. We were so grateful to get inside where the log burner was getting refuelled as we got the last table. Friendly staff and great service as the last three went through their personal history and medical records(within reason) to the amusement of the rest of the group. Having lingered but warmed we had a brisk ride up Knaresborough hill. Paul heading off down Bilton Hall Lane. Salley down Bogs Lane and me down Forest Lane. Temperature had risen to a balmy zero by the time I got home. Thank you all for braving the cold. About 18 miles. Colin B
Medium Steady / Brisk (Route 109 Otley Loop via Lindley)
The ride was led by Andrew Ackroyd with Gordon, James, Tim (2) and Peter following. It was a cold start and Andy set a brisk pace. After Burn Bridge Peter said he would go a different way to Weeton and meet us there. At Weeton James, Tim and Peter left us as they said that they needed to get back to Harrogate. Although, I suspect that they knew the route and all the hills we would need to climb after Otley. Andy and I pushed on to Otley and tried to find a café that wasn’t full. We found Rafferty’s Café on the corner of Courthouse Street. It’s not very big with limited seating but very reasonably priced and a ‘warm space’. After refreshments we head back to Harrogate. Andy slowed the paced on the climbs for me so I did not sound like a steam train with my panting or he didn’t want me having a heart attack! There were some steep/long descents which Andy flew down with no apparent fear. On the climb after Lindley I did unzip my jacket slightly as I was starting to warm up.
An enjoyable and challenging ride. 29.39 miles in 2:29:02 with an average speed of 11.8 mph. Gordon T
Medium Plus Steady
At last a Sunday ride after 2 weeks of cancellation for snow. Not that warm, though. Out of about a dozen hardy souls, 4 of us went on the longest ride – Yvonne, Dave, Michael and I. Most of the journey out was uphill, so we warmed up pretty quickly. A group of about 30 Nova riders crossed us at Leeds Road as we headed out to Beckwithshaw, Little Almscliffe, past the Sun Inn and to Menwith Hill camp. Then it was up and down to Tang, Birstwith and then the last long climb to Brimham Rocks. Dave headed home from Birstwith to nurse his cold, so just 3 of us crossed Hartwith Bridge and climbed up Stripes Lane to a very frosty Brimham. Not so much on the ground as on all the exposed trees and vegetation covered with hoar frost. Reminiscent of a WE ride years ago where we knocked icicles off the trees at the head of Warsill Lane, and heard them tinkle as they fell to the ground.
Having all the significant climbing , we now sped up against bitter cold downhill (mostly) past Warsill to Careless House Lane ( great name – I wonder why ? ), the ex-Drovers Inn crossroads, Markington, Ingerthorpe and a welcome coffee at the ‘Harrogate’ Garden Centre at Bishop Monkton crossroads on the A61. There is just a coffee van selling cakes and drinks , although they do offer bacon butties etc. Perfectly adequate for a ride and not too pricey, with seating inside the Garden Centre itself, there aren’t any other options in that area anyway. Continuing downhill to Bishop Monkton we at last generated some warmth again on the route home via Occaney and Knaresborough.
Michael headed home down Forest Lane, Yvonne and I used Bogs Lane and the new bike path behind Harrogate High School to the Stray and then home. A good ride with no wind, no frosty roads but spectacular frosted trees and a fair bit of remaining snow up at Brimham. Roll on Spring ! 43 miles, 2999 ft of climbing. Peter Lawley
