LCAG

Report of Ride to Masham, 18 July 2010.

Was it the weather forecast, the ride length, or the holidays? For whatever reason, there were only 3 riders at Moortown, probably the poorest attendance this year. Undaunted, we set off for Wetherby, arriving at Morrisons in time to hear them count down ‘5, 4, 3, 2, 1, let the customers in!’. Setting off again up the old A1, an attempted shortcut to Arkendale ended in a dungheap, forcing a retreat back to proper tarmac.  Arkendale found, we then followed delightful roads that had never felt our tyres before, to south of Fountains Abbey, where the trio became a duo, with the solo heading back towards Harrogate for a train home.  The duo pressed on in a westerly direction, over the hills to the north of Pateley Bridge, where we experienced strong wind, sunshine, rain, a steep downhill and a gorgeous view all at once.  Despite the earlier cooked breakfast, I was feeling quite hungry now, so we pulled in to the inn at Wath to look at the menu. Soup at £5.50 scared us off, but the next pub (at Ramsgill) was even worse at £6.50. We could have guessed from the Maserati parked in front.  The pub at Lofthouse would have been more reasonable, but at 2.30pm had stopped serving food, so we had to go the extra mile to the cafe at Stean Gorge.  Suitably refreshed by canneloni and coffee, we then attacked the long steep hill out of Lofthouse.  Helped by a following wind, it was not so bad as expected, and the long fast downhill to Masham was thrilling.

Ride Report – 4th July – Sculpture Ride – 52 miles

They say that you have to suffer for your art and so it was to prove for the group of intrepid art lovers gathered at City Square at 8.15am.  Our Grand Tour of the panopticons (an area where everything is visible) of Lancashire was to be train assisted so 7 of us gathered on the platform with our bikes. However these plus 4 more were easily stowed on board thanks to a very helpful guard. Two of our number were youngsters who struggled up the first  hill out of Keighley and here they decided to leave the ride and return to the station. Having waved them farewell the rest of us set off to our first sculpture – the Atom.

By the time we arrived a headwind was gathering and we were glad of the shelter afforded by the sculpture which has a magnificent setting. We then descended to the delightful (and sheltered) village of Wycoller where we had breakfast at the excellent tea rooms. We had a long leg now to the next sculpture on the edge of Burnley. Encouraged by some long rolling descents and avoiding the perils of Widdup Moor we pushed on through Burnley and up the long drag of  Bacup Road. At this point the wind strengthened, a drizzly rain began and our group stretched out. We battled along the top road to find the sculpture amidst the howling wind and rain. With such strong winds the sculpture was singing loudly being made of carefully positioned and tuned tubes.

After some route clarification we set off to Bacup – pronounced “Bake up” and not “Back up” our local rider informed us. This proved to be another long leg though largely downhill. Having arrived at the valley bottom we were thinking of lunch but not finding anywhere suitable we pressed on to our final sculpture of the day – Halo. Tired, cold and battered we mustered less enthusiasm for this one, though perhaps it looks better at night when the LED lights cast an eerie glow. We returned the way we came and headed to an enormous ASDA where we ate a very late lunch.

By now some of us were thinking of the train options for the return and there was talk of returning from Halifax. However Steve’s warning about the long drag out of Bacup proved accurate and despite an exhilarating descent we decided Hebden Bridge would be far enough for the day and split into 2 groups for the train ride home. 52 miles instead of the anticipated 80 but with hills and headwind we all agreed it had been a long day.

JF

You can see the route of our ride and some photos at

http://www.a-trip.com/tracks/view/55988

There is also some video at the links below, thanks to Ian for these. In most of them you can barely hear us talking due to the wind!

http://www.dropbox.com/gallery/433250/1/Panopticons?h=bc52df

And videos
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/433250/Panopticons/CIMG1726.AVI
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/433250/Panopticons/CIMG1740.AVI
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/433250/Panopticons/CIMG1736.AVI
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/433250/Panopticons/CIMG1738.AVI
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/433250/Panopticons/CIMG1735.AVI
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/433250/Panopticons/CIMG1737.AVI
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/433250/Panopticons/CIMG1730.AVI

Ride Report – 17th June  to Harewood – 15 miles

Subtitled the “Red Kite spotters ride”, 7 of us met at Oakwood on a very pleasant evening. We set off to Shadwell and the short hill warmed us up further before we made our way to Harewood via Leeds Grammar School. This quiet road has been blocked off to cars and it was amazing to see how quickly nature was reclaiming the tarmac. After the slightly hairy crossing of the A61 we headed to the reservoir and started looking for kites. One of our party kept making regular sightings which somehow the rest of us managed to miss. After a discussion about off road options we chose to go down Weardley Hill and take the more gentle bridle way that takes you to Harewood Village. More kite spottings were claimed but we all saw the deer! We then went along the A61 – quieter by now – when the cry went up  ”Kite!” – this time we all managed to see it as it circled very close above us. We then headed to Wyke before taking in another hill and returning to Shadwell. Here our party split up to make our way home. A lovely evening ride – we should do more of these.
JF

Ride Report – Local Heroes Ride – 13th June

6 of us gathered for our shortest ride of the year (8 miles) on one of thelongest days of the year. Starting from City Square we pootled South of the city centre to see sites of historical and scientific interest including Matthew Murray’s iron gravestone, a mill styled as an Egyptian temple and two chimneys masquerading as Italian towers. On reaching Thwaite Mills we found it closed but the gate open – it was a temptation we couldn’t resist! However we were soon rumbled so we made our way back to the Armouries and then to Leeds Bridge – where some of the world’s first moving images were recorded on film. Many thanks to Ian who added many interesting bits of information on the ride to complement that of the navigator. A few of us then repaired to a cafe for an excellent (if undeserved) breakfast.
JF

The Rain Ride -  6th June

Eight of us (one being a first timer) set out having agreed to a radical change of route going clockwise instead of anticlockwise round the advertised route thus doing the hilly half first but waiting till Pateley for breakfast, 22 miles away. It was gently raining.  We had a snack stop after the hill out of Otley and then two left to make their way home.  It wes still raining.  Then just before Pateley we had a blow out caused by the heat to the rim braking down Yorke’s Folly,and the inner tube was beyond repair.  Then it was a direct route to Kirkby Malzeard but the the road out of Pateley, which was new to me, was much steeper and longer than I anticipated.  The easing of the rain as we came out of the cafe at Pateley was shortlived and we were getting very soggy so we forsook the pub in Kirkby and headed with much more speed with the wind behind us to a ‘new to us’ cafe in Markington.  It stopped raining while we were inside but of course was raining when we left.  Then a navigational error meant there was an unplanned change of route and we went Knaresborough way instead of Burnt Yates but it did bring a nice tarmacced bridleway/track south of Stainley and going out of Knaresborough, part of the Beryl Burton Way and we did have a dry period for a short while.  At least it was only Summer rain.  All home by 5.30 I think
BH

Report of Ride to Wheldrake – 23rd May

Click here to see an interactive map of the ride

As the start time passed there was only one person waiting at Moortown Coop. There were another 14 at the meeting point at Oakwood Clock. A quick phone call hatched a plan to meet the aberrant rider en route.

On a warm and sunny day, what little wind there was was in our favour.
This was just as well as the breakfast stop was at Selby. Progress was brisk with occasional stops to regroup. A regroup turned into a slightly longer stop at Sherburn in Elmet as one or two tweaks were applied to machines.

The cafe at Selby coped well with the sudden influx. We then headed through Osgodby and onto a track across Skipwith Common. At Skipwith, one rider left for home. The rest carried on through Thorganby to Wheldrake. where the group split for lunch. The majority enjoyed the beer garden of the pub in Wheldrake and the rest pressed on to the cafe at Naburn.

After meeting up again at Naburn, one left for the train. By Appleton Roebuck, the regrouping breaks were becoming longer as the hot sun took it’s toll. An attempt to take another drinks break near Bolton Percy failed due to slow service but during the wait, the keener riders made a break for home, leaving half a dozen to take a refreshment stop at Tadcaster. This was followed by another split, with 2 heading for Garforth and the remaining 4 heading through Bramham before splitting up on Shadwell Lane, still bathed in sunshine.

Report of Ride to Coxwold – 9th May

Report of Ride to Haworth – 25th April

Click here to see an interactive map of the ride

Six of us turned out for the ride to Haworth which started at Pudsey. Lacking local knowledge Steve (our navigator) had an interesting time finding his way around the backroads and indutrial estates of Bradford with at times equally interesting smells emanating from modern ‘dark satanic towers’. We discovered one estate curiously named ‘Olympic Park’ and a photo of the LCAG team for 2012 seemd in order. There was no sign of Chris Hoy however. Seemingly unharmed by our indutrial detour we finally hit country roads and the sun came out to cheer us. Although this didn’t last our spirits were up and we were in Pennine country at last. Haworth was packed with visitors but an attempt to buy a fridge magnet by one of our party was thwarted by the shop being closed. The return journey gave us more climbs and sweeping views. As we ended the day with a climb up the Chevin before heading home, I resolved that I would do this more often.
JF

Report of Ride to Appletreewick – 11th April

Click here to see an interactive map of the ride.

Report of Ride to Selby – 14th March

Another good turnout for the time of year, with 8 starting from City Square, including two new members, Tom and Jane. Thanks to Jane for forwarding this link http://connect.garmin.com/activity/26999690 showing the route that we followed, and for the extra information that we each burnt 2,365 calories!

Normally the routes for LCAG rides are worked out in advance, but on this occasion it was worked out in City Square. The plan was to head for breakfast at Squires (nr Sherburn) via the East Leeds Link Road (formerly Pontefract Lane). However just after Great Preston we saw a cafe that we hadn’t spotted before at the West end of Allerton Bywater. We decided to give it a try, and it must have passed muster as Andy later entered it into his GPS database of cafes in Europe! In Selby we had lunch at CJ’s Cafe Bar in the Market Cross shopping centre. It was a dry and partly sunny day, so some of us sat outside. The food was good, but in my case it confusingly arrived in reverse order (tea, then sandwich, then soup). Leaving Selby, Angela realised we would be passing her sister’s house, so we called in for a quick hello. At Church Fenton, Steve decided to catch a train home (but missed it and ended up cycling home anyway). We decided to stop for a coffee at Lotherton Hall, where Jane bumped into her brother, so it was getting to be quite a family outing!

At Scholes some went back to City Square, while others took the scenic route via Shadwell.

Calories consumed? with three food stops, probably 2000 at least.
FM

Report of ride to Wintersett – 28th February 2010

The BBC weather forecast on Saturday night was for heavy rain and strong NE winds on Sunday (the edge of the severe storms that affected France & Spain). In fact the storm passed further south than predicted (well done forecasters!) and it was dry all day, though cold. There was even a little sunshine in the morning. However the forecast probably put some folk off, as there were only 4 at the start (including a new member Jason), but we picked up another 2 at the breakfast stop in Crossgates.

It was a pleasant ride round the south of Colton (horses, open views). Brian had warned that the bridleway from Garforth was really muddy, after the snow & rain of recent days, but the canal towpath from the south end of Bullerthorpe Lane was not too bad – quite a few waterfilled potholes but most were avoidable.  After crossing the river at Methley Bridge, we attempted a shortcut via the Aire & Calder Navigation towpath, but after a promising start, it got narrow & muddy so we decided to leave it for a summer day. Craftily avoiding Europort, we discovered several hidden pubs round the back streets of Normanton.

At Wintersett visitor centre we found the door to the cafe at the 3rd attempt, having previously entered the same (wrong) room by two different doors!  Sweet & sour chicken at £3.50 was very tasty.  The route back through Haw Park was a bit muddy but not too bad. However some time later, on a bridleway South of Stanley Ferry, we encountered some very big puddles. Following Nigel through one that was wider than the path I got my left foot well soaked, resulting in very cold toes by the time I got home. Nevertheless an enjoyable day all told.
FM

Report of ride to Halifax – 14th February 2010

THE DOWNHILL RIDE(!)

Eight of us set off from Pudsey in pleasant cycling weather downhill out of Pudsey, picking up Andy in Tong and then at East Brierley to turn south, downhill towards Cleckheaton and our first crossing of three across the M62. The easy navigation of the Spen Valley Greenway was forsaken due to the ongoing (years?) sewer laying there but it did mean we found new roads and another village called Scholes to match the one near Barwick in Elmet. Then it was a B road and another downhill ending in a stony track to get to the newly refurbished ‘Cafe on the Vale’ for breakfast in Mirfield.  Andy left us for a rugby match and we retraced our steps out of Mirfield getting to Brighouse where we safely navigated three busy roundabouts and then up to Southowram which was a rise and half! A sharp downhill into Halifax brought us to the cafe in the Piece Hall which for most of us meant just a soup and a roll.

Two were time limited and took the train from here but six of us rose out of the stone and tarmac of Halifax to view it from above. We worked our way round Queensbury and then came the raison d’etre of the ride,  the fabulous long downhill to Thornton.  We then split into two groups, one northwards to go through Shipley and two of us to get home more directly via Bradford (downhill of course!)
BH

Report of ride to Knaresborough – Sunday 31st January 2010

A beautiful sunny and cold day brought an excellent turn out, with 11 of us meeting in Oakwood for the start. The usual route to Wetherby , via Collingham and Linton, was uneventful but pleasant as our cores tended to warm up, but some extremities might have been a bit chilly by the time breakfast was due. We were pretty soon in Knaresborough too, with a minor delay for a slow puncture (properly repaired over lunch).

A bit of to-ing and fro-ing meant we were 10 on the way back and sorry to say we temporary lost a rider from the start of the return, but a rendezvous was successfully completed in Kirkby Overblow. All that remained was the climb up Weardley Hill and we split into 2 groups – Roundhay and (broadly) Headinglely – close to Eccup reservoir.

The day was completed for the former contingent with a quick couple of pints in the Deer Park, having given up on the Fox (too busy, despite the lovely warmth). In the pub for 330pm. We should do this more often!

MH

Report of ride to Storiths – Sunday 17th January 2010

Five started out from Moortown, picking up a couple more at Otley. As the ride wasn’t too long, a few extra bits were thrown in. There’s quite often a return through Arthington but today we passed through on the way out. We were rewarded with a headwind as we followed the river from Pool to Otley.

After breakfast, the full complement headed out through Weston. At Denton, we split up with 2 following the valley bottom to Beamsley and the others climbing towards Langbar. The headwind got stronger and the ice started to encroach on to the road but neither were a real problem. The top took longer than expected to reach, with a few false peaks. We then dropped down before climbing again to the lunch stop at Storiths where we regrouped.

Warned of a lengthy wait for soup, we settled for tea and cake before heading back to Ilkley with the wind now at our backs. One broke for home at Ilkley with the rest of us straggling out on the climb to the Cow and Calf. The main group dropped into Menston at the first opportunity, with the breakaway group taking in an additional chevron before meeting again in Menston.

After the wind assisted climb on to The Chevin, we split to take routes home via either Bramhope or Cookridge, arriving back around 3:30. Little of the promised sunshine but no rain.

SH

Report of ride to The Sun Inn, Sunday 3rd January 2010

Four departed Moortown with the snow coming down and conditions under wheel difficult apart from on the cleared main roads. The snow eased soon after we started and with care we negotiated Eccup dam ridng on packed snow making it risky especially on the downhills. The sun soon came out giving some great wintery views. The next section, down Weardley bank and the road to Pool and Leathley, were clear and of snow and easy going.

The next part of the route took us past the fish farm and over Lindley Bridge on a small country lane, the going was tricky. We decided that it was too risky to continue on these lanes to the Sun Inn and cut the day short going to the café in Otley for well deserved refreshments before returning on the main road to Leeds. Only 25 miles but worth going out for the views and the challenge of the ride.

AG