Mountain Bike Ride.
The Pensioner, The Fireman, The Ginger One.
It seems our trainee, Ross, has deserted us, unable to handle the ignominy of being trounced by a 66 year old pensioner with bad lungs and an even worse attitude, he reckons he will return when fitter. I think The Captain said that about three years ago and has never been spotted with leg over crossbar since. Four grizzled veteran Terra Trailblazers assembled in Chop Gate village hall car park for what was essentially a repeat of the Xmas dinner ride, albeit in better weather. And what marvellous weather we have been having for the past few days - the Easter Bank holiday saw temperatures approaching 70F, today was bright with a slightly cool wind, perfect conditions for a bike ride. Naturally The Pensioner failed to see it that way, perhaps the uphill start was harshing his buzz. Almost three miles of tarmac up Clay Bank followed by the Carr Ridge steps up to Round Hill, the highest point on the North York Moors, definitely an uphill start by any stretch of the imagination. 330m of ascent in 4.5 miles.
At the top it was all worth it, blasting across sunny and dry moorland tracks all the way to Stump Cross above Bransdale.
"Stump Cross has one of the largest bases of all the crosses, measuring two foot six inches square with a
broken shaft wedged into it. In 1829 the cross was called 'the cross with the hand' presumably because
the original shaft had a carved outstretched hand which many of the waymarkers on the moors had.
The cross stands on the medieval Thurkilsti track, one of four important roads crossing the moors from Helmsley.
A short distance from Stump Cross to the north-west, the Thurkilsti joins the Via Magna which in 1145AD
was called 'the great road coming from the Thurskilsti.'
('An Illustrated Guide to the Crosses on the North Yorkshire Moors' - Elizabeth Ogilvie & Audrey Sleightholme)
From here a singletrack bridleway of some magnificence leads down to the Bransdale road, known amongst the Terra Trailblazers as The John Deere Descent, named after one of The Pensioner’s less profane nicknames, The Smoky Old Tractor because he just keeps going on like an antique John Deere tractor. It was in tip top condition today, flowing through the heather before dropping steeply to the road. Unfortunately so much fun has to be paid for and a sharp road climb followed by some uphill track was required to hoist us back to Stump Cross, where we peeled off left for another of the North York Moors most awesome descents, the loose and rocky track into Tripsdale, which was managed without any casualties but a few teetering on the edge of control moments. The gruesome climb out of Tripsdale was cleaned today by yours truly, after only 17 years of trying, much to the disgust of The Pensioner for whom any intimations of competency are viewed with the same contempt he reserved for the management during his chemical industry career, I was going to say working life but work is far too strong a word for The Pensioner’s efforts.
Continuing, we made our way to Medd Crag where, after some coaching from The Pensioner in his director sportif mode, The Ginger One executed a dabless descent of the steep and technical section, followed by The Fireman. A plunge down tarmac took us back to Chop Gate where The Pensioner somehow managed to negotiate us into the closed Buck Inn for sandwiches and refreshments. It is difficult to understand why The Buck Inn is not more popular considering the quality of the food and service and the amount of passing trade it must have.
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