February 2020 Round Up and video.

February 2020 Round Up and video.

Video here.

The saying goes that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, February 2020 came in like a hurricane and went out like a cyclone, the wettest February on record, a trio of named storms, in between the storms just wind and rain, day after day of 50 mph gusts along with a little snow and the odd hailstorm. And it’s a leap year, so we got an extra day of it gratis. Only the hardiest souls ventured out this month, I imagine the rest were tofu, (Telly On, Feet Up) in the warm and dry. 

The remaining three rides of the month.

Afternoon Ride

Monday 24th February 2020

Great Ayton

Oz

Yep, that’s correct, afternoon ride, shattering the traditional Terra Trailblazers’ ten thirty start, well, that is really ten thirty meet, everyone does their essential maintenance in the car park while we wait for The Breadlad to roll up fifteen minutes later. Generally it’s heading towards eleven by the time a pedal is turned, not that it matters, we have a whole day to waste, or rather we have to waste a whole day, God forbid we should be involved in any of the sort of domestic responsibilities that make life so tedious. 

The weather forecast dictated today’s late start, morning was 100% chance of rain and the usual 50 mph winds, so we met in Great Ayton at one pm and rode to Guisborough Woods for a couple of hours slopping about in the mud. The clouds cleared but the trails were suffering from the amount of rain over the past few hours, new rivers have appeared, Fingerbender Bank is now a proper creek, little waterfalls flowing over the drop offs. Conscious of the time and the Terra Trailblazers’ motto, “The ride’s not over until you’ve been to the cafe.” We splashed our way back to Great Ayton for a welcome cup of coffee in The Velveteen Rabbit Luncheon Club, definitely a contender for the cafe with the most memorable name.

Fingerbender Bank in full spate.

Kepwick Bank Is Still A Bastard.

Tuesday 25th February 2020

Square Corner

Alone

One of those days when you feel like challenging yourself, see how far along the fitness trail you’ve came, or more realistically, slipped back toward being a twenty stone globule of lard, lounging on the settee, remote control in hand, pork pie in the other, got my beer on the sideboard here. Kepwick Bank was once an irregular part of the route planning until the voices of dissent banished it from the agenda. But being alone meant freedom to indulge in whatever perverted practices I desired, being a pretty uninspired sort of pervert, Kepwick Bank became the focus. But first a bit of fun was to be had, starting with a scrounge about in Silton Woods, where I rode the first section of the downhill track and had an explore about, discovering some hidden gems - that’s providing your idea of treasure is brambles and mud. 

Eventually I found tarmac and followed it into Kepwick village, riding up the qualifier, a mere foothill leading to the mountain of Kepwick Bank. 1.4 miles and 658 feet of ascent, according to Strava, the bottom half is the steepest, a couple of hairpins which surely rival Chimney Bank, mercifully they lead to a gate, the perfect excuse to stop and take on extra fuel for the second half, not quite as steep but more relentless. The gate at the top comes into view, remnants of snow still drifted across the road, vehicle wheel tracks provide a passage, reach the gate and pass through onto the Hambleton Drove Road and a chance for the un-syncopated trio of panting lungs, beating heart and quivering legs to regain their equilibrium. From here I rode a few hundred metres south before riding back down the hillside, losing some of the hard-gained height so I could check out another previously spotted trail in Boltby Forest. Found it, rode it, climbed back up to the Drove Road and followed it north back toward the car, finishing the day by descending the Mad Mile, always an awesome end to any ride. A few patches here and there of surprisingly sticky snow to keep us alert, sugar snow to anyone who has skied or snowboarded, especially our very own international jet-setter and playboy prince of the pistes, The Breadlad.

Extra Day, Extra Ride

Saturday 29th February 2020

Swainby

The Breadlad

Leap year day, squeezing in an extra ride for the extra day and on a weekend too, mainly because of a bike-less three days this week, spent in a snowy Lake District. Me and The Breadlad met in Swainby for a ride about, trying to avoid mud and doing a bit of exploring in the woods. A few promising looking tracks were followed, only for them to end in a disarray of fallen trees or tangled brambles, the wind this month has felled more trees than a North Korean missile test and it doesn’t look as though anyone is coming to shift them anytime soon. As if the wind couldn’t do enough by itself, it looks as the self-appointed woodland protector for this area, known only as The Colonel, has been keeping himself busy too, spreading bundles of branches across the trails. It’s nice to see old people keeping themselves fit and not becoming a burden on the NHS. I always like to carry a stash of “Do Not Resuscitate” bracelets in my pack, just in case I come across one of these geriatric trail militia pegging out from the exertion of hauling branches and rocks around. Slip one on his (or her, other genders are available) wrist, saves bothering the mountain rescue team. We continued up some hills, down some hills, through some mud and across the odd stream until by an unspoken agreement, we found ourselves at the Rusty Bike Cafe, overcompensating for our expended calories from the cake selection.