Ride Reports
Christmas Dinner - not a ride, but fun
Our Manhoc Christmas do on Saturday 17th December 2022 – Juels, our social secretary organised this again following the success of last year – held in the smart restaurant within her posh residential complex in Urmston, we consumed an excellent hearty meal washed down with the plentiful booze we had brought with us – followed by endless, useless chat, fun, the evening went on until just before midnight. Thanks again to Juels from everyone.
Route 59 café Rideout
– “Where are all the Sunday bikers”? as our Shepherd stated “they should just ignore a weather forecast”! Destination for lunch was made for the biker’s café on the A59 near Bolton Abbey. The day before, the weather forecast was not good, but we were awoken to blue skies and sun on the day, and headed over the twisty moors from Rising Bridge to make lunch at the Route A59 café. The sun continued to shine, with great scenery, but we had to be careful on some of the leafy country roads as we headed north on more great roads in the Yorkshire Dales National Park and for more cakes and coffee at Hawes (not had an Eccles cake for ages)! Here the weather changed, and the sun was replaced with light rain with a temperature drop. We noted how quiet this famed bike place was – it was deserted - in fact we were the only bikes!!?? It was time to divert the proposed route and rode south to Devils bridge, for Rob had never been before!!!! Again, no bikes in this very damp place, and realized that we were getting quite soaked, and it was definitely time for home. A great manhoc day and was surprised how good the weather was until about 4pm on this November day. Thanks to all.
Leader the “Shepherd”, with photos, from Phil, Juels and Rich - thanks
And, just for your delight - one video (click play to see Richard being very agile).
ManHOC at the Ring of Red
Remembrance Day Rideout - 13th November 2022– making a Ring of Red around M60 – with 5986 bikers at Birch Services West. This meant that we had to queue for 15 mins on the slip road before we could even get parked at the services, an hour before the start!! The morning started with bacon butts and coffees at Greggs, Pilsworth, and then 10min ride onto the crowded service’s slip road. With a staggered, noisy start from 1pm, the huge parade, donning red jumpers and flying the flags endeavoured to create a ring of red around the M60. Well lead by Phil, there were many well-wishers from the pavements and from many of the bridges, waving back to us. The sun shone all day and it was a wonderful respectful day, with many old faces from the club joining our group. The day was complete with a final meet up at Mayfield Rugby Club, guided by our shepherd. The club, made us very welcome with a coffee and burgers for a fiver! - thanks for pics from Juels, Rich and Rob
Manhoc ride to K1 cafe Uttoxeter
A morning disaster waiting to happen !!! - departing from Poplar 2000 with a great turnout of 11 bikes, our shepherd leads us on the Cheshire countryside through Knutsford to Holmes Chapel on to Nantwich - then on to the fast A50 to Stone when the beautiful morning sun turned into an extremely heavy rainstorm. It was like driving through a car wash for some 30mins or more!! Some riders continued, some stopped to put on rain gear and others just lost our leader. Split groups finally arrived at the K1 cafe but we had lost 3 of the original bikers from our flock and most were well soaked. The rain finally stopped. Well fed and a little bit drier, we continued on the return journey, simply back on the great moors via Leek and Ashbourne for final coffee and cakes at Pops. Forget the rain, it was another great ride especially on the return. - cheers.
Garyvant’s ride B roads Blast North
It was a welcoming crisp Autumn Day with bright sunshine and dry roads – a biker’s dream day. Leaving Rising Bridge at 10.30 am to take in the best B roads Lancashire and Yorkshire could offer - twists’ to Slaidburn, and onto Settle, then over to the tops, passing Ribblesdale viaduct winding onto Hawes, for lunch. Our shepherd then lead us further north to Nateby, a sharp right here, over onto the beautiful moor roads to Leyburn and a coffee pub stop, just before, at the Bridge inn at Grinton. This latter road and its vista were so awesome, that we had to slow down to appreciate what a great biking country we have on our doorstep. From Leyburn, it was final twists and bends south to Skipton and onto the final coffee stop on A59 and then home. What a fab day with great company - it was one of the best.
Not Eric Jones café at Porthmadog
Regrettably at the last minute the ride route was cancelled after discovering it had closed some 2 years previously. But to the rescue came our shepherd to treat us to one of his “ Garyvan’s”.
How he knows such fab roads between those ears is amazing and there were new ones' today! From Pops this took us south down the A49, a mid-distance coffee stop, passed Ruthin, and best moor roads over the tops to Bala.
Here, Gary found a “corker” of a café called Yr Hwb Ltd, which is just on the fringe of the town, quiet, out of the way with unique buildings serving “Welsh Street Food”. A must to revisit LL23 7NW. It even had swings and slides and huge chairs for us to amuse ourselves.
From lunch our shepherd took us south over more fab moor roads towards Welshpool, left to Oswestry and coffees at the Knocking Stop Pub!! With the weather at a constant 19 degrees, sunny and dry roads, it was another great manhoc full day’s ride out.
Thanks to all - Malc
Rideout to Goathland
Sunday was the ride to Goathland which was the centre for the filming of TV series “Heartbeat”.
With an early start at 10am from Rising Bridge - a quick motorway dash to Colne, over the twisty moors, onto the great A59. We somehow missed our programmed stop at Thirsk, but found a new stopover further down the road at lovely Helmsley, with a market square full of bikes for morning coffee and cakes. It was onto North Yorkshire National Park to Goathland for a visit and lunch.
We took our Shepherd’s return north anticlockwise round the vast beautiful York moors, and onto a coffee and cake stop at Leyburn – then continued on the twisting country roads through the hills on our way onto Skipton and the A59 home. The weather was forecast was quite correct, with a high of 21degrees, sunny and dry roads.
Another great ManHOC ride out and thanks to all, and Rich for the fab photos.
Cheers malc
Rideout to Diddly Squat Farm
I was very much looking forward to this ride, which did not disappoint, as it was one of the longer rides’ we do this year - 276 miles from Pops and back to Pops - along some great planned roads to and from Jeremy Clarkson’s Farm in the Cotswolds, by our Shepherd.
With an early start at 10am in bright warm sunshine, what I did not expect was, with welcome coffee and cake stops on the way, was a motorway crash in the evening on my way back to Southport on the M62 at junction 6. This cost me well over an hour, and I arrived home at 10.30pm!!!
The route went down and back on some of the best biking roads, via Shrewsbury and back via Lichfield and Leek and, due to the fab hot dry roads, weather, the planned motorway coming back was a definite - “NO NO”.
His farm was as expected from his web site - full of visitors. There’s a drinks barn with a starting price of £8 for a soft drink and background music! A crowded like small shop selling silly things, T shirts at £35!. Apart from that, there was his “Lamborghini” tractor towing a passenger trailer around his open fields but no Jeremy!! But, we were with the “in crowd”.
Lastly, not to forget a warm greeting was given to Rob and Stacey Station, who we had not seen for some time, who joined us. Thanks to all for another great Manhoc “full” day’s ride.
Cheers malc with pics from Rich and Graham
The Shepherd's Southern Trek
I left home in Southport at 8.45 am to join the ride gang at Pops and return home at 8.45pm – 12 hours and 241 mls later! The trek, to visit as many bikers’ cafes south, as possible. We managed 7 stops – that’s 7 coffees and 7 pees. Unfortunately, we did not break Phil’s lead, of previous Trek ride outs north, where he managed 10! The weather was nearly as bad as forecasted the previous day, which must have put some people off, as the roads were quiet and dry and with the warm cloudy and sunny day - the temperature topped 20 degrees, and only a 5min rain shower. Gary found some new and exciting roads there and back and found the destination, the famous Crossgates bikers café in south mid Wales. Thanks Gary, great company and another fab manhoc day out . Cheers - malc
Portmeirion Village
“The Prisoner” – Sunday’s ride met from 10 am for early coffee’s, with an aim to set off at 10.30. The route was as our web site, - down through Wrexham, with a café stop at Rhng estate, just after Corwen, and then over the tops from Bala, and onto to Portmeiron. The village was fascinating, colourful, interesting and busy, with carnival singing from a folk group on centre stage. There was also a Porsche car meet with their posh cars littered all over the place. Following an outside lunch, the return was through Bala, with a café stop at Ruthin, for last coffee and cakes. We had actually set off at 11am and it was 8pm when most would have arrived home. With a high of 18 degrees, beautiful sunny weather and glorious scenery and roads, it was actually quite an effort to head for home. - one of the best manhoc rides.
Last of the Summer Wine
From Birch Services, Sunday's ride was over the hills to Elephant and Castle in Holmfirth, where Beverley, the landlady, had our reservation for a visit, parking and pub lunch, The weather was sunny and dry and the ride continued, following a quick visit around the town. along the fab roads in the Peak District and back to pops for last coffee and cakes, Not forgetting our interim pub stop on the way back before pops! - no it was not a pub - but a stopover and a exciting ride on a miniature railway by the Rudyard Lake and further ice creams at its station - lots of fun!
A Grand Day out to the Woolpack (The New Inn)
Some 18+ bikes set off from Rising Bridge - regular riders, old faces and welcome newbies.
The route there - A59 - was, basically fast flowing. However, just after Gisburn we endeavoured to pass another group of bikers. Confusion occurred, as they put in a left turn, bikes everywhere, but amazingly, we regrouped 10mins later and lost nobody!. However, they were not as lucky, for when we arrived at the New Inn, we had gained another rider - now 19+ bikes - a very friendly guy with a very long beard tied with a red ribbon.
Following coffees, the group split and Barry and some of the others continued to the original Woodpack Pub, whist the majority stayed and we treated ourselves to a posh Sunday lunch.
The original route back was discarded and we were treated to a Garyvant. Our Shepheard led us over some of the best Yorkshire moor biking roads and fab scenery. This started with the country roads to Knaresborough, then over the tops to Pateley Bridge and onto a final stop for coffee and cake at a pub just after Grassington.
Thanks to Gary and everyone for a great day. Happy days.
Gary's Garyvant - 27th Feb
Fabulous ride today with the usual suspects and a couple not so usual 🤣 Bit chilly to start, then thawed nicely with a chilly blast to get you home that bit quicker. 15 Riders met at Maccy D’s Haslingden for a coffee and a bit of breakfast. Once fed and watered we headed off through Settle on into Hawes. Some of the group got food and others didn’t with the draw of the hot food van at Devils Bridge calling. Off we set only to be met with a sign being put in the food van of “sorry no hot food left” at this point I had a Madagascar moment where chairman Barry turned into a piece of steak and look good enough to eat. 🤣 cake and hot chocolate it was then. Gary did a great job of leading. The weather was perfect and the company was great as always. thanks to Juels Kiki Suzuki for some additional pics x
And of course it could not end there, as our Shepherd would not go home and took Rich and Malc to Glasson Dock for final coffee and cakes. Fab day. 😀🙃😉
Ride to Raven Café - 9th Jan
The Route we took
(click for a bigger image)
