A Slushy Day In The Woods

Me and Neil decided to have a look out today to see what state the trails round Guisborough were in. Being as there's no snow whatsoever where either of us live, we were quite optimistic and planned a ride out from Hutton, across to Captain Cooks and back and a with lot of woodland fun thrown in for good measure. It's the first time I'd seen Neil in 5 weeks since he got sick of the £10 cheapy tyres on his bike and decided to head off to Los Angeles to get some real tyres. The 2.4" Vredesteins that he came back with wouldn't look out of place on a tractor so we were itching to see how they performed in the Guisborough mud. We headed uphill from Hutton village, and it looked promising until we reached the barrier, at which point tarmac gave way to snow. Not too bad though, it was hard and gave enough grip to ride. For about 200m. Then it was off and walking, something that would be repeated throughout the day. All of the fire roads in the forest were the same, sometimes hard packed and rideable with care, sometimes soft and slushy and necessitating a hike. The track up to the nab looked promising - it was melting at the edges and grass was showing through. We made it about half way up before we were walking again.

We ducked into the woods at the top of the climb and oh joy, to be on proper mud again and riding with ease. We went to the edge of the forest and out onto the moor, hoping that we'd be able to get down the track to Sleddale, but no chance. The snow was always up to our knees and in some places we sunk almost up to our hips. We gave up a bad job and turned back to the forest.

We headed back down the track from the nab, wishing we'd brought a sledge or a snowboard rather than a bike, and then turned left into the woods towards the bottom. This was more like it, nicely thawed (but wet and muddy) forest trail, we lapped it up and were back down at the main fireroad in no time. Secret Path next then. Off we went, riding and pushing till we were at the top of Unsuitables. We had another look out onto the moor here, in case it was any better here, but it wasn't.

Secret Path was great. No snow, but plenty of water, both standing and running, and lots more exposed roots and bigger drop-offs. Erosion is taking its toll here, but hey, I was getting to know it too well the way it was! No major incidents on Secret Path, so off we headed to The Chute via the now usual mix of riding and pushing. I fouled up straight away going into The Chute. My front wheel slipped away as I turned left into the dive-down from the field. I just about held it together though but cut an unusual line into the woods at the bottom, thankful there were no trees, rocks or ravines in my way. Lots more water running around down here today too, and still some slushy bits. Some of the steeper sections and some of the drops looked quite challenging when you couldn't really tell what was underneath the slush and picking a line was just a case of "where can I actually see solid ground". I should have paid more attention to my Xmas present the Dirtschool Mountain Bike Technique DVD but I think "Snow Riding" must be in part 2. Consequently I had a number of spillages, mostly minor, all comical. The worst was when I tried to avoid a slushy looking drop-off by swooping up and down the bank to the right of it, but "swoop" somehow became "endo" and man and bike went sprawling down the hillside. My ribs still ache :-/ The chute completed there was nothing left but the short hop back to Hutton village. No idea how far we'd gone in the 3 hours we were out, probably no more than 6 or 7 miles. It was shit, basically, but still bloody good fun, and at least we got some exercise! Hopefully it'll all be gone next week!

Hunting High & Low

Being on tight curfews this Sunday meant no group ride for me & Neil, so instead we decided to spend a couple of hours hunting in the woods. The quarry was trails, both new (to us) and forgotten (by us). We've ridden around the woods a lot in the summer but tend to have trouble matching a trail to its start location, and some of the trails we hear mentioned on MTBG we don't know if we've done. "Secret Path", "The Chute" and the mythical "Deer Run" were top of list of places to find, and anything else that we saw on the way we'd commit to memory and (or so the plan went) to GPS. Unfortunately the batteries gave up in the GPS almost straight away and the spares that had been in my pack for months were dead too. No track logging for us then.
We were late starting too, Neil's Avid Juicy pads needed changing and he was having a bugger of a time doing it. Between us it took us 20 minutes by the road at Hutton to get them done. I defy them to come and show us how this job can be done "Tool-free" as their blurb states. I'm starting to get a real complex about this!!

Anyway, off we went, up Big Bird and Grey Road (our names) to come out on Hutton Moor. A quick sprint across the moor and then we're exercising our "Right To Roam" and looking for The Deer Run. While standing scouring the hillside for signs of trails some bloke starts striding towards us. Fearful of a confrontation with an irate walker we speed off across the moor again. A bit further on and we see signs of a trail and go to investigate. There's definitely been something going down here, but was it bikes? Looks a bit steep to us. Suddenly that bloke is behind us again. "Can't get bikes down there; too steep; we run down there though..." and off he goes, scampering down the hillside. Phew, no confrontation then, just some bloke out for a power walk in the wilds of the Cleveland countryside.

We track a bit further along and suddenly there it is, obvious signs of a trail dropping off the hillside. We follow it down and it's sweet, a nice bit of singletrack, not very technical but with some natural obstacles here and there to keep it interesting. It's a nice alternative to the usual muddy, rutted 4x4 way down, which we now name "The Pig Run" (Deer, Pig, see what we did there?). Towards the bottom we pass our jogger again and exchange pleasantries. That really is the best kind of walker.

Up to Captain Cooks now via the steep road climb and the fire break that brings you out half way up the climb to the monument. Up to the monument, once again failing the Nemesis Climb at the last couple of steps (we blame it on the slippery conditions again). Left at the monument and off down the steps where Neil decides to try a bit of trick cycling, sitting on the crossbar instead of the seat and taking the rather more tricky line down the ditch alongside the steps rather than on the steps itself. Hope he was wearing padded shorts.

Left at the end of the path and into The Tunnel, something we found last time out. A gorgeous bit of woodland singltrack that literally runs in a tunnel of trees. It's so dark in there you almost need lights in the daytime! The rock bridge near the start is a gem, and it's best not to think about the damage that might occur if you come off on it!

Left again onto track we were just on a few minutes ago, but this time instead of going up to Captain Cooks we head down towards Gribdale via another nice bit of woodland trail. This is one of our favourite bits of trail around CC and the drop off at the bottom has proved to be another nemesis for us until recently. Neil nailed it last time out and today was my turn as it was cleaned with contemptuous ease.

Up and over Great Ayton Moor then, back to Guisborough Woods to do more hunting. A sprint through the nice wooded section that parallels the track along the moor edge and we're back at the top of Grey Road (I think this is the very top of "Unsuitables", another place name we're unfamiliar with). We dive into the woods on the left here and follow a very muddy, slippery and very fun trail (that has alarmingly slipped away down the hillside in places) that eventually ends up on the main fire road. We follow this back along towards the Nab, head up towards the Nab for a bit and then turn right, back into the woods. At this point we're following black arrow posts which we presume means it was part of the old black run.

This trail branches off all over the place and we explore a few of them, but most of them seem to be taking a pretty quick route back to the fire road. We press on, eventually looping round and over the Gill to come back on the other side. More muddy, rooty track and we end up at a nice little drop off that will launch you into the tree at the bottom if don't get your turn right when you land. We size up the options - "What's the worst that can happen?" says Neil. I try not to think about what "the worst that can happen" could entail, while Neil makes the drop look easy. My turn then, and I'm wishing I'd paid more attention to that MBR "How to ride like a pro" feature about turns after drops! I totally bugger it up and don't get my turn in fast enough. A coming together of man, bike and tree looks inevitable until I manage to ditch into the rather softer looking banking by the tree. The impact has thrown my bar-end a few degrees off true, but better that than a collar bone or a neck.

Off we go once more, pretty sure that we've done "Secret Path", though not really sure just which part of what we've done that might be. So now we're looking for The Chute, but not before we've headed off to find another bit of trail that we know we've ridden just once before. Along the fire road, under the Nab and on, on, on, it feels like we'll soon be in Whitby. Eventually we drop off the main track, a few feet along a grassy trail and then off to the left into some more lovely woodland. This swoops its way back down to the fire road and the reward for our 3 minutes of fun is a slog back along this to the Nab again. Well, it keeps you fit.

So now The Chute. Off we go and we're not too far into it when it's Neil's turn to wish he'd read MBR. This month's "How to ride slippery roots" feature might just have prevented him ending up on his arse barely 100m into the run. We know we're on the right run because it's all so familiar from the videos we've been watching on YouTube and elsewhere. A quick stop for a photo opportunity on a good fast downhill straight with plenty of little drops and hops and we're off again. When we reach the little stone step section I have a somewhat "amateur" moment. For some reason my hand takes on a will of its own and applies the front brake right in the middle of the steps. An arse-over looks inevitable until the hand decides it's had its fun and releases the brake. The front wheel resumes motion and after a couple of feet of endo-ing, arse and seat resume contact. How thrilling.

So fun and games over, just the track back to Hutton now and then home to a warm bath. We're both knackered. 16 or so (no GPS, no stats!) miles of forest fun has taken its toll on the legs, more so than our usual XC runs. We've taken our eye off the clock too and have broken our curfew. We'll be in bother. It's been a brilliant day out though.

Just The Two Of Us

The prospect of awful weather, in particular gales of up to 80mph, led to the cancellation of our planned group ride, so me & Neil just did our own thing around Cooks & Roseberry.

We met at The Gribdale Park & Ride which was absolutely packed, poor weather doesn't keep the good folk of Cleveland stuck in the house! We set off straightaway up to Captain Cooks, passing a variety of people carrying small children & babies down from the moor. Are Teessiders like The Spartans? Do they leave their kids out on cold hills to toughen them up?

We both failed "The Nemesis Climb", the last set of steps on the path up to the monument, something we'd both nailed on our old bikes but haven't quite mastered on the new ones.

Left at the monument and down the stone steps followed by a woodland excursion at the bottom, a bit of wood neither of us had done before. Nothing too challenging, but a nice little rock ramp part way in and some good flowing (and dry) track. Out of the woods, past Lonsdale Farm and up the deeply rutted track to Percy Cross Rigg. Recent 4x4 traffic on this climb combined with all the rain had turned it all a bit claggy, but the Trailrakers dug in and did their job while Neil's 2.4inch 10 quid specials slithered about looking for traction.

Along Percy Cross Rigg to Hutton woods, where we passed quite a few other riders in various sized groups, all in good cheer apart from one miserable looking bunch by a large puddle at the corner of the path to The Hanging Stone. Takes all sorts.

Left here and onto The Cleveland Way towards Roseberry Topping, where we take the muddy track down the hill rather than the stone steps beside it. Or at least I try to, but that 80mph wind seems to have found us and makes it hard to even stay on the bike, let alone on line. Neil nails it, but I get blown into a muddy rut that takes me out, but at least the ground is soft!

Round Roseberry we go, through Newton wood and eventually emerging at Dikes Lane, which we cross and climb the rooty track that goes up from there to below Captain Cook's. The roots look bigger than ever and there's no chance of riding up it, and it looks like coming down will be even more fun than usual in future.We plan our lines while pushing the bikes up.

Once at the top it's the traverse below Captain Cooks towards Kildale. This bridleway has been totally mashed by horses. There should really be rules of etiquette that say "no horses when a trail is sodden wet" because nothing destroys a trail like a horse. This whole section was just a quagmire of mud, studded with hoof sized holes all full of water and more mud. Once again the trailrakers did their stuff but it was really no fun.

Out the other side and it's up the steep road (having to stop and lube up the chain which had been stripped of oil by the shit on that last section of trail), along the fire road onto Coate Moor and down through the woods once more. This had stayed nice and dry, no worse than any time in the summer really. At the bottom Neil nailed the big drop-off while I still took the chicken run, despite my best intentions. Next time, next time.

Out of the woods and back at the car park, and still feeling fresh. Time to put in an extra loop just for the hell of it, so up onto Great Ayton Moor we go, just so we can plummet back down through the woods. The climb is too much for Neil's unlubed chain (chain suck sucks!) and he has to look like a pussy, pushing up a climb that even girls can do. The drop back through the woods is fun, fast, slippery and loose and is largely out of control all of the way.

So back at the Park & Ride again, and quite surprised to see that not only is my car still there, but no one has stolen Neil's knee and elbow pads from here either. They really must be rubbish.

Gribdale Circuit: 12 miles, 2200ft up/down, 2hrs30.