Social Ride - 29th May - Pete Tid

Yay!  We did it, yes we did, the first Social ride of the year in fact one of only 2 since the starrt of the pandemic.
There were 9 nine bikes that turned up @ Squires last Sunday and according to the rules on offer we had a pillion Janice, Nigel's wife, a guest, Mike invited by Brian Lyddy, an Associate, Will of T5 logo fame Jude and Martin's son and other T5ers, making up the numbers.  Traditionally the Social rides are dated on the 1st Sunday of the month but because of Queeny's bash it was moved to the last of May.
Pete held the briefing and along with the usual stuff about not marking too near the junction so you didn't cause an obstacle to have to ride around and to bunch up etc. he also noted that if he was seen waving his right leg around it did not indicate gravel or other hazards but simply his knee and right foot had seized up.
The ride started normally enough turning down through Sherburn and out on the B1222 to Escrick and on to Elvington, turning right when the 1st U-Turn was executed DOH!  But as I often say it used to be almost mandatory to have one ;-)
Up to the main roundabout on the Hull road some feared we may be about to crawl up the A64, but no my friends the very thought!  But to Warthill (pronounced by locals as Warth Hill), Sand Hutton and across the Buttercrambe (pronounced Buttercrum) TT to Leavening and hanging a left descending down the lovely sweeping hill to disappear into the fiefdom of the Birdsall Estate and on around and through it on much more challenging twisty, gravelly road/tracks some sporting Brazilians! :-)
Eventually popping out of this hinterland onto the B1248 from Malton at Wharram le Street and sliding into to bike park at the Fimber woods cabin, we marvelled at how many cakes were available in the mornings.
Refreshed and some satiated, we headed off almost to Sledmere but angled off left to Duggleby and through Kirby Grindalythe (what a fab name) and Weaverthorpe along that excellent back road to Foxholes on the B1249 down to Staxton via the hill of its name and then...onto the A64! What after previous comments? but only for a few miles to Seamer and East Ayton through Hackness in the Forge Valley joining the A171 near Cloughton heading up to Fylingdales where the splendid golf balls were replaced with an enormous ugly pyramid.  Splitting off down the B1416 past the controversial drilling site and down to Ruswarp and towards Sleights where Perry's garden centre can be found. Lunch is usually a lengthy affair as many visitors are normally there on a weekend, the coolness of the weather was indeed a blessing to the hardy bikers as a the queue was pretty much absent :-), fairly ordinary fare but nicely delivered.
Well it was time to hit the saddle again and we needed to keep in mind there would be a need to fuel up before long.  The original aim was to wander along the delightful low road paralleling the A171 heading for Middlesbrough, to Stokesley and fuel whizzing down the TT to Helmsley and on to the Sutton Bank visitor centre for afternoon tea.  However, time was getting on and instead near Egton we struck up to said A road to grab fuel near Scaling reservoir and turn down the almost equally enjoyable route to Castleton stopping at the Old Chapel tea rooms, not visited for far too long what with Covid an' all, it has a sort of balcony at the back supplying a lovely view over the valley.
Tea and a few cakes were ordered and when it was time to pay we were told the bill had all been settled by....the waitress pointed to one of our number, it was Lawrence, asked if he was the benefactor he was heard to say "might be", all were most appreciative and said so, splendid!
The next tranche of the day was down the long and winding Blakey Ridge, past the Lion Inn of the same name and to Hutton le Hole and down again just outside Kirkbymoorside.  The final treat of the day was the whizzy bendy romp to Amotherby, where dispersal was made, up to Castle Howard or along to Malton.
Good ride I'd say, thanks to Martin for keeping a firm grip of the rear end, as you might say.

Here is the route as intended, just use your imagination and leave out the Stokesley bit:



Apologies for route clarity, try clicking on it to enlarge.

Tootle pip
Pete