Ride Reports

Wednesday 24th.May

Dave Siswick
Wednesday Wanderers Ride
We were greeted to a fabulous morning and the anticipation of great weather as 16 wanderers gathered. Splitting into 2 groups we agreed meetings points and coffee stop and duly departed the showground. First meet at Follifoot. All present and correct. Pretty good progress through Little Ribston, Cowthorpe and Tockwith. Next meet Marston Moor memorial. Mandatory photo but we probably spent a little too long chatting and soaking up the sun. Onwards to the cafe at Askham Richard. Fairly busy when we arrived but tables were found. Some parts of the service a bit slow but it is excellent value. First group left ten minutes before my group –  never to be seen again. There was some talk of sunbathing. My group meandered through the lanes to Bilborough to Wighill. Into Thorp Arch to pick up the cycleway to Wetherby. Sicklinghall and Kirby Overblow . Unfortunately as we approached the road works on the descent to Crimple Mike Green took a tumble. A gent(Dave) from Rudding holiday centre blocked off our side of the road with his car as we checked Mike over. Very shaken , a few scrapes but painful hip. We didn’t attempt to pick him up. Dave called an ambulance which arrived after about 15 minutes. Dave then organised somebody from the holiday centre to come out and pick Mikes bike up. Which they did very quickly. Phone numbers given to Mike G before he left in the ambulance. Rest of us then made our way back to the showground. At 21.45 the latest info I have is that Mike G was being Xrayed. He spoke to Mike W just before they took him to Xray. Karen from WE has now picked up his bike. from Rudding. I am awaiting an update.
Thank you to all my group for your superb support given to Mike and will keep you briefed.

Mike has a broken femur.

 

Wednesday Ride

Blessed with a warm sunny day a larger turn out was expected but in the end we were a small enough group comprising Gia, Mark, Charlie, Collette, Yvonne, Tim and myself, to ride together even after collecting Paul and Malcolm on the way, Paul had devised a route up the dale to Toft Gate Farm through Birstwith, Darley, Thornthwaite and Padside avoiding as much as possible of the bottom section of Duck Street and the views got better and better as we gradually gained height. Mark and Charlie left us at Heyshaw and the rest dug in for the usual grind up to Greenhow.  Coffee/lunch was taken outside at Toft Gate for the first time in a long while and the sun and scenery were such that we were reluctant to move on, even though the return journey promised some lovely downhill runs. Leaving Malcolm to his own devices a return down Duck Street for the rest was preferred to the rigours of Peat Lane and then a diversion to Thornthwaite Church and the Packhorse bridge at Padside developed into a full scale route change and more climbing, which prompted a change of name for the day to “Only 50 yards or so” Dropping down to Dacre Head, Darley and Birstwith was another great cruising downhill run and having said goodbye to Paul in Birstwith we completed the return along the Greenway. Stats courtesy of Yvonne are 46 miles and 3631 feet of climbing and photos are from everyone. A great day out and thanks to everyone for their company.  James G

 

 

 

Medium Plus Brisk Ride

What a scorcher of a day for a trip to Masham for teas & coffee in the sunshine. Out past Fountains & then a puncture at the bottom of Winksley Bank led to a long delay before the group of 5 ploughed on through the lush greenery – perhaps it is the sunglasses but everything seems to be in full “green mode” at the moment. And wild garlic in abundance at various points of the ride – ambrosia for the nostrils! Back via Snape (where we took the time to look at “crash corner”), Ripon and then a diversion from the published route to Markington & the Drovers crossroads. 58 miles. Tall Tim

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Short Ride

Nine of us set off from the showground, and the day certainly promised sunshine all the way! We followed route 287 which was a bit lumpy, the route took us out past Follifoot, Pannal, over to Burnbridge, Beckwithshaw, a whizz up and down Pot Bank,, Penny pot and over to Hampswaite which looked so pretty in the sunshine today! Actually we were really spoiled for wonderful scenery on this route. Steady away up Hollybank Lane, back through the woods to Ripley, the bluebells were still there to see but not as stunning as earlier in the month. A cheeky takeaway coffee and cake at Ripley sitting in the sunshine, and then a home straight along the cycle path. A big thank you to the lovely ladies and gents on the ride today, and to Zoe and Janet for back marking on my first time guiding a Wheeleasy ride. It was such a lovely morning!