SCC Tourer 'On Tour'

Sunday 7 April '19 - as a member of one of the oldest clubs in the country I rode out with the Carlisle Reivers, one of the newest (they only became affiliated at the end of 2018). Despite the name they are a friendly bunch with up to four groups out each Sunday. I opted for the 'Blue' ride (notional parameters 30-40 miles, up to 2,000 feet of climbing and an average speed anywhere from 14 to 16mph). When I’ve guest ridden with this group before there have been up to twenty of us but they have obviously got to know me so, once they found out I was joining, most dropped out pleading colds, broken legs and family commitments so it was a brave threesome that set off promptly at 9 o’clock from the Rickerby Park cenotaph.

We headed east into the light wind on what I was told was 'a fairly flat course though there would be a couple of “testy wee banks” to tackle'. As one of the weaker members of the touring group this sounded a little ominous. The good news is that my Garmin only went to auto-pause on one climb, when my speed dropped so low that it thought I’d actually stopped moving! Other than that we moved along nicely and they even let me take a turn on the front occasionally, where I showed an uncanny knack of rolling through just before descents (totally coincidental, I barely know that area, honestly).

After twenty miles of wonderful views over Hadrian’s Wall country we arrived at our refreshment stop at Lanercost Priory. A lovely little restaurant with a splendid array of cakes and very good coffee provided us with a break. I can recommend the Date Slice if you’re passing that way.

Leaving the rest stop we headed north over the Wall into enemy territory for a little cattle rustling - it’s what reivers do, they just can’t help themselves (actually, I may have made that bit up) before looping round to head back to Carlisle with that lovely tailwind helping us along.

All in all a very pleasant ride, 46 miles in the end over mostly gentle rolling countryside with fabulous views and a couple of splendid companions, thanks to Nigel and Clem.

Monday 8 April '19, an altogether different proposition with the Melsonby Bullets. Named after the Black Bull pub from which they ride only to return for some well earned refreshment, the Bullets is a (very) social pub club which caters for all riders of whatever ability.

With a regular Monday evening ride with occasional forays at weekends, the Bullets are an eclectic bunch. There are a couple of elderly gents on their electrics, the odd hybrid rider, and the usual roadies.

The standard plan is that everyone sets off together at a gentle pace up the drag out of the village (it’s not a steep one, mostly only 2-3% but with a couple of ramps at 7% over just under a mile). Once everyone has warmed up, the speed increases slightly but never gets so high that the constant chatter is in any danger. The group then splits with the slower riders peeling off after about 4 miles to do another 3 back with a second peel after 6.5 to give a total of 12, with the remaining “speedy Bullets” pushing on a short way further to finish back at the pub after 16.5.

And so it worked on Monday, 14 riders out in total, 3 taking the first turn off, 4 the second and the remaining seven of us doing the full route including one of the eBullets who must have had his motor on turbo setting up a couple of the hills the pace he was setting. I imagine that’s what it’s like riding behind a Derny.

An excellent, leisurely cycle in the N. Yorks countryside with the proportions just right, an hour and a quarter gentle pedalling on the bike followed by three hours in the Bull.