Yesterday for me was another trip to York Minster to photograph my own head, combined with the Thursday night pub ride
Because I didn't want to ride into the wind on the flat I picked a hilly route. Stokesley then over Clay Bank, Newgate Bank and through Helmsley to York, all on B roads.
I remembered it as being flat after Helmsley but there were another 10 miles of hill before it really flattened out. Arrived at the Minster at 5.15, took some dusky pictures of my own head and my bike outside the front door, and then met some fellow yacfers for a pub ride out to Appleton Roebuck.
The solo part of the day wasn't as good as being out with friends later. I'd expected a really warm day, but it was another slog into the wind, and although I could always see sun on the horizon, I spent the whole way to York under a heavy cloud that never lifted (probably metaphorically as we as literally) until I got to the Minster, where I amused myself no end outside the front doors. Because of the time of day, there was hardly anyone around, so I fooled around taking pictures of my bike to prove it was there.
I got to York train station at 6 pm, and as I got into the station proper my attention was grabbed by two young attractive women buying burgers. One of them I recognised as my wife of 13 years, and the other one looked very much like a drunk woman I'd bundled into a taxi at the Ajanta Hotel in Delhi a few weeks ago, after a night on beer and cocktails. It was. It was tiptop.
It was lovely to see her looking sober again. We had a nice catchup, and then Rower turned up on his bright orange bike, but not as bright as what came after him. It was Interzen, looking like a mobile sun and riding a tractor / monster truck which made the rest of our bikes look like things you might find in a Christmas cracker.
After a day slogging it out into the wind by myself I loved riding in the dark in a big gang all lit up again. I had a further nice chat with tiptop about the bonkersness of India and we arrived at yet another great pub. They're bloody everywhere. We had chips and other foodstuffs, and in a new twist, this pub seemed to be trying a new marketing ploy out, which was to bring puppies out for you to cuddle. I'd never seen this in a pub before.
After a dreamy evening of puppies, chips and beer we set off again back to York, and it felt warmer than it had all day, and the eight of us rode two by two, and I was at the back, and I loved seeing all the lights strung out in front.
Unfortunately, the evening was spoiled somewhat by Ruth skidding off on some oil after turning a corner we didn't need to turn down. It was me who'd misunderstood Interzen's instructions and shouted to her to turn so as well as being upset, I was annoyed that it was all so unnecessary. But if you're going to crash in the street I can't think of a nicer group of people to pick you up and look after you when it happens. Tiermat was particularly good at talking Ruth round, but everyone was wonderfully kind and I'm glad to belong to this group.
Unfortunately, during the afternoon and evening, I suffered a return to the bladder problems I had on some longer rides last year, where I'm off the bike into every bush to pee about every 5 minutes, and then I end up feeling drained at the end of the day. Not sure I did anything differently to the last few times I've been out. Apologies to the fellow yacfers who had to stand around whistling while I was peeing everywhere. Bloody salts or sugars or electrolytes or whatever it was.
Just when you think you've had as much good stuff as can be allowed in one day, we got to stop over at the Den, where we got lots of tea, and a duvet made of fluffy clouds, and Rower turned up after doing some work on the trains. And despite Ruth being battered, she slept like a baby in the big fluffy duvet, and she didn't move all night, although I did, because I was still getting up to pee pretty regularly. I hope I didn't disturb Rower asleep on the sofa.
This morning Rower led us back to York station, and like the gentleman he is, made sure we got on the train home. And so now we're home. We had planned to ride back from York today, but Ruth is all bashed up, and I feel a bit washed out, and beside I did 76 miles yesterday, so that's probably quite enough for now, and I should probably take the rest of the day off.
But thanks to everyone who came along last night. It was a lovely evening. My first pub ride in York, and hopefully not the last.
