The next Mid-Week ride will be on Wednesday 4th March and will be led by John Blanchfield.

Meet 9.00 am for 9.30 am start from St James Retail Park, Knaresborough HG5 8PY.

We begin by heading south to Wetherby then Tadcaster, Cawood, Stillingfleet, crossing the A19, Escrick, then SE to pick up the the A163 at North Duffield. At Bubwith we turn south to meet the A63 and head for Howden where we stop at the Waterwheel Tea Room for coffee (or tea!) DN14 7JP.

After our break continuing through Howden and east onto the B1230 to North Cave. North through Market Weighton, Bainton, Wetwang and onto Sledmere House for lunch, YO25 3XG.

The route home runs westward through North Grimston, Kirkham Priory, across the A64 through the villages to the south of the Howardian Hills, crossing the A19 and eventually also crossing the River Ouse at the Aldwark Bridge. Further west, crossing the A1 and finally onto the A59 where the ride will finish in the lay-by just before the St James Retail Park roundabout.

Total distance 126 miles.

I hope you can make it on Wednesday the 4th.

John.

Dear All

Very sorry but the May mid week 2 day ride to Northumberland and the Borders has 11 takers (bikes) which I feel is the maximum number for a long days ride. I therefore propose to take no more requests for it. I would be happy to keep a reserved list if anyone wants to be offered a place should someone drop out.

Best regards.

John

Our postponed ride will go ahead this coming Sunday. The weather forecast is reasonable with light rain showers forecast but some sunshine too as we approach our lunch venue.

The route may need modifying due to local road flooding but that will be taken care of.

Yours truly will be leading the original proposed ride as Chris and Enzo are unavailable. A volunteer tail-end Charlie would be appreciated on the day please.

Meeting at ASDA lorry park 9.00am for a 9.30am set off. If it’s wet slip into ASDA car park under cover please.

Stops are coffee at Cracoe’s Cafe, Cracoe BD23 6LA.

Lunch Cafe Cargo, Foulridge BB8 7PP.

Finish at Stump Cross Caverns HG3 5JL.

Just 104 miles in total.

For full details please look at the original post (Feb 9th).

I hope you can make it, only light rain forecast!

All the best.

Barry

Sadly due to the weather forecast for this Sunday with strong winds and rain a decision has been made to postpone the ride with a plan to re-arrange for next Sunday the 23rd.

Apologies to any riders determined to make the ride this weekend but gusty 40+ mph winds are strong enough to move a motorcycle so in the interests and for the safety of all riders discretion wins over valour on this occasion.

Best regards

Barry

Who would have thought a presentation about traffic management would be so interesting!

Our Monday evening presentation went very well with Mark and Nikki from Highways England giving us the low down on how they cope with the varied challenges they face every day keeping the traffic moving. Given the atrocious weather, a great turnout of approximately 20 HAB members and amazingly Peter Germaine came on his bike. Mark asked us pertinent questions about our expectations of their service and got a good few questions back in return. The banter was good natured-you never know when you may personally need Highways England. All very intereresting and the information just kept coming. I loved the way our presenters made a point of going around to speak to everyone after food was served. Nice touch!

Thank you very much to Mark and Nikki and of course to John for organising the presentation and Bilton Cricket Club for the excellent buffet.

Don’t leave it at that. You can access video links to Highways England by going to:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC68PZJdKAzOWv0yDHqXrmZw

Barry

Chris Armstrong will lead this ride with Enzo Denti as tail ender.
Meet at Asda lorry park, Dragon Road, Harrogate from 09.00 for a 09.30 departure. We head via Ripley to Pateley Bridge, Burnsall and Linton for coffee at Cracoe’s Cafe, Cracoe BD236LA.

After coffee and buns we are off to Hetton, Gargrave, Carleton and over the top to Foulridge for lunch at Cafe Cargo BB87 PP beside the canal.

Suitably refreshed, Hellifield is next via Thornton in Craven and then on to Otterburn, Airton, Hetton, Grassington to end at Stump Cross Caverns HG35JL.

The route on well planned roads is suitably short for this time of the year with a mileage of just 104.

Hope to see you on the day.

Chris

Welcome to the Club – Howard Poulson Associate Member

“I have only been riding for 2 years. I spend quite a lot of time in Florida and I got my American bike licence first in Nov 2017 and my UK licence in Jan 2018.  In the 2 years I have had 7 bikes while I sorted out what suited me (dropping the heavier bikes a few times along the way) and currently have a BMW F750GS in the UK and a Triumph Tiger 800 in the USA.  I’ve done 3 short tours to Germany, the north of England and the Great Smokey Mountain area of the USA”.

“I’ve been retired for a few years now and previously worked turning around companies for both public and private investors. Having got over the first two years of learning to ride I am eager to improve to a better level and hence my joining HAB”.

Please say hi to Howard the next time you see him.

Following similar very successful events of recent years we have decided to arrange a 2-day/1 night trip in lieu of the May midweek ride.

The planned date for the outward trip is Wednesday 6th May, with an overnight stop at The Auld Cross Keys in Deholme, where we have stayed before and been well looked after, returning on Thursday.

The route has yet to be finalised but will generally head north through the Yorkshire Dales and North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty up to Northumberland where we will pick up the Scenic Coastal Route then ride west into the Scottish Borders. The return journey heads generally south mainly on pleasant country roads picking up Lanercost Tea Rooms for coffee and the Black Swan Inn at Ravenstonedale for lunch.

5 twin rooms have been booked at the Auld Cross Keys at £45pp B&B and a limited number of singles are also available at £60pp B&B.

Mileage is approximately 200 up, 170 down.

Please contact John Blanchfield for details and to book your place. johnblanchfield@talktalk.net

The speaker for our February evening meeting will be Nikki Hullah, Traffic Officer for Highways England.

Nikki’s talk will centre around her work and that of her organisation with regards to road safety. Most of us have wondered at some point what is the purpose of these officers cruising the motorways in their Mitsubishi Shoguns, well now is the chance to find out.

As usual Bilton Cricket Club’s splendid buffet will follow our speaker’s presentation.

Please join us and make the evening a success.

See you on Monday Evening.

John

You can access video presentation of Highways England’s work with this link.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC68PZJdKAzOWv0yDHqXrmZw

Meet Ripley car park from 9.00am for a 9.30am start.

The route takes us first due north to Bedale passing the Fountains Abbey estate, Kirkby Malzeard, West Tanfield, Well and on into Bedale for a Coffee stop: The North End Café, Bedale DL8 1AF

After coffee head west on the A684 to Leyburn, turning right at the top of the market square then left on the minor road, passing the MOD ranges, and on to Grinton, turning left to Reeth.

From Reeth we’ll continue due west on the B6270 up Swaledale to Nateby before skirting the southern edge of Kirkby Stephen to take the A685, with a left shortly afterwards to Ravenstonedale and our Lunch stop: The Black Swan, Ravenstonedale  CA17 4NG

The return journey heads east to pick up the B6259 south to the A684, turning right at the Moorcock Inn for a mile or so then left at Gardale Head and on to Ribblehead, where it’s left again south on the B6479.

At Little Stainforth we turn left to Foxup, Litton, Arncliffe before joining the B6265 and on to Kilnsey. Continuing south and eventually meeting the A59 where we turn left to the Bolton Abbey roundabout, then left again to the Abbey Tea Rooms and the end of the route.

Total distance as described: 135 miles.

David Haywood will lead the ride out with Tail Ender to be appointed on the day.

I’m looking at my weather forecast now and it’s predicting 4.8 hours of sunshine, 10% chance of less than 0.1mm rain and a heady 9ºC. What could be a better day for getting the bike out?

See you next Wednesday!

David