Ride 011.

Date:    22nd January 2003                  Distance: 21 miles

Perhaps it wasn’t the wisest move, going for a bike ride following three days of solid rain but it was arranged and a little weather couldn’t put us off. Luckily it stayed dry the whole ride, stayed dry as in lack of precipitation, we ended up soaked. Mud and deep, deep puddles made conditions somewhat ‘challenging’.

We met at Pinchinthorpe again, Bob, Ian and I waiting for Simon and Oz who had gone into Guisborough because Simon had forgotten his jacket. This set the tone for the whole ride, numerous minor disasters befell us. Oz, who was trying clip and strap pedals for the first ever time fell in a crumpled heap at the first corner; within a mile we stopped to fix Simon’s Camelback which wouldn’t deliver his drink; half a mile further on, I had a puncture – as I fixed it Simon decided to give his tyres a bit of extra air and succeeded in letting down his front tyre owing to a dodgy pump; later Bob’s gears began misbehaving badly. But at least Oz’s numerous comedy falls kept us amused.

Eventually we made our way to Roseberry Common and skidded up and down the muddy slopes to Airyholme Farm. Down the road to Dikes Lane – not a shaven-headed, dungaree-wearing lady in sight – crossed the road and continued down the bridleway to Little Ayton. In view of the sloppy conditions we took the tarmac to Kildale and its ever-open café. Simon taking the opportunity to have a pre-sandwich sandwich as we waited for Binding Brakes Bob to catch up. Lounging about in the cafe for the best part of an hour did nothing for our motivation, particularly as the next part of the route involved a few hills.

Our ragged peleton followed the road to Little Kildale (very little-about four houses) and powered up the hill to Warren Farm. Okay, powered may be a bit of an exaggeration but we made it eventually. A welcome drop down on a muddy farm track, brought us to The Field Of Heavy Gravity. How can an innocuous, seemingly-level meadow be so difficult to ride? It’s damp and slightly soggy, and the flatness doubtless a trick of perception but granny ring and 34 tooth back cog and you still want to drop down a gear or two. But everyone coped without resorting to pedestrianism. The next bit was mainly on foot though, pushing up the bridleway to the top of the moor; it was worth the effort for the rocky descent. A few casualties were claimed with me getting the prize for most spectacular somersault of the day – thank the Lord for lovely soft heather.

The bridleway along Baysdale heading toward Sloethorn Park more like a small stream today but still rideable. More tarmac took us back to Percy Cross Rigg with a few speedos clocking up over 40 mph on the downhill section. Percy Cross Rigg was the usual mixture of asphalt, rocks and mud bringing us pleasantly down to the gate at Guisborough Woods. It seemed to be getting somewhat dusky, a time check revealed we’d been out for the thick end of five hours and Oz had to be back in Yarm in three quarters of an hour, time to put a spurt on. Across Newton Moor and back down to Roseberry Common, skidding into the woods on the same muddy tracks we’d struggled up earlier. A quick blast down the darkening fireroads and we were back at the almost empty car park.

Mud-splattered, happy as pigs in sh*t, we dragged our filthy bikes into the cars and joined the rush hour commuters struggling home from their dreary offices. Who’d have a day job?

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