Ride 054.

Date:  6th September 2005             Distance: 17.5 miles

This was the puncture day to end all puncture days, four before we left the car park and another in the first half mile. All to me. So a late start was had by all, panting up the track from Clay Bank car park, Broughton Plantation to our right, Hasty Bank on our left, the midday sun reddening our necks. Soon we were shouldering the bikes for the haul up on to Cold Moor, worth the walk for the two miles of downhill pleasure which followed, rocky, rutty and gravity assisted. The tunnel at the end filled with malicious vegetation was, quite literally, the sting in the tail and we emerged blood-spattered and nettle-stung into Chop Gate.

A bit of road-work preceded some horrendous tarmac – the access road to Bilsdale Transmitter Mast, a merciless grind with more than a little pushing. A welcome rest at the top before we took the familiar tracks to Cock Howe and Barker’s Ridge, over Carlton Bank to the even more familiar surroundings of Lordstones café. Suitably refreshed, we took the roller coaster singletrack along the front of Cringle Moor and made our way back to Clay Bank.

Despite the punctures and the gruelling hill, a good day out to celebrate my first ride as a 46 year old. I could be approaching middle age soon, the way the years keep flashing by.

 Height Profile: (click to enlarge)

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