The Sun Always Shines on the Righteous (sometimes)
8:30 The phone is ringing and its raining, bad news two more riders can't make it.
9:00 Its time to load the car and its still raining, I start to think about the forecast (biblical rain) then think about going back to bed.
9:40 Time to head off to the lion inn at Blakey ridge, the drive over there is always a pleasant one and made even better buy the wiper's only being on intermittent.
In the car park and the other two are soon with me (Aide, Marc) the usual fafing and ogling of bikes is soon over.
With the constant threat of rain we all dress for wet weather and are soon on the trail.
Across the road and on to some downhill single track for the warm up.
All to soon were at the old railway track and its gently undulating surface to chimney bank.
The views in this area are stunning even on a cloudy day like today and its not raining yet.
Arriving at the top of chimney bank and meet curly, larry and mow then watch them watching us watching them.
Decide to leave the three stooges and head for Ana cross, this is the high point before we start to descend.
Chatting briefly about the next section of trail and deciding to regroup at the top of the steep bit.
The heather shoeshine is all to quickly over and were at the top of the descent to Hollins farm.
Sliding and bouncing are way down the hill side we regroup with tails of near misses and the smell of hot brakes "I hope"
Next its the famous Hollins farm to Lastingham singletrack, it twists and turns with the occasional rock in the trail to keep you on your toes.
As we ride in to Lastingham village we spot somethings not right, the locals seem more active than normal.
Not wanting to end up in a wicker man we quickly pass through the village and back on to the moors again.
crossing the moor we head back in the direction of Hollins farm, but have a decent and a climb with a water splash before we rejoin the trail back to the farm.
At Hollins farm and we follow the double track to where it meets the road.
A fast road downhill in to the village and lunch, the only pub open has a cowboy & inbred festival in full flow,
So we opt for the tea rooms and a seat out side ( did I tell you it still hadn't rain yet)
We chat over lunch putting the world to rights, but then the subject of rain is brought up........ we,d been lucky and we new it, "fingers crossed"
The next few miles are on tarmac, with stunning views but on tarmac none the less.
As we arrived a Bellend and the heavens opened, sheltering under the trees and giggle at the sign like skool boys.
The rain soon passed we were on are way again, the tarmac ends as we ride up the farm track that leads to the old railway track.
Now at the wrong side of the valley we had a few miles of stunning views, easy riding with a few interesting bits to catch the unaware out.
We make it to the last climb back up to the road and the Lion inn car park, looking down the valley theres rain on the way so its back to the cars asap.
4:30 Driving home and the wipers are on constant with the rain getting worse, hard to believe how we didn't get wet
Heres a link to the rest of the Pics
Thanks to Aide, Marc and the weather gods for making it a day full of sweet dry singletrack and great memory's.
cheers kaya
8:30 The phone is ringing and its raining, bad news two more riders can't make it.
9:00 Its time to load the car and its still raining, I start to think about the forecast (biblical rain) then think about going back to bed.
9:40 Time to head off to the lion inn at Blakey ridge, the drive over there is always a pleasant one and made even better buy the wiper's only being on intermittent.
In the car park and the other two are soon with me (Aide, Marc) the usual fafing and ogling of bikes is soon over.
With the constant threat of rain we all dress for wet weather and are soon on the trail.
Across the road and on to some downhill single track for the warm up.
All to soon were at the old railway track and its gently undulating surface to chimney bank.
The views in this area are stunning even on a cloudy day like today and its not raining yet.
Arriving at the top of chimney bank and meet curly, larry and mow then watch them watching us watching them.
Decide to leave the three stooges and head for Ana cross, this is the high point before we start to descend.
Chatting briefly about the next section of trail and deciding to regroup at the top of the steep bit.
The heather shoeshine is all to quickly over and were at the top of the descent to Hollins farm.
Sliding and bouncing are way down the hill side we regroup with tails of near misses and the smell of hot brakes "I hope"
Next its the famous Hollins farm to Lastingham singletrack, it twists and turns with the occasional rock in the trail to keep you on your toes.
As we ride in to Lastingham village we spot somethings not right, the locals seem more active than normal.
Not wanting to end up in a wicker man we quickly pass through the village and back on to the moors again.
crossing the moor we head back in the direction of Hollins farm, but have a decent and a climb with a water splash before we rejoin the trail back to the farm.
At Hollins farm and we follow the double track to where it meets the road.
A fast road downhill in to the village and lunch, the only pub open has a cowboy & inbred festival in full flow,
So we opt for the tea rooms and a seat out side ( did I tell you it still hadn't rain yet)
We chat over lunch putting the world to rights, but then the subject of rain is brought up........ we,d been lucky and we new it, "fingers crossed"
The next few miles are on tarmac, with stunning views but on tarmac none the less.
As we arrived a Bellend and the heavens opened, sheltering under the trees and giggle at the sign like skool boys.
The rain soon passed we were on are way again, the tarmac ends as we ride up the farm track that leads to the old railway track.
Now at the wrong side of the valley we had a few miles of stunning views, easy riding with a few interesting bits to catch the unaware out.
We make it to the last climb back up to the road and the Lion inn car park, looking down the valley theres rain on the way so its back to the cars asap.
4:30 Driving home and the wipers are on constant with the rain getting worse, hard to believe how we didn't get wet
Heres a link to the rest of the Pics
Thanks to Aide, Marc and the weather gods for making it a day full of sweet dry singletrack and great memory's.
cheers kaya