Great day for a ride out

fritz · Feb 17, 2013

The joys of keeping a bike on the road all year round mean you can grab the opportunities that arise.

With a w/e like this one you wouldn’t want to miss out – frankly as good a day as you’ll get anytime of the year.

Left home at mid-day for a jaunt round the Dales taking in scenery that has changed markedly from just 6 days ago…see the post at the end for explanation!

Heading over past Richmond and down a little road we’ve never ridden at the back of Marrick Priory (an ancient 12thC nunnery now an outdoor centre) we made the mistake on continuing up what looked like a fine green lane, but in fact it was a bridleway in disguise (that why you should carry a map when exploring!) so we had to turn around further up the way. On the way back we met a couple of baying hounds and the farmers wife. Oops! She’d come up expecting us to be bogged down somewhere – they’ve had to pull one or two car out – but found us ambling along two-up as ever. She wasn’t at all perturbed or upset and was happy to see we’d turned round – no harm done and no altercation luckily :thumb2

fritz · Feb 17, 2013

Continuing on via Kearton and Arkengarthdale we noted the smoke wafting around as the moorland was being managed all about in such fine weather and we came across some flaming moorland

fritz · Feb 17, 2013

Onward to Tan Hill we met one or two groups of bikes, but the roads were very quiet – a blessing of the time of year. But for the chill you could have been out on a cracking summer’s day today – but we knew we weren’t cause there were hardly any wazzocks about. Didn’t bother stopping and continued over to Keld and onwards for Butter Tubs. We were here on Monday in the car, but had to turn around having helped to extract a fellow motorist as the pass was basically closed (meaning a very long diversion!) What a difference a few days makes, lovely now

fritz · Feb 17, 2013

Heading into Hawes with the time approaching 3 we decided to miss on a gut-busting cheese frenzy at the creamery (great way of filling yourself for free – try all the samples! We do then have a soup mind) and continued over to Kettlewell. Getting a bit chilly now – lost most of feeling in our toes.

Over Park Rash and into Coverdale the remains of the snow occasionally came onto the road, but only had one bottom twitching moment after not noticing a pile of snow in the wheeltrack. The views were absolutely stunning and would match any day of the year to come I’m sure. Well, well worth having a bike on the road to take advantage of these days. A sharp thrash down to Masham and home having covered 130 miles of sheer bliss, and back easily in daylight too. You have to love February when it’s like this, it’s the break point, longer daylight than we’ve had for an age, and long dry crisp days, wonderful.

fritz · Feb 17, 2013

BUT…just a few days earlier most of this route wouldn’t have been possible – while the lowland roads were clear, the upland ones certainly were not! Monday – 6 days ago!

Gvcrt · Feb 17, 2013

Nice pics & RR you are spot on was out myself over Skipton way
Thanks for posting Graeme :beerjug:

(RIP) DitchWater · Feb 17, 2013

I hate snow. Well done to you brave souls up there. :thumb2

Tinytim · Feb 17, 2013

Nice one Fritz and thanks for sharing. :thumb2

JohnnyBoxer · Feb 17, 2013

Well done Fritz, I was up in Wensleydale - up above West Witton and Agglethorpe doing a trial

Very slippy offroad though

Sooty09 · Feb 17, 2013

Two days riding, perfect weather.
Saturday was over the hills to the southern lake district with the lads.
Today was a ride round the dales to Hawes with my wife.

If you could have had a ride this weekend and chose not to, you don't have motorcycling blood pumping through you.
Roll on next weekend, 5 days of work and we can do it again.

JohnnyBoxer · Feb 17, 2013

Sooty09 said:
Two days riding, perfect weather.
Saturday was over the hills to the southern lake district with the lads.
Today was a ride round the dales to Hawes with my wife.

If you could have had a ride this weekend and chose not to, you don't have motorcycling blood pumping through you.
Roll on next weekend, 5 days of work and we can do it again.

Saw you two, just going past the church @ East Witton, from masham direction

You looked to be having fun, I was in my Van coming back from a Trial

sven · Feb 17, 2013

It was absolutely beautiful in the Dales this afternoon :aidan

Pity about all the salt on the road, bur to be expected considering how much snow there was on Wednesday

Sooty09 · Feb 17, 2013

Yes we were, it was a 75 mile ride from Leeds to Hawes via every good view I could think of. Bit bumpy and gritty over from Lofthouse and I'm pleased the road has survived so far this year.

Room 101 · Feb 17, 2013

Brilliant photo's as always...

James is looking forward to riding over to see you next week in the predicted 3 to 4 degrees.. :eek

Elle · Feb 18, 2013

Sooty09 said:
If you could have had a ride this weekend and chose not to, you don't have motorcycling blood pumping through you.

I was totally gutted I didn't get out on the bike at the weekend.
Had a friend over to stay who didn't bring any bike gear! (says he doesn't like winter riding) :nenau

However, the GS got some panniers fitted ready for future trips & the Serow now has a newly repainted (non-leaking) tank :thumb2

fritz · Apr 2, 2013

Spring has sprung, 'ere, 'ang on

Well, loks like the cold is staying a fair bit longer then - so much for thinking we may be turning a corner :confused:

A ride over to Sandsend and back yesterday taking in some easy off-road (two-up on Bev's F650)

a top Kepwick is was somewhat snowy (only real bit we found on the east side to be honest)

fritz · Apr 2, 2013

Bloody freezing brrrr

From Danby Beacon we could see the snow covered cheviots way up behind Newwcastle a fair old distance away, amazing.

A snow free route!

fritz · Apr 2, 2013

It was that bloody cold by the time we got to Sandsend we went to the Wits End cafe as the prices where worth paying to be inside in the warm rather than risk sitting outside at the shed (prefered cafe up the road).

Coming back enjoyed a right good thrash on the A169, could see the power stations as we came past the hole of horcum, never seen them from there before.

Great day for visibility then, good 40 miles plus.

Warmed up once home by nipping out for a 5km run then bath...mad

but jolly happy

(RIP) andrewgsadv · Apr 2, 2013

Fritz,
Glad to see its clearing up. Good on ya for getting out there. Great photos of you having fun. Thanks for posting. Peak District very similar in terms of snow. 99% of roads clear on my run out yesterday. :thumby:

Great day for a ride out

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