The first month of 2012 and we managed to squeeze in nine rides, none of them an epic distance but it all adds up. I’m not going to give a ride by ride account, as no new ground was covered, all the trails were familiar territory to most of us. We did welcome some new members into the Terra Trailblazers fraternity, three operators from the Growhow ammonia plant desperate to leave the warmth and comfy chairs of the control room for the cold wet mud of North Yorkshire. Even The Captain managed to attend one ride (out of nine), putting in a whole dozen miles in a month, good training for those seventy mile days when we do The Way Of The Roses in April.

The month started with killer wind and ended with killer snow and killer cold - all genuine headlines from the good old Daily Express, that well known frightener of middle England, doubtless we never had such bad weather before the country was awash with immigrants and benefit scroungers. Routes were often carefully planned to take advantage of prevailing wind but the mud was less controllable, many areas normally ridden without problems reduced us to pushing, slipping and carrying. Some rides were perfect winter days, blue sky and nicely frozen ground saw us cruising through countryside and along moorland tracks, our athletic bodies cleaving the cold air, powering up the inclines, owning the downhills with precision technique, flowing through singletrack like riding gods. In our imaginations anyway. Mainly it was just a blast to get us to the café.

Reliable café’s are sparser than The Darlo Boy’s hair at this time of year, limiting our riding somewhat. It seems a lot of them can afford to close for winter or maybe can’t afford to open might be nearer the truth. Of course we could always try a café free ride; or maybe not, the malnutrition which some Terra Trailblazers feel will occur after a dozen miles of riding with only the odd energy bar and sticky bun to keep them going would be too much to contemplate.

So, here, in no particular order are the Terra Trailblazers regular winter café stops, all of which are unperturbed by mud-splattered middle-aged men dripping on their nice clean floors.

Kildale, Glebe Cottage. Home of the biggest sandwiches in North Yorkshire. The soups are pretty good too, Walker’s Broth being a popular choice. Friendly service, tasteful, non-intrusive background music. Outside seating available for any particularly hardy souls. Closed Thursdays.

Great Ayton, Number 5 Coffee House. This café looks far too posh for a load of scruffs like us but we are always made more than welcome. Good selection of sandwiches and cakes, plus other snacks. The cream tea looks awesome, a triple tiered cake stand full of sweet and savoury goodies, although we haven’t tried it yet. Nice courtyard seating area outside with patio heater for when the café is full, which it often is. Closed Sundays.

Hawnby. Hawnby Tearoom. Next to village shop, good selection of meals and snacks. Pork burger (made from locally reared pork) with homemade chips is a Terra Trailblazers favourite. Very friendly service. Unfortunately Hawnby is the geographically the lowest point of any ride, the only way is up, as the song says. Ascending Murton Bank with a bellyful of pork burger and chips can prove trying. Open everday.

Swainby. Coffee Shop. In the village shop, another friendly café serving drinks and snacks, crumpets and toasted teacakes most popular amongst the Terra Trailblazers for some reason. Interesting selection of top shelf magazines in shop - if you like tractors. Closed 13:30 to 15:00 during winter months.

Danby. The Stonehouse Bakery. Awesome selection of sweet and savoury, freshly baked. Plus soup, sandwiches and other snacks. Too much to choose from. Bring a big backpack because it’s hard to leave without a carrier full of goodies.