Monthly Update

August 2007

1^{st. The start of another month, hopefully lacking the torrential precipitation of the past few months. Seeing as we went to Dalby yesterday, it was a nice, gentle bit of active recovery for me today. Dragged Chris up a few slopes and down a few hills around Kildale and Gizzy Woods, before we retired to Glebe Cottage for caffeine and calories. Chris appears to have lost the knack of unclipping from his pedals whenever his bike is stationary, which gave me and assorted members of the public a good laugh, especially when he was rolling around in the dust in the car park.}

8th. Me and Oz had a ride down the Silton Woods Downhill, doubtless at a more sedate pace than it was intended to be ridden but not a bad attempt for two gentlemen approaching middle-age. We made our way to Kepwick and pondered our alternative routes to the Drove Road – all brutally upward, tarmac being the logical option, we spun our grannies rings up Kepwick Bank. Oz did very well, only needed the one lie down. We rewarded ourselves with a big-ring blast through the top of Boltby Forest, followed by a loop across the moor, rejoining the Drove Road and ultimately down our favourite mad mile.

10th. Superb ride today, one of those when the weather gods took pity on us and shoved the clouds aside. Howard reappeared fresh from a month of sticking plasters on roustabouts in the Congo and Tony joined us freshly wounded from the weekend’s Selkirk Merida. Starting from Square Corner (again), we rode along the Drove Road, followed by the Escarpement to Sutton Bank. After a suitable repast, we retraced our tracks briefly before plunging down into the valley for a bit of road riding to Silton Woods. In Silton Woods, we made our way to the downhill course as a finale to our excellent day, except for the hideous fire road ascent back to the car park – no fun in the unaccustomed heat.

16th. Not the best august weather we’ve ever had but in the spirit of British stoicism – at least it stayed dry. Simon almost joined us, a last minute reprieve was served by Terra who evidently couldn’t manage without him, so it was only me, Oz and Tony plodding up the gliding club track onto Carlton Bank. We made our way along partially resurfaced tracks to the Bilsdale Mast, prior to an attempt on the bridleway which goes from the moor via Limestone Ridge to Fangdale Beck. A false start had us blundering through heather before we found a useful line of posts marking the somewhat overgrown track, obviously a little travelled bridleway, more a depression in the surrounding heather and bracken. More vegetation hid assorted potholes and boulders ensuring several unintentional dismounts before we reached the hamlet of Fangdale Beck. A few tedious road miles brought us back to Beak Hills, then the spectacular track along the front of Cringle Moor gave a pleasurable run back to Lordstones.

21st. Kildale appeared to be having it’s own micro-climate day today, Teesside being merely dull, Kildale having reared up to meet the wet, clammy clouds. Howard turned up minus one spd shoe, so it was our earliest ever café visit before he disappeared into the mist to reunite his shoes and explore some of his new local tracks around Richmond. This left me with the should I/ shouldn’t I dilemma; on one hand the weather was atrocious; on the other hand I was here with a bike. Compromise was reached in the form of a short route, through Mill Bank Woods, up to Gribdale , across Newton Moor, down Little Roseberry, Gizzy Woods, Codhill Heights, Sleddale and New Row. Visibility on the tops was less than 10m, needless to say I didn’t bump into many other folks foolish enough to be plodding across the moors in these conditions.

24th. In complete contrast to Tuesday, Friday gave us the other extreme – blazing sunshine and temperatures in the high twenties. Set off from Howard’s new house in Richmond and rode to Reeth via Applegarth, Marske, Skelton Moor, Hurst, Marrick Moor, climbing steadily to reward ourselves with a descent of Fremington Edge before the inevitable cake and coffee in Reeth. Camelback’s were refilled too, prior to an 11 mile road ride back to Richmond. 28 miles in total, a bit of a harsh reintroduction to cycling for Simon but he managed admirably, probably owing to his new bachelor boy diet which has achieved great results.

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