Easy Going Mountain Bike Ride in Reeth

Readers (a warning)…

You should be aware that Dave has played on my good nature and persuaded me to write up 'Experiences of a Novice Rider with the SOC - An Expose'. I could of course be presenting the tale below just to please him, or I could be telling the truth - you decide.

Eight of us met up on a cold morning in Reeth, and I was particularly pleased to renew my acquaintance with Toatske and Edwin, as na‹vely I thought they would also present as novices - how foolish of me. The rest of the group presented in that peculiarly dissolute way that can only be achieved on the morning after the night before wearing padded lycra.

With a feeling that I had overstepped my limits we set off towards Scabba Wath Bridge and I thought longingly of being back at home in bed. However things brightened when it became apparent that Alastair liked to lead from the rear and so he and I very happily settled down to form an early splinter group discussing life and the universe whilst keeping a weather eye on how far the main group (or is it grunt) was pulling ahead. Dave for his part must have had a previous life as a sheep dog as he regularly shuttled backwards and forwards between the main group and the splinter group.

Despite earlier reservations on their appearance, (Toatske you are excluded from my defamatory comments), the rest of the group turned out to be absolute gents, they formed the equivalent of a formula one pit stop team to free me from my bike when my shoe lace got caught in the pedals, and carried my bike over rocks and streams and the bridge at Gunnerside Gill where we had stopped all too briefly for lunch, and in one absolutely heroic effort Kev (or was it Andy) hoicked my bike up to the Old Gang Mines (hope all was ok the day after, Kev/Andy). Alastair however took chivalry too far when he opted to lie down in the boggy marshes so that those of us at the back could ride over without getting wet - I felt a real Judi Dench moment coming on at that point. As I have nothing to benchmark against, I can only say that in my view this terrain was not designed to be ridden over by sane, rational folks - which probably explains why we were there.

Things however seemed to be looking up as we moved onto the navigable track down to Surrender Bridge and I began to feel that I could do this - we were homeward bound after all - however some bright spark had a rush of blood to (his) head and suggested that we did the final leg off road (and I mean big time off road) where for a short period one half of the group lost the other, before we regrouped at Cringley Bottom and headed back towards blessed tarmac and Reeth.

All in all we did 19 miles (I think) and I earned a few bruises, and certainly felt deserving of hot chocolate and cake back in Reeth. Did I enjoy it and the company - you bet I did, and just to prove it I turned up for the next easy ride in Dent the following week. The ride did stretch me (after all I am facing a very significant birthday), but would recommend that anyone who wishes to have a go should try one of the easy rides - I am going to need company at the back if nothing else.

(Note to Mein Fuhrer - does this earn me a free toasted teacake?)

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	Swaledale Outdoor Club

Easy Going Mountain Bike Ride in Reeth

Liz Smith