Medium Steady – Route 100
Nine of us set off towards Timble as described in Route 100. At the Showground Steve skilfully amended his Garmin to this route. So here we have a budding new leader! Well done Steve as a new member this is great. At Timble Steve, Sarah, Tony and Mark set off to take in Thruscross while the rest of us took the slightly shorter route up Hardisty Hill to the listening station.
We passed the huge works taking place towards Kex Gill with the hope that there might be a bridleway for us to ride on one day.
We planned to meet at Hay Cafe in Killinghall but the faster group must have chosen somewhere else. The Hay cafe in Killinghall do a cyclists deal and it is friendly, a nice space and easy to park the bikes.
From the Hay cafe we dropped down to Spruisty Bridge and Knox and home. 33 miles on a glorious autumn day with the usual fabulous views all a short distance from Harrogate. Gia
Lead Group Wanderers
With so many people choosing to ride with the Wanderers today we were asked to form a lead group and clear the way for those to come.
4 riders (Gordon, Derek, Howard and I) set off down a wet and leafy Greenway. We collected Mike at Ripley and now 4 became 5. Howard had been off his bike for 7 weeks whilst he visited relatives in Fiji and the huffing started at Clint Bank. Joined by Mike, who still hadn’t got over what he thinks was covid.
A beautiful day continued as we continued to climb. At Dacre we remembered Liz’s instructions (ride leader) and turned right so that we could ride the ridge before dropping into Thornthwaite. Lordy those climbs kept coming. Even Derek was suggesting his legs were tired! Never mind, the cafe was nearby.
Pulling into Dacre Post Office we couldn’t believe our eyes. A queue, 20 people long!
It was only the main group of Wanderers, inc Liz, who had cut out the high ground and were now ahead! The poor staff looked exasperated! Derek, Howard and I swept up the last pies and then the group sat on Derek’s prepared cardboard boxes (no need for a wet bum is there?). The two groups parted company, and we were joined by Dave. 5 now became 6 for the ride home.
A lovely day in the Dales. Rich A.
Wednesday Wanderers
Today lots of cyclists for my meander round Darley. Weather dry and sunny. A short murmur if the group were going to do my loopy loop up Stripe Lane. Four men went off first with Mike Wills joining them at Ripley. I had seven then ten, Colin, Mark and David, the girls, me, Nicci, Margaret and Chris and collected Sally and Corinne at Bilton and Liz A at Ripley. Through Hollybank Wood glorious autumn colours blazed as we cycled up the lane and turned right and left for Burnt Yates. Down we swooped onto Brimham crossroads straight across and to everyone’s relief downhill to Wilsill. Turning right down to Summerbridge and up Dacre Bank. Everyone still breathing no mutiny we cycled on and turned right down the lovely Dairy Lane to Thornthwaite. Turning left we crossed the main rod to Crake Lane at the top a pause to admire the stunning views and we could see the White Horse in the distance. Down to Darley PO for a welcome rest after all them hill!!. Margaret and Mark left to make their way back home eight of us stopped for lunch. No sign of the boys in the front group. A big thank you to the ladies at the PO as it was very busy and they coped with our orders as best they could. We went outside the driest benches were in the field and we sat down. The front boys turned up as they had gone a meandering saying they had followed my route but turned right at Brimham and went over the moors somewhere. Liz A brought up the visit by the Sumo wrestlers to the UK and after many ribald and rude jokes about them Nicci and I decided to try it out but scared each other. Then we all did our Sumo poses [see photo]. Nicci said she was up for going up Stripe Lane and soon everyone agreed to do that. Liz A left at Darley and David went back with the boys to Birstwith homewards. Six hardy cyclists climbed up Stripe Lane onto Brimham Rocks down Rabbit Hill. Views and Yorkshire autumn scenery was glorious as we whizzed down and turned right. Down Scarah Bank onto Ripley down the Greenway, at Bilton Corinne and Chris turned left I turned right, Nicci, Sally and Colin went straight on. A brilliant fun hilly day enjoyed by all. Thanks for your company, banter and rude Sumo jokes! 38 glorious miles. Liz F
Rubbish Trip
An unusual excursion for 14 members of WE; to the Allerton Waste Recycling Plant (AWRP). Of course I had especially organised fantastic late October weather to ensure that the 8 riders had a lovely 45 minute ride via Knaresborough, Ferrensby and Arkendale even allowing for the post rush hour traffic in Harrogate having set of at 9am PROMPT. We were too prompt apparently for John and Kevin, but we all arrived well in time for the 2 hour AWRP tour at 10am. Another 6 came by car and this made a good sized group for the classroom session on all aspects of waste handling, recycling, AWRP operation etc. . In fact a cornucopia of facts and opinions were provided and we had plenty of opportunity to question just about anything – and we did.
This was followed by a site tour. SMELLY – in summary, but also fascinating to see some of what is involved in the dirtier side of a western society. I’m sure everyone reflected, like me, on how wasteful and profligate we all are no matter how hard we try. Modern living makes it all too easy for us all to waste and pollute – necessitating an AWRP to clean a lot of it up for us all.
After the smelly visit, 7 of us cleared our lungs with a brisk ride to the cafe at Great Ouseburn and then split with Dave, John R, Alison and me heading direct home and Yvonne, John C and Phil meandering back via Cattal and Pannal and some impressive cloud formations.
I cannot do justice to the amount of interesting facts and figures which were shared about rubbish and waste. One stand-out was that if all the slices of bread thrown away by households ALONE on ONE DAY were laid end-to-end they would stretch from Holyhead to the Wash And if that doesn’t make you eat your crusts – what will ?
I would encourage others to visit the site on their Monthly Open Days. This is our money being spent, our waste being processed and our Planet being abused by our behaviour. Think On. Peter L
EG’s Ride
I’ve always surmised that a good reason for resisting the temptation to to fit a Shimano Di2 group set was the uncertainty of battery life. Unfortunately John H. was caught out this morning meaning a battery replacement before we were able to depart on our morning ride. Inevitably this meant a slight delay so, bearing in mind the temporary traffic lights we encountered before we even were out of Knaresborough this meant adopting Plan B already.
A northerly course had been part of the plan to take in Topcliffe and swing around in a meandering manner, to approach Easingwold from the Husthwaites. After Boroughbridge the intended route was to pass through Cundall via Norton-Le-Clay. As we approached the junction near Dishforth airfield, we were faced with “diversion” signs and then a “Road Closed” sign behind temporary fencing. A scouting party, enquiring of the workers, established “No Go” so thinking on our feet we had to turn around to join the Thornton Bridge road via “Scaldhill” lane.
Time lost therefore meant adopting Plan C so turning right & then left at Thornton Bridge, we took the shorter route to the Husthwaite’s.
As we were blessed with sunny and dry conditions we were still able to enjoy the steady pace and vistas surrounding us even the “White Horse” to our left.
Faced with the steep climb into the village we took our time with the stronger ones awaiting the stragglers at the top.
Now was the time to adopt Plan D and turn right, down hill. It had been planned to turn left approaching Easingwold from Oulston Road but, as we had earlier discussed, we needed to reach Easingwold for lunch around about 1.00 pm to be joined by Jim Smith cycling directly from his home.
As the weather was so favourable we were able to be seated outside, unusual for late October. The helpful staff were able to the find an additional table to accommodate the group together (See Photo) including Jim who was recovering from a physical inconvenience to his right knee.
Our return was aiming for Ouseburn via Alne & Aldwark at a steady pace stopping at the Old Post Office for further refreshments. However John H. & Jim S. declined our invitation and headed off their own way home.
As the temperature had now dropped, somewhat, we decided to to seat ourselves inside the glazed “conservatory” recently introduced to the rear of the Post Office for that very reason, and “chewing the fat” and catching up on the events of the day, it seemed, made up of an abundance of even more temporary “traffic lights” very much inhibiting our progress.
Despite the unfortunate disruption to our progress we were still able to complete in excess of 51 miles. Dave W.
