Short Ride
The weather forecast was awful, and we arrived at the Showground in the rain, hoping that no-one would show up for the short ride. Steve Bungay was there, and then Richard and another Steve turned up. No short riders; we were going to be able to go home. Then James G turned up and said he had decided to do the short ride with Geraldine and me…. The best-laid schemes of mice and men gang aft agley. We told James we were chickening out, so he very decently said he would do the medium ride after all. We left the hard liners to their rides. No photo, obviously. Joe
Medium Steady
Unsurprisingly a low turnout this morning. In the end only one ride left the showground after Geraldine and Joe and Richard returned home. So four (fool)hardy riders, James, Steve S, Paul T and myself set off in steady rainfall for the medium steady. We were joined by Michelle and Andy at the Woodlands lights to make six. As expected there was plenty of surface water and we tried to avoid puddles that may hide potholes. Paul left us at Farnham as he had forgotten his glasses to protect his new eyes. Steady progress to Great Ouseburn and then on to Tancred Farm for our café stop. Good to be out of the rain for a while, not busy so swift service. When we left the rain had eased to a drizzle and was more bearable. The route home was Whixley, Cattal and Hunsingore. James said goodbye at North Deighton and the final four returned via the usual route of Spofforth and Rudding. I turned for home at Fodder and the others carried on to the showground. Thanks to all for turning up on a filthy day, it didn’t turn out as bad as I feared.35 miles for me door to door. Steve B. No photos, too wet to bother!
Peter’s Ride
After a week of glorious weather, Saturday night/Sunday morning was unremittingigly wet. Of course – its a Bank Holiday weekend ! I couldn’t countenance setting off in bouncing rain so spent the morning glossing some woodwork – much to Mrs Lawley’s delight. I finally poked my nose out at 12.00 and decided a ride was possible. The more I progressed along Penny Pot Lane to Menwith Hill the drier it got. Having said that – visibilty at Grennhow was 20 yards despite a brisk headwind onto my right shoulder all along Greenhow Hill Road to Duck Street. This turned to my advantage as I sped along past Stump Crosss ( a huge amount of parked cars – presumably people wanting an indoor attraction) and on to Grassington. From then on it was DRY ROADS out past Grass Wood and across Conistone Bridge all the way to Littondale. There, time and the headwind again got the better of me and I turned for home at Skirfare bridge – the quiet delights of Littondale will have to wait for another day.
There was very little traffic out today – and I never saw another cyclist until back at Bolton Abbey, so I cruised straight down Wharfedale on the ‘main’ road even taking the climb out of Burnsall – which I had forgotten becomes really steep at the top. At Bolton Abbey I decided to push my luck and take the A59 home. There is a rideable fottpath up to the turn to Storiths and again, the road pretty quiet as it is a hard and long haul from there up to the top of Kex Gill. The new road will be finished one day, so they say, and is currently traffic light controlled at top and bottom. So, having let all the cars pass me at the green at the top I had a delightful freewheel on an empty road all the way to Blubberhouses. Again, a judicial pause meant my ascent to Hopper Lane was completed quietly and then it is mostly downhill all the way to the Little Wonder and home.
The damp day benefitted me with quiet roads and some unexpected sights – there must have been 20 or more swifts screaming around the bridge at Burnsall and likewise at Bolton Abbey old bridge where I also saw a Kingfisher flash past. I hope anyone else who ventured out managed to enjoy it as much as I did
Peter L 63 miles, 4790 ft of ascent
