My Scarborough-Malton-Scarborough ride didn't get off to a very good start, got a bit worse, but then got immeasurably better.
Thinking I would do the coast stretch later, I decided to leave Scarborough by a direct route, this took a bit of finding and involved a nasty climb past the hospital.
It also involved a fast stretch of the A170 which wasn't very pleasant, rather too much motor traffic going rather too fast.
Things improved when I got back on the route, but took a downer again when I got a puncture.
Big deal, you may say, but the bike has tubes on tubeless ready rims, the (known) problem being breaking the bead seal on the wheel.
It took me about 25 minutes wrestling with the tyre before I managed it, thereafter the repair was straightforward.
My arrival at the lunch stop in Malton was still in good time,
@Julia9054 and partner Al were there having cycled from Knaresborough, but nobody else.
As the Leeds riders arrived, the main news was a broken mech hanger for
@alibaba -
@I like Skol converted it to a single speed.
Not content with that, when they got to Malton he took Ali round to a bike shop to replace the hanger - epic fettling and ride camaraderie by Skolly who sacrificed his lunch break to get the job done.
I trudged round to the same bike shop to get a tube, thinking that would guarantee no more punctures - which it did.
Most of us took the flat option for the run into Scarborough, and thankfully the motor traffic had eased on the busier bits.
A few spots of rain turned into a deluge as we entered Scarborough, which rather spoiled the run along the seafront.
Timing was spot on, we pulled up outside the chip shop at the very second the hill monsters arrived.
Unfortunately, one rider - whose name I didn't catch - had taken a tumble as evidenced by gravel rash and a trickle of blood on his leg.
Fair play, he seemed remarkably sanguine about it, which I suppose is the best way to be.
Chips eaten, we went in our various directions.
Apart from a
@ColinJ, who was last seen doing local loops to make up his century for the day.
Another grand day out on the bike in the excellent company I've come to expect on forum rides.
Big thanks to
@nickyboy for organising.
and making full use of heating to dry stuff.
