Boxing Day - Ride

Steve and I rode from near Ripon today heading towards Hawes - a similar route to last time. Great Day!


It's getting warm - 4degrees - we stop to take a layer or two off before we head up the very rocky pass at the otherside of the reservoir

Steve riding across the top of the reservoir


Steve cracks the bog and comes out victorious


Looking down on the fall side of the reservoir wall - amazing Victorian architecture

The 'first' boy's trip

Steve Mann, Trevor Birkbeck and I headed out on our first trip as a group. Setting off from Ripon going to Hawes in the Yorkshire Dales and back - via a little bit of tarmac and a lot of rocks, mud and water – taking in the beautiful sites of the Dales including old Roman Roads and Victorian architecture in shape of dams.

............ Trevor does not fall off his bike he just ejects himself at regular intervals! He doesn’t do bad for an OAP though. He’s 64 and hope I will be up for it at his age – I salute you Sir Bonkers.


Steve and Trevor - planning the route


The bikes at Spring Hall ready for the off


The 'bog' tries to eat Trevor once more


Stopped by Mandy the local plod on top of t'moor - are all the bikes legal?


The river tries to eat Trevor - egged on by Steve


- the river wins - it takes 3 of us to pull the bike out! My new boots are now full of water


We finally make Hawes and have Giant Yorkshire Puddings filled with sausages and onion gravy, washed down by 2 big pots of Yorkshire Tea - grand as owt!

A 'mini' adventure

I head out on my own today on a 'mini' adventure on to the North York Moors. Starting off at a flying site The Hole of Horcum, a site where one of the first World Hang Gliding Championships was held.

A Green Lane (off road track) runs into a 'big' forest which is about a 40 minute ride - another 20 minutes through the forest along the fire roads and then a muddy climb to the top of the ridge, then out onto the open Moor. Breathtaking views looking down to Robin Hoods Bay are soon followed by a hard slog down deeply rutted tracks full of water and my God, it was cold.

Winter?

How I hate winter - no flying to look forward to for a good few months. Anyone who knows me well will know this is true.

The road bike came out of the garage at the weekend, first time in ages.


So what's my winter hobbie going to be? What will keep Caroline off suicide watch (as she calls the winter months)? Last year I had a go at kayaking but its not for me and the ‘boat’ currently has over 60 ‘watchers’ on ebay so I’m sure to get my money back (fingers crossed).

I’m hopefully going to get my kicks from Enduro riding. I bought a not so new KTM to do up at the weekend with the aim of competing with Trevor Birkbeck and Steve Mann (Trevor's bike is on order and Steve is on the lookout for a bargain). I've spent the last 3 days stripping it down and rebuilding it. I think it’s a good buy and is going to scare me but we will see!



I NEED a bigger garage.