2nd April 2013. 30.5 miles. 1,009 ft ascent.
Ride Map
Just a BNQ (before nights quicky) local ride, managed first ever 17 mph
average despite the wind.
5th April 2013. 13 miles. 1,467 ft ascent.
Ride Map
Back out on the mountain bike today, giving Scott another run around
Kildale and Guisborough Woods. I don’t think he was too impressed with the
gruesome start, straight up to Coate Moor via Bankside Farm. Curiously
enough, despite the dreadful weather we’ve had, the trails are, for the
most part, dry, odd but nobody is complaining.
8th April 2013. 21.5 miles. 2,213 ft ascent.
Ride Map
Despite it being April, it was still bitterly cold with the odd snow
flurry when we met at Sheepwash today. In view of the unusually dry tracks
we decided to ride to Hawnby today via The Dale Head singletrack, which
was very pleasant except for a couple of boggy bits. Then we found a dead
cow, upon which Bob posed for pictures like a proud hunter. Some tedious
tarmac to Moor Gate then we resumed the offroad experience, passing Hill
End House, down through Low Wood, crossing the River Rye to join the road
at New Hall. The
Hawnby Tearoom
special of pork burger and chips, essential cyclists nutrition, was
enjoyed by all, fuelling us up for the ascent of Murton Bank and the
subsequent drag along the Drove Road from Sneck Yate to the Mad Mile. The
unfortunately sanitised Mad Mile, all it’s got going for it now is that it
is downhill. Returning to Sheepwash, we tested our technical skills on the
slabby rock drops leading down to the ford, pushing bodies and bikes to
their absolute limits as we shredded the descent. Some elements of fantasy
may have been involved in the preceding sentence.
9th April 2013. 12 miles. 1,601 ft ascent.
Ride Map
The very next day we were at Sheepwash again, with Scott, for a
considerably shorter ride than yesterday. Some tracks around Scarth Wood
Moor were explored before we made our way to the cafe at Swainby. As we
made our way into Clain Woods from Swainby, Scott was given a lesson in
how not to fix a puncture by Bob - always check the inner tube is fully
inserted into the tyre prior to inflating or the bit blebbing out of the
side explodes in a rather spectacular fashion. Suitably educated we moved
onto the abject misery which is the ascent of the Clain Wood steps, ride,
push, carry it makes no difference. Returning to Scarth Wood Moor, we did
another loop, dropping down to Cod Beck reservoir, ascending again to High
Lane purely to enjoy the same descent to Sheepwash as we did yesterday,
honing our barely existent technical skills on the drop offs and boulders.
10th April 2013. 53 miles. 2,950 ft ascent.
Ride Map
A lonesome road bike ride today. Four big hills, Gribdale from Great Ayton,
Coate Moor from Gribdale, Clay Bank from Ingleby Greenhow and Carlton Bank
from Chop Gate. The weather was almost pleasant if I remember rightly.
12th April 2013. 30.5 miles. 1,081 ft ascent.
Ride Map
16 April 2013. 23 miles. 944 ft ascent.
Ride Map
A couple of damp, windy cross bike rides around the Castle Eden walkway
and that sort of area.
19th April 2013. 16 miles. 1,274 ft ascent.
Ride Map
An unusually limited turnout for this mountain bike ride, only me, Bob and
Scott. We met up at Scaling Dam and did one of our usual loops, Scaling
Dam, High Tranmire Farm, Lealholmside, Lealholm, Ainthorpe, Danby, Danby
Beacon, Scaling Dam. The obligatory stop in the
Stonehouse Bakery
preceded the ascent to Danby Beacon, a harsh section of an otherwise easy
ride. The moorland bridleway across Roxby Moor was in excellent condition,
with only the odd puddle to splash through.
24th April 2013. 30.5 miles. 1,063 ft ascent.
Ride Map
Back on the road bike to finish off the month, alone for another BNQ and a
gentle leg stretcher in preparation for
The Serious Ride For Serious Men
on the 27th. Deliberately concentrating on high cadence/low gear pedalling
so as not to stress the legs, I was still only 0.5 mph lower than my best
speed for the loop. Shame I couldn’t actually make it to the ride.
Terra Trailblazers April 2013 riding from John Lavelle on Vimeo.