Monthly Update

October 2007

9th. First ride out for almost three weeks owing to some hideous “viral infection” (doc. speak for “We don’t know what’s wrong with you…”) and the first day of the Terra Trailblazers mini-break to the Yorkshire Dales. Something of a massed start as a whole five of us left Reeth centre in the weak sunshine. Even Simon joined us, coerced away from his settee, more to do with the promise of real ale and pub grub than healthy activity in the fresh air. People recovering from viral infections are advised to keep heart rate below 60 to 70% of max, so why did I soon find myself attempting to ride up a monstrous gradient in the granny ring? It’s an unfortunate fact that Reeth is in a valley and every start is uphill, this one even has a name apparently, The Grinton Grind. Eventually it did level out, after passing over Harkerside Moor around about the same time rain swept in forcing a rethink of the original route. Eschewing further moor slogging at the T junction on Whitaside Moor, we made a rapid descent to the valley including a bit of blundering about looking for a phantom bridleway. Bidding adios to Howard, who had to return to childcare duties, we went in search of refreshment, the only nearby establishment turned out to be a pub. Reluctantly venturing in, we sampled the local brew, purely for carbohydrate replacement reasons of course. Refreshed, we ventured out again into to the rain and straight up another scary ascent, luckily all on tarmac, to Surrender Bridge, then a pleasant bridleway, pleasant because it was downhill and the wind was behind us, took us back to Reeth. A mud-covered, bedraggled bunch of soaking wet scruffs on her doorstep didn’t faze our new landlady one little bit and soon we were in the lounge enjoying tea and coffee with our bikes locked away in the police inspected (well Tony had a look at it and declared it eminently suitable) secure bike storage.

10^{th. Day two began with sunshine, a hearty full English and a refreshing lack of hangovers despite a five hour session of real ale, pool, darts and reliving our youths’ via The Black Bull jukebox the previous evening. We needed the sustenance and extra calories because today we were beginning our ride with an ascent of Fremington Edge – two words guaranteed to send a shiver down the spine of most cyclists and three quarters of our motley crew in particular, the three quarters who are bone-idle, work-shy process operators. As it happened a slight mechanical problem on my bike allowed pool-failure Simon to reclaim some dignity and storm into the lead to claim today’s King Of The Mountains title. The highlight of the day, the descent to Langthwaite via Storthwaite Hall, over too soon and again we were again fighting gravity, first on tarmac, then a gradually deteriorating track around Great Pinseat. Most of the tracks around Reeth are old mining tracks, solid underfoot and pretty much all-weather, except for the ones we chose today, boggy to swamp standards and seemingly endless. Eventually we were back on familiar territory, racing down the Mill Gill track where Simon, as an impetuous youth, smashed his helmet way back on TTB017. Soon we were back at Surrender Bridge, thronged with parked cars in complete contrast to yesterday’s rain-lashed desolation. Utilising the Fore Gill Gate bridleway again we returned to Reeth and a quick snack before another night of beer, food and pool. Just for posterity the pool score ought to be recorded, regular players Simon (snooker club devotee) and Tony, 5 wins: rank amateurs who barely know which way to hold the stick, Oz and John, 6 wins. Nothing more to be said.}

11th. Morning weather forecast – “Today will be a bit of an east west split, drizzly in the west and sunny in the east.” Reeth being pretty much central guess which weather we got? Drizzly of course but it didn’t mention the wind which was a nice steady 60 mph on the tops. Reattempting the first day’s ride was doubly difficult because the wind was in our faces the whole way up the massive climb, throw some tender undercarriages, low cloud and drizzle into the equation and the decision at the Whitaside Moor T junction was unanimous. Gravity assistance soon saw us tucking into coffee and sandwiches while we watched the rain through the café window. All too soon our little break was over and we were heading for the sunny east.

We must give special mentions to our accommodation Hackney House, pleasant rooms, great breakfast, a landlady well in tune with needs of mountain bikers and even idiots who lock the keys in their bedroom. We can’t recommended the place more highly. Also The Black Bull in Reeth and The Bridge Inn at Grinton for good food and fine ales and letting us monopolise their pool tables.

18th Back on home tracks for a Billy No-Mates quicky from Square Corner, over to Swainby Shooting House, Clain Woods, Scarth Wood Moor, down to Osmotherley, Cod Beck and back past Chequers café (closed, surprise). A perfect little run to blow away the cobwebs, on a lovely autumnal day.

22nd. Set off from Lordstones for another lone effort. The biting wind had me searching the kit bag for long finger gloves, shame I could only come up with long finger glove. Cleared the lungs out with an ascent of the bridleway up Carlton Bank, then made my way across to Arnesgill Ridge, the recent resurfacing now consolidated and much better to ride on. A circuitous route finished with a descent of Trennet Bank to Chop Gate, followed by a bit of tarmac to Clay Bank. Back off-road for the ever-pleasant run along the fronts of Hasty Bank, Cold Moor and Cringle Moor to Lordstones.

30th Alone again, there seems to be a bit of a theme developing here. As the old saying goes “When people are alone and friendless, there’s always a good reason.” I wonder what it is in my case? Kildale again on a perfect October day, the sky was blue, the leaves were gold and the tracks were dry – never saw another cyclist all day. Spent a couple of hours revisiting some old tracks in Guisborough Woods before heading back to Kildale via Percy Cross Rigg and New Row. The New Row track has been resurfaced again, after the last effort was washed away by the summer’s monsoon, this time it’s been properly sanitised, a uniform coating of gravel from top to bottom, no more rock slabs or mini boulders to make things interesting.

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