Ride 022.

Date:   27th May 2004              Distance: 9.5 miles

Shortest ride ever. 

Chris the Apprentice was joining us again today, his first foray off-road, so a gentle introduction was called for, amenable inclines and not too long a route. Assembling at Kildale the rest of the Trailblazers were introduced to Paul, one of the Atomic Sports bike fondlers, who expressed an interest in joining our inept band. Simon had again found the lure of Spanish sunshine and cheap alcohol too strong to resist and flown off to the Canary Islands with no intention of doing anything more energetic than signalling a waiter for more cervezza por favor. 

A short stretch of tarmac to Bankside Farm, then we hung a left into Millbank Woods, the brief incline to the gate putting Bob straight into grumbling mode; a gradual ascent through the sun-dappled pines which brought us out onto the nicely dried singletrack across the flank of Easby Moor. Chris showed his furtive practicing round the cycle tracks of East Cleveland had paid off by relegating Blind Bob to last place on the woodland fire roads, although Bob regained his penultimate position after Chris took a tumble on the singletrack. Another short section of woods took us to the infamous Red Run but no-one was brave enough to give it a bash today. A root-strewn, downhill, bridleway sorted the full suspension from the hardtails. We regrouped at Dikes Lane before the long drag up through Aireyholme farm to Roseberry Common. Utilising the established sports training technique of visualisation, Bob managed to talk himself back into last place. Still, it wasn’t too painful and soon we were shouldering the bikes up the steps to Newton Moor, passing a bunch of lunching walkers, which must have been about 40 strong. Are they frightened of being lonely? 

Enjoying another rest behind the wall on Newton Moor, we were shamed into action when what surely must have been the oldest fell-runner in the world jogged past us. Some nice riding along the edge of Guisborough Wood brought us to the gate leading to the Hutton Moor bridleway, assuring Chris this was definitely the last bit of uphill, we went through the gate, plodding up to the dizzying height of 300 metres before gleefully dropping down again to join the tarmac at Percy Cross Rigg.  

A brief road stretch, then a right turn and down the bridleway off Kildale Moor to New Row, this starts off as grassy track prior to dropping steeply and changing itself to a (thankfully dry) rocky stream bed. Oz and myself, fresh from our Lake’s epics, couldn’t consider these fist size pebbles rocks and charged down regardless. All was going well until the all too familiar hissing from my rear wheel, a quick visual - tyre flapping off the rim - confirmed the diagnosis. It’s a bummer when even the blind man and the apprentice are overtaking you. They did the decent thing and went ahead to order at the café while I got the pump out. 

No moans about the weather today, just about right, sunny but not too hot, with gentle breeze. At the café, no-one was keen on spoiling the good mood with more climbing so we called it a wrap. Terra Trailblazers shortest ride but as ever the brevity was made up for by the levity.

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