The First Three Of February

The Inadvertent Cross Bike Ride. 

Alone

1st February 2018 route

Good old Stumpy, the number one mountain bike decided it would rather not play today, a self destructing rear brake lever reinforced the message succinctly; the next bike in the queue was the cross bike, a quick change of shoes and inner tubes and we were on our way to Great Ayton. Billy no mates today, the threat of snowflakes kept the snowflakes away and the enthusiasts were busy in their gainful employment - earning more bike part tokens. A gentle road warm up took me through Kildale and up to Percy Cross Rigg, before turning to the rough stuff, down to Sleddale then up the bridleway across Codhill Heights, battling a hefty headwind and the odd snow shower, to enter Guisborough Woods at the back of Highcliffe Nab. It’s been some time since the cross bike visited the moors and my legs knew about it despite the short distance travelled. As I was riding what is often termed a gravel bike, I stuck mainly to the gravel through the woods before returning to mud and climbing at Roseberry Common. Dropping down to Aireyholme Farm, the track well-muddied by farm vehicles, I breathed through nostrils only as my face was being spattered with unidentified ordure. A quick blast across Dikes Lane and Fletcher’s Farm cafe beckoned as irresistibly as the most irresistible thing in Irresistible Land and I was soon amongst pristine diners, replenishing my barely depleted calories before returning to Great Ayton, probably drier than I have ever finished a winter bike ride. 

In The Snow With A Snowflake. 

Benny The Brawl.

5th February 2018 route

Benny The Brawl was actually in the car park before me today, now he’s realised it’s much quicker to reach Kildale without detouring to Westerdale first. He was the only one brave/available for today's ride, which only served to confirm his theory that anyone who goes outdoors in winter is mentally unbalanced, he was at pains to point out his attendance doesn’t mean he is mentally unbalanced just responding to peer pressure. 

The weather is a touch on the brass monkey side today, a fact which did not go uncommented by the ever verbose Benny; our road warm up failed to warm him up, his extremities were on the verge of frostbite, hypothermia incipient, the mental state of anyone outdoors in a day like this was again questioned - volubly. A quick glance at Garmin tells us it was 2 degrees above freezing with a 2mph wind, an insignificant dusting of snow covering the arctic tundra of North Yorkshire. Like Scott and Oates we battled onward, some with more enthusiasm than others, it must be said, making our way over Codhill Heights and (eventually) to the top of The Unsuitables. 

Continuing to Newton Moor on crunchy snow we passed countless people, all enjoying the winter's day. “Radged” according to Benny, still blinking, eyes unaccustomed to natural light. The suggestion of a quick  blast up to Captain Cooks Monument was 3d’d, disbelieved, disdained and firmly dismissed, so we continued along Newton Moor and around the Lonsdale Bowl back to Percy Cross Rigg. The tarmac road was followed to The Yellow Brick Road which was descended with more enthusiasm than style, the cafe beckoned.

More snow with The Youth and Bingo Bob.

The Youth, Bingo Bob.

6th February 2018 route

The weather forecast predicted as day of light snow today and it was not wrong, gentle flakes floated down on us we performed the usual pre-ride faffing in Pinchinthorpe car park, Bingo Bob joined The Youth and I, riding two winter days in a row unthinkably traumatic for Benny The Brawl who prefers pillows to pedals. 

The Concrete Road start was mooted and accepted, mainly on the promise of an easy start and a one hill ride - they'll learn. We pedalled along the old railway skirting the outskirts  of Guisborough, lulled into a false sense of security by the amenable start, the Concrete Road came as a panting, snot-dribbling, lung-burning surprise for two thirds of our party. Eventually we reformed as a trio, conversation now coming in gasps, regaining our breath before gentler climbing took us to the top of Guisborough Woods. Considering the tracks were covered in deepening snow, the ground beneath was soft and muddy, making for slow progress in some places but slow progress is what the Terra Trailblazers are all about; puddles were like pit fall traps, covered with a fragile skin of snow and ice, rewarding the unwary with wet feet. 

We explored a new track to the rear of Highcliffe Nab, which was a pleasant change from snowy fire roads before we plunged down one of said fire roads to the junction beneath Highcliffe Nab. More of the same took us through the woods, The Youth managing to stay rubber side down for the whole ride, which is better than his previous ride, he even considered riding down last week's nemesis, Hospital Corner but discretion became the better part of valour or maybe he simply didn't want to reopen the scabs on his head. Cold and hunger got the better of us and it was not too long before we were in the warmth of the Branch Walkway Cafe, glasses steaming up, dripping muddy water onto the floor while being regarded quizzically by the impossibly clean patrons. How do people manage to go into the countryside and stay so clean?