Recent rides

Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Wednesday Rides
Poddlers Ride Report
Deep joy, no snow, no fog, no rain, no visible ice patches, no gale force winds, a bit of blue sky and a glimmer of sun, and at 9.28 at Hornbeam, no poddlers. Martin kindly but sillily suggested we join the Big Boys and Girls on a quick 60 mile jaunt to Somewhere East and back, and then thankfully John W turned up with his hip intact, and Dennis arrived at speed, probably having just swum 26 miles before breakfast, so the poddlers could poddle. How glorious to be able to swoooop and zoooom again without fear of hitting an unseen ice patch or objects hidden by fog or pot holes disquised as puddles. As we arrived at Low Bridge, I realised Dave P of the Elderly Gents, who had greeted us so cheerily, speeding to the EG meeting point at Low Bridge, half an hour earlier, was not there. Morrisons must have grabbed him, as he sped past, for the second of the day's many breakfasts. Gia was lost but she would easily catch up, after she had done her shopping, organised a campaign, or got Malcolm out of bed, and the group steadily continued onwards to Farnham, overtaken by and overtaking the Big Boys and Girls.
Despite being confused by the brightness and the views long into the distance we found our way (and Gia) to Copgrove and Bishop Monkton at a racing pace. Even Sue C. of Yorke Folly Fame, was surprised by our time when we took a quick water intake at the Cascades Garden Centre. (There are going to be many more water stops in future......it speeds up your metabolism Sue told us. So we will all look like models...... of some sort.) At double quick time we reached Markington and headed up the road to The Drovers. A superb surge led by Max (needing to get back to tidy the tiling and visit the tip) found us in Ripley, long before lunchtime, and Dennis gleefully counted his brownie points for an early arrival home, allowing him a spot of lunch before an afternoon redesigning his great grand child's parents garden. We had a dangerous ride through Killinghall competing with the large lorries and speeding traffic, to the tranquility of Knox Lane. Dennis left us for lunch, and five continued to brave more lorries on Skipton Road. We found a location for a photo opportunity, just as Gia was departing towards the hills of South Harrogate and home. Four had a calm coffee and a stodgy chunk of lemon drizzle cake at Cafe Graham. Thanks to all, a lovely ride on a lovely morning. 24.57 miles by 6 people in a very quick time. Caroline G

Click on slide show for all today's photos


Wheel Easy Ride Report
For those of us without Inuit genes it felt like the winter was, at least, letting up a bit. After a few of us had climbed the heights of Yorke's Folly on Sunday the attraction of a flattish ride out east was overwhelming. Eight of us set forth with the promise that one recalcitrant youth would eventually get out of bed and meet us somewhere en-route.
Soon after Boroughbridge he caught up with us and then there were nine. We headed to Sessay and Husthwaite where we paused to see the scrap iron flower sculpture and the pheasant on the roof. Now that pheasant was there in exactly the same place 18 months ago so we thought it might have found a sunny spot, until Ben pointed out it was made of thatch. At Easingwold we couldn't get into TeeHee's so we went to Cafe 21 at the old folks home, and very nice it was too. The staff were very welcoming the food was good and it cost about half of TeeHees prices.
Then a flat ride home via Aldwark Bridge. 52 miles at decent speed and congratulations to Lynda who was trying the longer ride for the first time and kept well on the pace.
Paul wishes to remind all riders, and one in particular, that rides start at 9.30am. Martin W

EG's Ride Report
It was a cold dry day, ideal cycling weather and as usual not quite as forecast. So down to Low Bridge and as usual a wave from Caroline and Max coming t`other way. A voice from behind meant Bill had caught up. It was on the early side, so it was into Morrisons for a sneaky early coffee. On the way down Roy appeared coming out of the garden centre, Another sneaky coffee?
At Low Bridge the last to arrive were Malcolm M and Eric, after a chat Malcolm shot off to catch up the rest of Wheel Easy who were heading for Boroughbridge and Coxwold (or that was the plan anyway). The remaing nine, Bill, Colin, Dave P, Dave W, Eric, Peter B, Norman, Roy and Terry also set off for Boroughbridge.
Numbers can create titles, such as The Famous Five, The Magnificent Seven, but Nine? The Naughty Nine seemed inappropriate as some of us EG`s find being naughty rather difficult these days, though we do our best.
After coffee, tea and snacks at Morrisons in Boroughbridge (we must buy shares in this company) it was on to Thornton Manor where DP tried a new route to see if it would provide a link to Dalton and Sessay, but it was a no go, so Prat Hat to DP. A travellers camp had to be passed and repassed as Norman`s keen eye spotted a Carreara road bike in the hedge, we were to busy looking at some vicious dogs, fortunately tied up.
So on to Carlton Husthwaite where we had the choice of diverting to Coxwold and perhaps meeting the rest of Wheel Easy in the cafe, but it was decided to continue to Husthwaite and Restaurant 21 in Easingwold, where according to Eric we would have missed the rush period (good thinking). Here we met the rest of Wheel Easy who fortunately had not eaten the restaurant empty, so after a group photo they left, leaving us to take a leisurely lunch.
The route back was via Aldwark Bridge with a banana break at Great Ouseburn, here some of the older EG`s went down memory lane to recount their impressions of their first banana of the war years or the bleak post war years, together with some jokes from Terry. Once we get going there`s no stopping us !! Then back to Harrogate.
Excellent cycling weather cold and dry and covering 57 to 59 miles. Dave P

2010 Wheel Easy Miles (approx) Today 1140 YTD 12713