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| Hip Hip Hooray! |
Birthday Goil, La Langhe, York!
Hi PatrickCan you please pass on my happy birthday greetings to Corinne as I don't seem to have her email to hand. Hope you both have a great day - pressie here but will bring to Cornwall xx
Here for a sightseeing day! Weather glorious! Local beer even better! Cheers, Patrizzo!
Just stopped for a bite of lunch after walking about one third of the walls which surround the inner city. Will bus back to Wetherby if we haven't melted by then. Plan to stop at a pub close to bus stop and have an alcoholic ginger beer. Had one first night we were here and it is most refreshing. Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzo!
Hello Lads!
Feel I must set the record straight before Sir James has you believing all his lies, damn lies and statistics! In the first instance, most of the far too, too many stops have been occasioned, to date, by the Wetherby Whineger wanting to pull up for a drink, not me, Dear Reader. After the first few Burning Ground interruptions I asked him why he didn't use a camel pack and he said that it was too much trouble to keep the bladder clean so he threw it out! (Bit like fussy Sarge not liking the plastic taste of the water as the reason for his non-use of the camel pack I had given to him prior to their Italian junket of a few years back. As some of you know, I use Rose's Lime Cordial, (now Ribena as Jim is a bit stingy with his single malt), to give the admixture a bit more tasty, thirst quenching power and so I often had to dipsy doodle, whenever possible, for ages, while waiting for my insolent domestique to get on with it.
With respect to the
L'Incident Lucozade, (Thought I'd use French out of respect for
Christophe Riblon's masterful performance on the Alpe d’Huez
yesterday.), I had resigned myself to lost minutes/falling AVG, as I
waited at the BP service station, whiling away the extended break as low
blood sugar Jim snarfed an energy bar and guzzled aforementioned power
drink, perusing the front pages of the tabloids, (Daily Mirror, The
Morning Star, Daily Express and the like), in the stand near the gas
pumps. The Wetherby Weasel obviously felt guilty about the long delay so
hedropped his unfinished Lucozade bottle into the rubbish bin and with
instant energy crumbs on his lips and rivulets of electrolyte
replacement fluid dribbling down his chin, we set off, once again.
Must admit, however, that it was a fabulous, fabulous ride. It is a delight to be cycling through the English countryside, hedges and fields as far as the eye can see. The route through Knaresborough, along the River Niidd was simply stunning, passing under a magnificent, high span arched railway bridge , still in use, to stop, (a thinly veiled excuse to take a breather), at a historical marker commemorating St Robert, a hermit, and the cave in which he lived along the bank of the river.
The
switchback hill on the Otely Road, coming from Killinghall, going
towards the village of Beckwithshaw, was a very, very good climb,
steeper, at times, and longer than stretch up to Capilano University, on
Lilloet, when we ride to the Seymour Demonstration Forest. I was
huffing and puffing like a steam engine when I finally crested the hill,
Jack Rabbit Jim but a speck on the horizon!
For all his nay saying, I am always playing catch-up with him. In part because I don't know where to go but simply because, like all Hartlepool lads, he is in terrific condition and goes like Rocket Robo Man Untethered! Heat of the day and dehydration finally got to him when we were close to home, Oakhill House. Had about 55 K on the clock by then and since I wanted to do at least 60 K I waved goodbye, after Jim had suggested route I might wish to take, and set off for village of Sicklinghall as it was straight along the Wetherby Road. Good long climb out of Wetherby through hegderows that made a tunnel out of road, and then an even longer climb through Sicklinghall itself. Bit further along, past village, looking for a spot to turn around, without stopping, Dear Reader, and coming to the crest of another hill saw a tandem chugging up the grade. Decided I'd had enough hills for the day so once the two riders were by me I used a lane entrance to accomplish my turn and rode back towards Wetherby.
Thought I'd be able to catch the couple on the tandem but with their combined weight they literally hurtled through Sicklinghall and it was only on the next hill, before the drop into Wetherby that I was able to close the gap. I joked, as I overtook, to the man in the front that he was doing all the work as I had noticed that the woman was looking left and right at the passing countryside. He replied that this was not the case, that he was just steering. I asked wherer they were from, York, and I mentioned I was visiting form Canada. He asked if I had ridden from Vancouver and I said, indeed, I had, with pontoons across the Atlantic. I said how grand it was to be riding through their spectacular countryside and he agreed, adding that this was especially the case when the sun was shining!
Waved adieu and made my way back towards Oak Ridge Road but decided to do a bit of a dipsy doodle beforehand as it now seemed as if an easy 70 K was a distinct possibility. I turned onto Linton Lane which took me past the Wetherby Golf Course, (Jim is a Social Member here and we had enjoyed a lovely meal there on Wednesday evening.), and made my way, via Northgate Lane back to SicklingHall Road, completing the loop into Wetherby. Needed a few more K's so did followed LL to the top of the fairly steep hill which drops into the village of Linton itself and then happily turned around to arrive back at home with 71.8 K over 5:19:13, AVG 13.5 KPH, MAX 47.3 KPH. Details here, in the unlikely chance that any might be interested:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/344425750#.UejdBDp-kwg.email
Jim was sun tanning outside the garage, finishing off a sandwich, listening to cricket but worrying, supposedly, along with Cora Lee, about what had happened to me! Once my bike was stowed we repaired to the living room to watch the Tour riders, (cricket still tuned in on portable radio which Jim brought along), on their first ascent of the Alpe d’Huez. Stayed glued to the set, (dashing into kitchen to make a sandwich and a cup of java during commercials), until the exciting, dramatic finish.
Jim very kindly drove me into Wetherby then where I picked up a pair of cycling gloves, (I think I left them in bag I left in London, Dear Reader!), a plastic spray bottle for the de-greaser and a traveling alarm clock for Cora Lee's 66th birthday on the morrow. Then a stop at an ATM for a withdrawal, the better part of which was intended as another present for Coriandre. Back home to collect Birthday Goil to be and we drove to the Windmill for a much needed Sticky Wicket Bitter in the lovely garden, in the shade, of the pub. Back home where I made a mixed green salad while Jim prepared rice for the wonderfully delicious tajin Christiine, (She was out at a retirement party.), had prepared earlier. The three of us ate at the patio table in their garden and it was such a warm evening that we felt we were in the south of France or somewhere in wine country in California or the Okanagan. What an incredible finish to an incredible day!
Pics: Breakfast yesterday morning; dinner that evening.
Hi Derek and Gayle:
Just a very quick note to send our deepest sympathy to Gayle and family on the death of Gayle's mother-in-law. (Bit confused here but wondering if you have made a mistake?) Given everything, timing of your trip, etc., please don't worry about us. We will be able to fend for ourselves and are only concerned about you and the loss you have experienced. Sincere condolences, Corinne and Patrick.
Friday Jim dropped us off at bus top in Wetherby to catch bus into York. Market, Walk around walls, lunch, bus back. Laura, Ed and William, bbq with Jenny and John, Brian and Patricia after meal for drinks and birthday cake. Plenty of hootch, even some of Jim's precious malt!
Ray
Hi Patrick,
Many thanks for your email and have passed on your condolences to Gayle for which she thanks you! Joan was Gayle's dads 2nd wife so I think that made her Gayle's step mother, although Gayle looked on her as a friend rather than a mother figure!
Managed to get a short ride in this morning before it got too hot. In fact it was really pleasant this morning and being on the bike had a nice cooling effect! Gayle headed off to town to meet her 'ladies that lunch' crew! These are old work buddies who meet, usually every month, at a different venue for lunch. Some still working and some retired. The retiree's tend to gloat when hearing of all the problems at their previous place of employment!
Just had a shower so going to get myself some lunch and sit in the shade for a while. Hope you are enjoying Yorkshire. Can you believe I have never been there! Actually I lie, I did go once to Leeds when I was fifteen years old. Must have changed considerably since then!!
Anyway, bye for now. Hi to Cora Lee and your hosts Derek
Just stopped for a bite of lunch after walking about one third of the walls which surround the inner city. Will bus back to Wetherby if we haven't melted by then. Plan to stop at a pub close to bus stop and have an alcoholic ginger beer. Had one first night we were here and it is most refreshing. Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzo!
Happy Birthday Mom!!! Looking forward to celebrating with you in Truro!!! Love Ayn and the lost burritos!!
Happy Birthday Mom!!!!!! Love you, hope you have a lovely day!!!! Chloe and Mags
xxxx
Happy birthday Corinne !! I know Patrick has planned a great day for you
. The pictures look awesome !! Send us some trip details when you can. Michele
Feel I must set the record straight before Sir James has you believing all his lies, damn lies and statistics! In the first instance, most of the far too, too many stops have been occasioned, to date, by the Wetherby Whineger wanting to pull up for a drink, not me, Dear Reader. After the first few Burning Ground interruptions I asked him why he didn't use a camel pack and he said that it was too much trouble to keep the bladder clean so he threw it out! (Bit like fussy Sarge not liking the plastic taste of the water as the reason for his non-use of the camel pack I had given to him prior to their Italian junket of a few years back. As some of you know, I use Rose's Lime Cordial, (now Ribena as Jim is a bit stingy with his single malt), to give the admixture a bit more tasty, thirst quenching power and so I often had to dipsy doodle, whenever possible, for ages, while waiting for my insolent domestique to get on with it.
Must admit, however, that it was a fabulous, fabulous ride. It is a delight to be cycling through the English countryside, hedges and fields as far as the eye can see. The route through Knaresborough, along the River Niidd was simply stunning, passing under a magnificent, high span arched railway bridge , still in use, to stop, (a thinly veiled excuse to take a breather), at a historical marker commemorating St Robert, a hermit, and the cave in which he lived along the bank of the river.
For all his nay saying, I am always playing catch-up with him. In part because I don't know where to go but simply because, like all Hartlepool lads, he is in terrific condition and goes like Rocket Robo Man Untethered! Heat of the day and dehydration finally got to him when we were close to home, Oakhill House. Had about 55 K on the clock by then and since I wanted to do at least 60 K I waved goodbye, after Jim had suggested route I might wish to take, and set off for village of Sicklinghall as it was straight along the Wetherby Road. Good long climb out of Wetherby through hegderows that made a tunnel out of road, and then an even longer climb through Sicklinghall itself. Bit further along, past village, looking for a spot to turn around, without stopping, Dear Reader, and coming to the crest of another hill saw a tandem chugging up the grade. Decided I'd had enough hills for the day so once the two riders were by me I used a lane entrance to accomplish my turn and rode back towards Wetherby.
Thought I'd be able to catch the couple on the tandem but with their combined weight they literally hurtled through Sicklinghall and it was only on the next hill, before the drop into Wetherby that I was able to close the gap. I joked, as I overtook, to the man in the front that he was doing all the work as I had noticed that the woman was looking left and right at the passing countryside. He replied that this was not the case, that he was just steering. I asked wherer they were from, York, and I mentioned I was visiting form Canada. He asked if I had ridden from Vancouver and I said, indeed, I had, with pontoons across the Atlantic. I said how grand it was to be riding through their spectacular countryside and he agreed, adding that this was especially the case when the sun was shining!
Waved adieu and made my way back towards Oak Ridge Road but decided to do a bit of a dipsy doodle beforehand as it now seemed as if an easy 70 K was a distinct possibility. I turned onto Linton Lane which took me past the Wetherby Golf Course, (Jim is a Social Member here and we had enjoyed a lovely meal there on Wednesday evening.), and made my way, via Northgate Lane back to SicklingHall Road, completing the loop into Wetherby. Needed a few more K's so did followed LL to the top of the fairly steep hill which drops into the village of Linton itself and then happily turned around to arrive back at home with 71.8 K over 5:19:13, AVG 13.5 KPH, MAX 47.3 KPH. Details here, in the unlikely chance that any might be interested:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/344425750#.UejdBDp-kwg.email
Jim was sun tanning outside the garage, finishing off a sandwich, listening to cricket but worrying, supposedly, along with Cora Lee, about what had happened to me! Once my bike was stowed we repaired to the living room to watch the Tour riders, (cricket still tuned in on portable radio which Jim brought along), on their first ascent of the Alpe d’Huez. Stayed glued to the set, (dashing into kitchen to make a sandwich and a cup of java during commercials), until the exciting, dramatic finish.
Jim very kindly drove me into Wetherby then where I picked up a pair of cycling gloves, (I think I left them in bag I left in London, Dear Reader!), a plastic spray bottle for the de-greaser and a traveling alarm clock for Cora Lee's 66th birthday on the morrow. Then a stop at an ATM for a withdrawal, the better part of which was intended as another present for Coriandre. Back home to collect Birthday Goil to be and we drove to the Windmill for a much needed Sticky Wicket Bitter in the lovely garden, in the shade, of the pub. Back home where I made a mixed green salad while Jim prepared rice for the wonderfully delicious tajin Christiine, (She was out at a retirement party.), had prepared earlier. The three of us ate at the patio table in their garden and it was such a warm evening that we felt we were in the south of France or somewhere in wine country in California or the Okanagan. What an incredible finish to an incredible day!
Pics: Breakfast yesterday morning; dinner that evening.
Hi Derek and Gayle:
Just a very quick note to send our deepest sympathy to Gayle and family on the death of Gayle's mother-in-law. (Bit confused here but wondering if you have made a mistake?) Given everything, timing of your trip, etc., please don't worry about us. We will be able to fend for ourselves and are only concerned about you and the loss you have experienced. Sincere condolences, Corinne and Patrick.
Friday Jim dropped us off at bus top in Wetherby to catch bus into York. Market, Walk around walls, lunch, bus back. Laura, Ed and William, bbq with Jenny and John, Brian and Patricia after meal for drinks and birthday cake. Plenty of hootch, even some of Jim's precious malt!
Ray
You must be enjoying your rest period in Vancouver.
After I explained that my recommended ride for the day( for him
only) included a hill like yesterday's Patrick hurriedly changed the
plan and he and Corinne are packaged off to York by bus.
I was relieved when the two bikes had been staged and it only took
Patrick about three hours to decide which one he wanted and which
accessories and have them fitted, modified etc, It wasn't too bad
standing out in the blistering sun.
Hence the allowance of the americano and incidentally he himslef
had a cappucino before we started back on a circuitous route through
and from york. We had to dismont due to the tourist throng in York and I
could detect some impatience.
I was reliant on a bottle of warming up water and had to remove
from my bag for infrequent sips while Patrick gorged himself on a
continuous stream of energy drinks. I then had to put up with the photo
shoots and while he disappeared into a field to frighten
the cows.
I have warned him that the Filey trip looks beyond my capability in
these temperatures. I did ask last night whether anyone else had the
same cycling attitiude as Patrick and Corinne assured me that there was
no one else. I have lost count of the number
of potential watering holes we have passed.
On our first ride I was persuaded to take a diversion right at the
end to resolve Patrick's need to finish on some prime number of
kilometres or some such excuse. He tried it again on me yesterday and
hence he was unaccompanied on his last 5km which magically
extended to 15 km.
Please send over reinforcements. Jim
Hi Patrick,
Many thanks for your email and have passed on your condolences to Gayle for which she thanks you! Joan was Gayle's dads 2nd wife so I think that made her Gayle's step mother, although Gayle looked on her as a friend rather than a mother figure!
Managed to get a short ride in this morning before it got too hot. In fact it was really pleasant this morning and being on the bike had a nice cooling effect! Gayle headed off to town to meet her 'ladies that lunch' crew! These are old work buddies who meet, usually every month, at a different venue for lunch. Some still working and some retired. The retiree's tend to gloat when hearing of all the problems at their previous place of employment!
Just had a shower so going to get myself some lunch and sit in the shade for a while. Hope you are enjoying Yorkshire. Can you believe I have never been there! Actually I lie, I did go once to Leeds when I was fifteen years old. Must have changed considerably since then!!
Anyway, bye for now. Hi to Cora Lee and your hosts Derek
Fantastic, I'm envious but can travel vicariously through you and Corinne! I will be a full on party girl all weekend and also through next week! I look forward to having my Edmonton daughter and her family visiting next week. I had Michelle and Wayne for dinner last night, bbq. fresh salmon, rice medley, fennel and pea pod dish and a nice salad. Nicole came up and had a visit on my terrace and it was a great night together. Tonight a whole group of us are going to the horse races after I pick up my brother and sister in law from the airport.
Whew hope I can keep up!!! Cheers Joanne
Whew hope I can keep up!!! Cheers Joanne
Jim/Pat,
I warned you, Jim. At least it sounds as if you have a day of respite from the Constant Cyclist.
Wonderful rides by the sound of it.
Sylvia and I found Harrogate and Knaresborough to be great spots. Are
you feeling safe on the roads, Pat? Everything is a bit closer over
there and takes some getting used to on the bike.
The Garmin stats must work as a fantastic training tool and I'm sure
you can access cumulative data to see what you've done in the week/month
etc.
Good summer of sport for the
English with a possible Ashes victory in sight, a potential winner in
the golf in Scotland, and Froome (Rhodesian really) looking as though
he's going to finish in the lead. Thinking about renewing
my passport for a variety of reasons.
Mike and Pauline Carter dropped by
last night with a small table for the dinner we are hosting next Friday.
Mike was hobbling after our ride and I felt guilty that I might have
taken him too far. Invited him for Saturday
morning but he feels he needs to rest for a few days before flying to
Philadelphia for a wedding on Tuesday.
The beer festival should be
worthwhile especially if they have Black Sheep Ale on tap. I could fancy
one of those myself. Interesting how that company developed - I'm sure
Jim will fill you in. WHGS song, Jim? Can't ever
remember singing it. I was usually on the periphery with anything like
that, usually trying to finish off homework as I hid during assemblies.
Started the book 'Child 44' last night and it looks good. Enjoy the riding and the banter.
Ray
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