Short Gentle Ride
On a Sunny but still cold Wednesday morning we had a perfect group of 8 regulars for the Short gentle ride, consisting of Joe, Geraldine, Nicky, Paul, Gordon, Barbara, Paul B and myself. We left the show-ground past St John Fisher straight across and left up Wheatlands Rd East, across the doggy roundabout and up St George’s Rd to the cycle path, left and across Pannal Ash Rd and Otley Rd onto Harlow moor Rd, and towards the army training college, to progress up Penny Pot lane and out into the open views and sunshine that we were rewarded with as we approached Brame lane, where we stopped to enjoy the views and for a photo. We crossed Brame lane and progressed on lovely quite country lanes until our coffee stop at the Fewston farm shop cafe, where we enjoyed fresh produce and refreshments whilst discussing gas meter changes and Trump/Putin, both potentially explosive issues.
Refreshed, we crossed the A59 without any losses and cycled to the MOD base gate, where as soon as I opened the side gate, the security guard opened the road bar to let the whole group through. The views in every direction were fantastic as the temperature climbed, we enjoyed our flat straight road past the American base, having spectacular views in every direction and then enjoyed our lovely long downhill descent over many miles down into Hampsthwaite, even seeing a highland long horned cow. We re-grouped before our ascent up Clint bank and then our descent and cycle paths through the woods towards Ripley. We decided not to have a second coffee stop in Ripley, even though Gordon was tempting us with the list of food on offer at the Ripley stores. Onto the Greenway where Barbara won the green jersey sprint to Bilton Lane, where Gordon and Nicky departed the group, Paul left us before dragon bridge and Joe, Geraldine and Paul B left us just after, I said my farewells and turned up Claro Rd to try and catch Barbara up, but to no avail, she was gone.
Today was such a good ride, on a very different route, but with such great views and such a fabulous long downhill to enjoy, the mood in the group was happy the whole way round and such a reminder of why it is so important to volunteer to lead other groups every so often, rather than always riding with the same group, as it’s more about the journey and that’s what social cycling is all about.
Thank you, to today’s members for making the ride so pleasurable, I had exactly 25miles and 1621ft. Mike W
Wednesday Wanderers Ride
This was my first attempt at leading a Wanderers ride. The weather started cool but soon warmed up. I knew it was going to be a warm dry as Richard turned up, Richard has a cycle that hibernates during winter months and only emerges in the warmer weather.
We started with 14, so split into 2 groups of 7. I lead the first group with Mike leading the second. We picked up another wanderer at Bilton. The ride along the Greenway was as usual cool,with the occasional obstacles of dogs that wander around regardless of owners’ shouts and pedestrians that have developed temporary deafness to cycle bells due to music being played directly into their ears. The groups regathered at Ripley and it was onto Scarah bank. There are only two things you can hear going uphill on a wanderer’s ride, the first is the whirl of electric motors and the second is wheezing and puffing from those of us that do not have electric bikes. A quick regather at the top of the hill then onto Fountains Abbey. The sun was now beginning to warm us all and the views around were stunning. On a day like that, why would you want to be anywhere else in the world? The break spot was to be Tates Garden centre so once through the Deer Park the groups began to get a little bunched. I’ve noticed this on a wanderer’s ride, the pace increases the closer the group gets to tea and food. The weather was so good we all sat outside enjoying the first opportunity this year to sit in sunshine warm enough to eat Al fresco. Most of the group went for their usual order But Mike Pyle ordered a granola and yogurt. This arrived covered in flowers Mike didn’t know whether to eat it or take it home as a display. A flatter return ride through Littlethorpe, Bishop Monkton and onto Knaresborough. The groups broke up at Knaresborough with most making their way home, leaving just 5 of the original 15 to tackle Beryl Burton way and make our way back to Harrogate. An excellent ride out with great people and great weather. A big thank you to all the support I received from the group on my first ride as leader. Derek G
EG’s Ride
A very heavy overnight frost had changed my car from black to white, so when I set off at 8.30 it wasn’t a surprise to find the temperature was just 1 degree, but ‘feels like’ -1. However the forecast promised much better temperatures for later in the day, and so it proved. As I supped my coffee in Knaresborough, waiting for the appointed hour, I kept abreast of the apologies coming in on WhatsApp from the usual EG riders. 5 apologies arrived, so at 10am just 2 of us set off from Low Bridge: Dave Watson and myself. Good opportunity, therefore, for us to return to a small cafe that can struggle to cope with larger groups: the ‘Post Box Deli’ in Thorner. Our outward route was via Little Ribston, Wetherby, Thorpe Arch, Clifford and Bramham. The food in Thorner did not disappoint, and it is good to see from Mr Google that the Post Box Deli has made it into the top 10 cafes in Thorner !! We returned via Collingham, Linton, and Wetherby, where we decided we had earned another tea stop. At Little Ribston we parted ways, Dave returning to Knaresborough, and me to Harrogate via Spofforth, Follifoot, and Rudding Park. It had been a thoroughly delightful, relaxing ride in wonderful Spring weather, with excellent company. After all, when there’s only 2 of you to start with, you can’t afford to fall out with your riding companion!
I clocked up 43 miles, 2,400’ climbing, 11.5 mph average. Eric W.
Awayday Ride
Away Day Group 2
You couldn’t wish for a more perfect spring day. Although the air temperature was a bit sharp, you could feel the heat on your back and the interesting sensation of having a frozen chest and a sweaty back, simultaneously. We gave the first group a ten minute head start then ambled off in an anti-clockwise direction through South Kilvington, Kirkby Knowle, Cowesby and Borrowby pausing only to admire a small herd of nosy, friendly alpacas and to have a brief discussion on the excellent thermal properties of their wool. We were making good time and on target for a pleasingly early lunch in Northallerton and even the more saintly members of the group were feeling quite peckish. Keith took us on a very short detour in Kirby Sigston to press our noses at the gate and have a look at Rishi Sunak’s house. We then rolled effortlessly into Northallerton and our designated cafe stop at the South Side Slice – try saying that with a mouthful of cake. They serve delicious food, excellent cakes and very nice coffee (and Paul Tindle agrees with me!). It was only mildly over-priced (but I say that about everything these days) and we were given tables on the second floor so you needed to ensure you had taken enough salt/pepper/sugar up with you and were clear about your order, otherwise you were up and down two flights of stairs four times (like me!).
The route had been cunningly devised to have a hilly first half and a really easy second half so we could all just bowl along, admiring the views, the gambolling lambs, dancing daffodils and dazzling sunshine. We passed through the delightful villages of Yafforth, Thrintoft, Warlaby, Newby Wiske, Maunby and Kirby Wiske, stopping for a final group photograph at some imposing looking gates, just to prove that the sky really was that colour, all day long. We covered exactly 35 miles and enjoyed every inch of it. A huge thank you to Doug and Helen for their customary exemplary, planning, organisation and leadership which made 20 cyclists very happy indeed. Helen T
Brisk Away Day
Was it really March? The sun shone all day. There was a light cold breeze but overall it was hard to believe we were so lucky with the weather. Out of Pocklington on Away Day Route 1016 heading initially east it was warming up with every mile under our wheels. We then turned south and at South Dalton we stopped to admire the spire (208 feet high & visible from miles away) before powering on to Beverley.
We found a café with outside tables & were serenaded by a lonely rook from the adjacent band stand. It was nice sat in the sun but that turned to shade as the earth span on its axis (or is the world really flat?) & it was time to get moving again. Plenty of activity in the fields – farmers neatly tilling the soil plus hares and skylarks to be seen and at one point an albino male pheasant. There were also plenty of undulations during the ride back to tire the legs but 5 miles from the end you reach a high point and it is, for once, downhill all the way. All finished off with a pint. 60.1 miles. Tall Tim
