Easter Sunday 2002

38 miles.

Present Liz, Paul, Helen, Roland and Mick

On the Thursday before the ride I was going to a seminar at Leeds, Gordon Brown MP Chancellor of the Exchequer being the main speaker. Goodness know how I got an invite! I phoned a very good friend of mine and asked him if he had any questions for Gordon. I won't repeat what he said but it included feet and nether regions of the body. I also asked this good friend if he were cycling on Sunday. He said he couldn't as he had a very stiff neck. We decided it was the Viagra not working correctly!

We all nearly met at Stokesley at 10am the morning after the clocks moved on an hour. As we were unloading the bikes a large group of CTC riders went past and we acknowledged each other as all good cyclists do. They were from Oldham.

We had decided our first café stop would be at Kildale - only 8.5 miles, but as it was a Liz ride it was more upward than onward so it felt justified. Being Easter Sunday Helen rushed on ahead to secure a table for us. As we were leaving the Oldham crowd were just pulling in after cycling about 30miles (to our 8.5!) They asked Paul wehere we were stopping for lunch and he said Clay Bank top, which in theory is just around the corner. Paul failed to tell the guy we were doing a loop first. We all had a good laugh.

Next stop we went to look at a Camping Barn (or Bunhkouse) Liz has booked in the current programme. It seemed to have all the facilities and most of all it got the nod from Roland after his last experience. Take your own mattress (!)

We set off again on mostly pleasant gated roads where Roland started to wish he had brought his Dawes Galaxy Mountain Bike rather than his new lightweight!

We arrived at Clay Bank which was packed with people. We talked to the proprietor and he told us about a secret overflow room with a log fire we could use. Roland and I agreed it was stupendous. This is why I enjoy café stop cycling!

What came next - a nice downhill. As we cycled through the lanes we came upon some cows and a huge bull (and it was doing what a bull does best). Paul told Helen to look away.

That reminds me ... Paul had to leave us as he wanted the best seat for the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Thanks Liz for a wonderful day out (and for letting me do the write up).

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