EG’s Ride
Only the Fab Four set out from Low Bridge this morning into the teeth of the bitterly cold North wind. Ripon was designated as the destination and we battled for what seemed an interminable time before arriving at Tate’s.
The cafe was rammed with er…. old people. We added to this.
It was so warm and welcoming with a happy buzz about the place, it is unsurprising that it gets so busy.
Inexpensive too, with a pot of tea and good quality and quantity beans on brown setting me back a lowly £5.70.
Pleasant service was included and deserved a reward.
The return journey took us approximately half the time and Knaresborough was reached safely.
Thanks Dave W, Jim, and Geoff for excellent company both on the road and in the caf.
25 pretty hard fought miles
DaveS
Medium Steady Ride
Bicycles really take up very little space, certainly compared with the gathering of campervans packing the showground this morning! Six of us (Tim2, Sarah D, Charlie, Marc, Tony & I) threaded our way slowly through the traffic to Bilton intending to meet Paul T. at Killinghall but we were behind schedule and playing catch-up. Once we left Hampsthwaite, we were in the lovely verdant lanes of Lower Nidderdale, admiring the local rare breeds as we climbed up to Hardgroves Hill. Then the North Wind did surely blow! I don’t usually struggle to go down hills but this was a blustery helterskelter of a descent, requiring strength to keep our bikes simply stable swooping down to Dacre and striving to climb against the head wind up the hill to Summerbridge. The rosy cheeks are actually windburn! Good progress along to Birchfield where Charlie left us to go pack his skiing kit. However, we were delighted to find Paul patiently nursing his fourth cup of coffee, having secured a table for us by the roaring stove. On leaving, a quick glance at the sky indicated that it would be prudent to put the rain jackets on and so it indeed proved; no sooner had we negotiated the long rocky drive and reached the road than the hail hit! And it hit hard, so hard it was difficult to see and steady the steeds. It eased off as we crossed the Nidd at Hartwith, on to Birstwith and up Clint Bank where Paul said farewell and dropped down to Hampsthwaite. The rest of us pressed on through Holly Bank, Ripley & the Greenway back to Harrogate. Thanks to a cheerful, hardy group for coming along and making it a fun ride. Just over 30 miles and over 2,580 ft. Yvonne D.
Wanderers Ride
A happy group of 11 regulars set off on a cold Wednesday morning from the show-ground, out in two groups of 51/2 with a gap, down Gia’s way and up the back of Rudding park where Sally caught us up making 12, over the A59 and Mike (the Vet) joined us now making a lucky 13.
Down through Follifoot to Spofforth where Leslie joined us after a long break, so now 14 in spread apart, as I kept a fairly brisk pace to both keep the group with gaps but mainly to keep them warm, it kept threatening rain, but just before Tockwith crossroads, as the medium brisk plus flashed across before us in a blur, we voted on continuing to the prison on the 41 mile route or cutting across to make it 31 miles and possibly avoiding the rain later. Eric Steve B and Rodger pushed on to the prison and the rest continued through Walton to Tim’s for a welcome warm from the wind and cold. So much so, that nobody seemed to want to go back outside but we eventually ventured back out along the pathway with hailstones and rain towards Wetherby, we then decided to try the newly compacted Harland way back to Spofforth, with a full arc rainbow on our right, after Spofforth, I continued up the official route and home whilst the remaining 10 headed for the show-ground.
Lots of different decisions made on this cold day today but a happy group of regulars, not too cold, or too wet, or too tired, so a successful ride with good company.
1 had 30.7miles 1328ft
Mike W
Short Ride
A day/week to celebrate. Wheel Easy donated £500 to the Starbeck Greenway Conservation Group, The Harland Way improvements are completed with the added bonus of a tarmac path from East Park Road to the entrance. Finally through the generosity of two of our members a Wheel Easy member had the opportunity to experience the wonders of an electric bike. As he said he was like a kid in a sweet shop.
Many of us have all experienced that feeling of wonder as that extra help up the hills kicks in.
The weather was wild wintry sunny rainy and cold but we made good progress through Kirkby Overblow and the Wood Hall detour. Thanks David for guiding us up the right path. Feeling decidedly chilly we stopped at North Street Deli for coffee and to warm up.
Our return along the newly surfaced and widened path was a treat to be away from the traffic and avoid the long detours we have been taking over the last few years due to the poor condition of the Harland Way.
The added bonus of the tarmac surface from the exit to East Park Road was ours to travel on shortly after its completion as you can see from our tyre marks.
We called in at the Caravan Park at Rudding where the cafe is closed except at weekends but we would be welcome to use the Deer Park pub or Golf club for coffee.
We got home just before the next hailstorm.
Thank you for your company. David, Paul, Debby and Kevin. 24 miles. Gia
