Suffering in the Moors!

Certainly was cold up on the Moors today! After driving through to Middlesbrough to meet James we left the Rudds Arms in Marton @ 9.00am and headed out for Great Ayton.

Route: Marton - Great Ayton - kildale - Commondale - Castleton - Houlsyke - Fryup - Castleton - Kildale - Great Ayton - Marton
Activity: Cycle
Shortened Google Maps URL: http://j.mp/dHeMtw
Import URL: http://share.abvio.com/57ff/6606/4b6c/b05a/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20110220-0846.kml
Started: 20 Feb 2011 08:46:56
Ride Time: 3:13:40
Distance: 43.55 miles
Average: 13.49 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 34.85 miles/h
Ascent: 2200 feet
Descent: 2268 feet

The ride started well nice, quick and easy out to Greaton Ayton, out through Little Ayton on onto Easby. This is were we said goodbye to nice, quick and easy for the rest of the day! We turned left and started the slow long drag up towards Kildale up and down. As we cycled through Kildale I explained to James about the first Climb out to Commondale that I had experience from the week before, 'it's a monster, try to carry some speed into it off the decline but be cafeful of the sharp left hand turn just before the climb.'

So over the cattle grid we went and and into the sharp left hand turn and immediately began the climb. I sat up in the saddle and begun to tap out a steady rhythm. I could tell that James obviously wasn't feeling himself as he would usually be leading me up the climb. Instead he was trailing behind zig zagging across the road to get up. At this point James declared he must stop as he was feeling sick! I shouted back that I would continue on to the top as I didn't want to stop on the climb.

I reached the top and grabbed a quick drink whilst waiting for James to play catch up. A little time passed and I wondered if I should make my way back down to check on James. Just as I was mulling this over James appeared over the brow of the hill looking exhausted. He explained that he had actually just through up the Jaffa Cakes that he tried to squeeze down just before the climb. He told me he had not had any breakfast and I pre-warned him of the energy that was going to be required to get over some of the climbs today! Bad Mistake! James was looking and feeling terrible.

After a couple of minutes catch up we had a steady descent down towards Raven Gill campsite were James took a breather before the next climb out onto Commondale.

James taking a well earned rest after suffering on the climb up to Commondale.

This set the scene for the rest of the Morning, James wasn't feeling well at all but soldiered on. He suffered up every climb but got there eventually without giving up. Myslef on the other hand, I was feeling quite good again. I was attacking on the Climbs and getting up and over them feeling quite good. Half way round though the route we had planned showed that we should head up a long climb to Rosedale and onto the ridge of Westerdale. The sight of this climb made us both feel sick. Due to the way James was feeling we decided best to opt out and divert the route back to Danby and out to Castleton.  

We stopped in Castleton on the return leg and refulled in the local shop. I took this chance to capture some pictures of the bikes outside the local pub.

We headed out of Castleton towards Westerdale in hope of an easier route back to Kildale. I promised James that it would be the last of the big climbs and that it would be a nice easy descent back to Kildale.

How wrong I was to be proved.

After descending from Castleton we were faced with a long steady drag up towards Baysdale and then a turn off back towards Kildale followed by a quick descent back into Kildale. After the last sharpe incline we were on route for home.

Jmaes starting his last climb of the day back up to Kildale, nearly there!

We picked up the tempo with James on my wheel and made quick work of Easby - Little Ayton & Great Ayton before arriving back in Marton. James continued on home to suffer quietly while I turned into the Rudds Arms, loaded the bike back on the car and off home.

Really enjoyed this again except for the freezing weather. Same can't be said for James unfortunately who really did suffer all the way round! I'm sure he'll be back fighting fit next week with me suffering on the back.

Another thoroughly enjoyable ride in the Moors.

Bring on the Captain Cook Challenge in 2 weeks, I'm ready for you!