December 2018 Round Up and Video

December Round Up and Video

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Sunny December (mainly) some days saw temperatures reaching double figures although it didn’t help the tracks, which are suffering from an influx of slop. Me and La Mujerita took ourselves away for a few days without a bike between us. In fact had a whole week off the bike - unheard of. Quite a few rides went unblogged, brief details are below.

Mountain Bike Rides

Square Corner. Route

Howard, The Breadlad.

What's happened to the Square Corner micro climate? Normally half the temperature and twice as windy as the rest of the world, we all remarked on the relative balminess today, no reluctant shedding of thermal jackets or tailgate sheltering while the pre-ride faff went on. And, boom we were off, although  it may not have been quite that dramatic, approaching an ascent of the Mad Mile is never done with enthusiasm. But the sky was blue and it wasn't raining, so even that chore went by without too much hardship. Howard's last ride before he returns to play Florence Nightingale to a shipload of Scottish alcoholics, so he was making the most of it, powering up the hill, leaving us lesser mortals in his wake. We cracked along the Drove Road at a fine pace, soon reaching Dialstone Farm, from where we headed for the Escarpment but not before we had a breather and took in the self proclaimed Finest View In England. The Escarpment was pleasant today, dry and firm, running along the very edge of the Hambleton Hills, we recalled the day The Pensioner managed to ride over the edge only to be saved from premature death by a tree trunk, unaware, we looked back to see an empty track,  rode back to find him crawling back up an almost vertical slope of grass and bracken, sounding like Chubby Brown minus verbs, pronouns, adjectives or prepositions. Okay, one long, continuous stream of expletives. Today was casualty free, even after we stopped for a play in the quarry. We continued past High Paradise Farm, on winter hours, so unfortunately closed. Which left only the drag back along the Drove Road and the sublime pleasure which is the descent of the Mad Mile.

The Ginger One

11th Hamsterley. Route

Canny day round Hamsterley with The Ginger One, finally managed to find The Pensioner trail, I think he would have approved, apart from the light-blocking trees, which would definitely elicit a a few sentences bemoaning lack of vision and how we would not even get out of bad if our eyes were in the same state. Bobby and his little band of trail fairies have done a grand job.

17th December - funeral

I feel I ought to say a few words here about Les Guest, who came out with us occasionally, although he preferred road biking. The organiser of the memorable Way Of The Roses ride back in April 2012, which, just like old time Tour De France races, was fuelled by steak and alcohol, we probably averaged a pint for every five miles ridden and had a grand time doing it. We rode from Morecambe on the west coast to Whitby on the east coast, staying overnight in Settle and York and sampling hostelries across the breadth of England.  Les may have pedalled off to bigger and better cycle tracks but trips like that will always live on in the memories of the participants.

18th Xmas Dinner ride

Wettest day of the month, with a seasoning of wind.  Blogged here.

20th Gribdale Route

Took La Mujerita out for a little scout about from Gribdale over the moors to Highcliffe Nab and back. The weather was reasonable and we managed to stay mud-free for most of the ride, except for the slither down the hill back to the car park.

24th Scaling Dam Route

The Breadlad

Christmas eve and a chance to escape the festive frenzy with a ride on the velocipedes. Parked in the lay by because whoever is in charge of the car park decided nobody could possibly want to leave their cars there on a Christmas eve enforced with a locked barrier. It was another grand day with blue sky and sunshine and we thoroughly enjoyed our little spin. We even got a bit of free entertainment from one of a pair of paramotorists who decided to swoop down and give us a wave after he tried to stand on Danby Beacon, then three Santas on trials bikes turned up. Must be christmas.

27th Great Ayton Route

Santa has been and somehow he managed to drag a shiny bike down the chimney for La Mujerita, two days later it was being off-loaded from the roof rack in a sunny but cool Great  Ayton for its first run. La Mujerita having declined the opportunity to ride round the block on christmas day with all the other kids who got new bikes for chrimbo. We had a gentle road start, following tarmac to Kildale, then hauled ourselves up the Yellow Brick Road from New Row to Percy Cross Rigg, then along to the Unsuitables, where we enjoyed a gravel-surf to the cross roads. We pootled along more fire roads to Roseberry Common and the last hill of the day (she’ll learn) before a mud-splattered descent to Aireyholme Farm, which was followed by more descending, all the back to Great Ayton and a mandatory cafe stop.

28th Pinchinthorpe. Route

The next day I was doing a Billy No Mates in Guisborough Woods, doing a spot of selfy filming. A bit cool in the wind but pleasant in the trees. In the middle of Twixtmas the car park at Pinchinthorpe was rammed when I returned, maybe something to do with the ticket machines not being in use? 

31st Lordstones Route

Rod

Last ride of the year, me and Rod converged in Lordstones car park ready to see the year out. We took a chance on The Fronts not being too muddy and lost - it was dire but we persevered all the way to Clay Bank. The paved steps up Carr Ridge, to Urra Moor came as relief, although the wind was doing it’s best to ruin our day, gaining strength the higher we plodded. The Rim was our next objective and it has to be said, not in bad condition for December, muddy in parts but all rideable. We continued through East Bank Plantation, rather speedier because we did not have a lost Benny The Brawl to search for and up the road to Beak Hills Farm where the stroppy Jack Russell showed no sign of tempering his attitude for the festive season, he barked us all the way up the drive, through the farmyard and continued until we were out of sight. Returning to Lordstones, we joined the nice clean people in the cafe.