Riveaulx Abbey

Manhoc ride from Haslingden to Riveaulx Abbey - 17th August 2014

And the adventures of Rob’s top box!

Postponed from the previous week due to a bad weather forecast from the after effects of recent hurricane and reports of good weather for the following weekend, the Manhoc ride was rescheduled for the following Sunday. We started in good and dry conditions, though a little cool, from Risingbridge.

Seven bikes started the ride, with one pillion, and we headed on up to the A59, and on the way to Skipton, heading north to Ripon via Grassington on one of the best biking roads with fantastic views everywhere and no traffic! The roads remained dry so there was no “hanging about”.

Fortunately, a welcome comfort stop radio call was received after 60 miles, and we stopped at Ripon to discover that we had lost Rob’s top box. Ruth was kind enough to check that it was not a “senior moment” and the box had actually started the run with us by showing photos of Rob’s bike with the top box at the start at Haslingden. As I had been speaking to Rob from the start of the ride, due to him being the back marker, and thought that his radio was in his box, I started to wonder who I had been speaking to, following the departure of the box!!! Luckily Rob was on his newly reborn Blackbird, and had his radio in his riding jacket and not in the top box!

So Rob decided to back track to find the “lost” top box and Alan was to depart homeward, as his “pass out” had expired, while the rest of us carried on to the Abbey. With the sun now shining and the weather warming, we arrived at the impressive Abbey and found a free car park on site, and it was on to the excellent cafe, overlooking the Abbey.

Now well fed, and following a quick walk around the outside of the Abbey, we rode out of the grounds onto the fab famous “Yorkshire TT” road, the B1257, north to Stokesley. The road was clear apart from a few cars, which held up progress, over the twisting and undulating 17miles of pure motor biking heaven. However, we had to be careful, as from my last visit speed camera signs had been erected, and I was unsure of any actual safety cameras and whether there were any.

We then turned onto the moors to Leyburn, with the good weather remaining with us, though we could see rain clouds elsewhere.

We reached Hawes for a welcome coffee and the compulsory Manhoc cakes, and as we sat in the warm and dry cafe, it was here that we saw the rain and wind outside. It was also here that we managed to contact “lost top box” Rob, who was to meet up with us again at Settle, but unfortunately without his lost property.

It was time to be homebound, and continue down the beautiful Ribblesdale valley to Settle. But this time we were riding in the bad weather, so it was back to “safe tourist mode” for the remaining run.

An excellent ride out on many of my favourite roads, with generally good dry sunny weather, and very good company.

Malc.

 

Malcolm's Report