Another Four Ride Week.

 Another Four Ride Week.

Does Everyone On Furlough Get A Free Dog?

The start of another week in the life of a retiree and his motley crew of (shift) cyclic compatriots, roaming the mudflats and floodplains which pass for countryside nowadays. First out of the blocks this week is The Breadlad, who was even early, an anomaly in NMT (New Marske Time) no doubt. We parked up in Hutton Village, ready to do some more exploration around the lower reaches of Guisborough Woods. Somewhat overcast when we set off but soon weak winter sunshine forced itself through the clouds, not enough to dry the trails unfortunately. Some steady pedalling through the woods, from bottom to top, where we did an old trail called Grooverider, which once cost me a camera, when a tumble onto a punji spike masquerading as a tree stump wrecked the camera but saved me from being impaled. Older and wiser, today’s descent was less traumatic but equally muddy in parts. A quick pedal took us to Highcliffe Nab, where we admired the view for as long as we could stand the wind, which is gaining a bit of winter coolness. From Highcliffe we dropped down through the forest to ride a trail we had pushed up a few days ago, it turned out to be pretty nice but they are never as long riding down as they are walking up. We were now at the very bottom of the forest; call it a day and head for the cafe or one more hill? You’ve guessed it. Ten minutes of puffing and panting later, our trail hunting continued. Remembering an often passed but never ridden trail, we decided to try it on the way back. We normally bypass it because it is near the start of the ride, when we’re concentrating on gaining height and our return leg generally doesn’t take us this way. Today we found it, rode it, enjoyed it. Not too steep, not too muddy, except for the short push at the end, back to the fire road, a pleasant change from the usual routes down. At the cafe, once we'd weaved through every dog walker in three counties, we sat in a socially-distant field, fooled by the bright sunshine. It wasn’t exactly sun’s out: guns out weather, even The Breadlad, who is usually warmed by some mysterious inner glow, like a Ready Brek kid, had to put a coat on. Lunch break over, back on your heads, as the old joke says. All we had to do was put in a gentle pedal back to the cars in Hutton Village but fuelled by cheese and onion toasties (me) and Rocky Road (The Breadlad), another extra loop was proposed, seconded and accepted. The story of our life - just one more hill.

Windy, Dull And Grey.

Sticking with lockdown v.2 rules, me and La Mujerita travelled the short distance to Great Ayton and pedalled our way up to, yes, you’ve guessed it, Guisborough Woods for another trawl around the fire roads. The weather was not too clever so a bit of shelter couldn’t hurt. We did a spot of exploration, finding a few tracks, which, to be honest, were best ignored, unless your particular fetish is for mud and gorse bushes. If it is, I know just the place for you. We eventually made our way onto the open Newton Moor, heading toward Gribdale, still plenty of people strolling the track, no doubt returning from an ascent of Teesside’s very own mountain, Keswick has Skiddaw, Zermatt has the Matterhorn, Cape Town has Table Mountain, we have Roseberry Topping, its rugged grandeur belying a modest height, just scraping over the thousand foot mark. As a change from mud, water and rocks, La Mujerita was introduced to Andy’s Track, a steep plunge down the hillside, through bracken the colour of raw umber. We always enjoy it, she didn’t seem too impressed. A damp and leaf-strewn road took us back to Great Ayton and the all important butchers for the all important post-ride pies.

Does Everyone On Furlough Get A Free Electric Bike?

Met up with The Ginger One on his own turf, today for a quick blast around our Hamsterley Hot Lap on a cool but sunny day. The thing with the hot lap is it takes in all the ‘official’ highlights without the winter slop of the off-piste routes but there is a lot of climbing in a relatively short distance. It is often remarked that riding at Hamsterley is either up or down, leave your level pedalling legs at the gate as you come in because there is nothing for them  here. For those who are not aware our Hot Lap (other hot laps are available) is thus: Pikes Teeth, Oddsox, Two Wheels And Trolls, Kate’s Trail, Polties Last Blast, K Line, Transmission, Accelerator, Nitrous, Section 13, Special K, Brain Freeze, Skills Loop. Hamsterley aficionados will realise we miss out Route 666 and Boneshaker - too much climbing for not enough return. Especially for us, two of the minority still pedalling around using leg and lung power, everyone else was whirring past us with pedal assist. I’m not getting into the electric bike argument, if people feel the need for assistance, why not? We whipped round quite adequately on our analogue bikes, climbed our hills and rode our trails to the best of our abilities and had a grand old time doing it. My first visit to Hamsterley since before lockdown v.1 and it is good as it ever was. The groomed man-made trial centre routes are pleasant as an occasional change from the unpredictable changeability of natural trails but to have it as your only riding experience, as some folks do, is not for me. It’s like eating KFC, nice as a periodic treat but the novelty will soon wear off. Mud-splattered and slightly damp, legs knowing they’d had a ride, we made our way back to the vehicles for a socially-distanced car park picnic, our matching CF coffee mugs marking us out as true grafters - well one of us anyway.

Last Minute Quickie To Finish The Week Off.

I almost didn’t bother today, the forecast was mediocre, having been riding three days on the trot and The Breadlad had stood me up in favour of a romantic walk with his beloved - which, it turns out is not me. The forecast, however, was erroneous (no surprises there) and after an early shower, the sun beamed in a most inviting way and despite being almost half-way through November, not one mb of footage has been filmed toward this month’s video. So, selfie-filming day it was to be. A pedal up from Kildale to Guisborough Woods led to some stop/start descents of a few trails, as I did my best to look like a proper shredder in two takes or less. The sun was shining, I had a whole day to squander and what better way to do it, the only constraints being memory cards (full), batteries (empty) or stomach (ravenous), stomach failed first and a late lunch in the car park ensued. If only I had the sense to take the food with me, or maybe not, I would probably end up blundering about the woods in the dark, like the day people do this time of year - only without the benefit of their high-powered lights.