Mountain Bike Ride.
The Pensioner, The Ginger One.
Another Great Ayton start on a day whose weather would not have been out of place in midsummer, probably superior to midsummer 2015 to be honest. The Pensioner smeared his ample proboscis with sunscreen and we were off, making our way through the metropolis of Great Ayton and up Station Road to Dikes Lane, where we began the long drag to Roseberry Common through Aireyholme Farm. Today must have been the day when all the people who had been putting off their ascent of Roseberry Topping decided to get it over with, the hill was swarming with ramblers, the cliched column of ant-like stick figures lining the path, congregating on the summit like cheapskates round the reduced price aisle in Tesco. We went the opposite way, shouldering bikes for the plod up the steps to Newton Moor, pausing at the top to take in the view of Teesside and check the state of our chemical plants. Moving across to Guisborough Woods, we descended Les’s 1 to check out the recent improvements, nicely bermed at the bottom and most of the ruts smoothed out , definitely better than it used to be.
Fire roads through the woods to our second big hill of the day, The Unsuitables, a well known horror for regular Guisborough Woods riders. Eventually the gate at the top came into view, where we rested in the sunshine as The Pensioner eventually came into view. Continuing up Percy Cross Rigg, the track drier than it’s ever been, even the usually permanent puddles were gone. Around the Lonsdale Bowl was similar, soon we were down at Gribdale contemplating the third big hill - the fire road to Captain Cook’s Monument, perfect conditions for a flawless ascent of the stepped section around the memorial plaque. Over the stones, up to the steps, weight perfectly balanced, nose of the saddle massaging the prostate, keep that front wheel down, around the left hand kink, apply the power to the rear wheel, weight back slightly to get the front wheel over the big step and stop dead - another failure and the ignominious push up the remaining steps.
From the monument, we immediately plunged downhill, through a forest of handlebar-grabbing bracken to the edge of Mill Bank Woods, from where we followed the bridleway which contours Easby Moor, past the Red Run and down the eroded rooty track leading back towards Dikes Lane, a technical test almost causing a few dodgy moments from The Ginger One as his brutish Darlington lack of finesse came to the fore. Within sniffing distance of Fletcher’s Farm Coffee Shop now and The Pensioner’s trademark cafe spurt was employed, leaving his juniors behind as he flew down the track like Mark Cavendish sprinting for the tape.
A ride of some brevity - barely into double figures but three good hills and a lot of face-splitting grins from the downhills. Blue sky, dry tracks, an Indian Summer and tea: we’re easily pleased.
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