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.