Eleven of us on nine bikes met at the Grey Horse on Sunday 12th August for our monthly rideout to Whitby (there just had to be a rideout to the seaside in the summer !!!!).
After our obligatory photocall we set off just after 10:00, taking the Aberford Road route out of Wakefield, through Stanley, then onto Methley, Castleford, out of Castleford along lock Lane, past Mary Panel wood, then picking up the road past Lotherton Hall, through Towton and onto the A64 at Tadcaster. Being a lovely sunny day, and the A64 being the main drag to the East Coast, traffic was a little heavy in places, particularly the bottle neck near the roundabout east of York, and past Stockton on Forest. However, being on bikes we were able to filter through with little delay.
We had a quick drink and toilet stop at the Highwayman Cafe and huffed and puffed in outrage that the toilets now cost 20p (unless you buy food, in which case you are issued with a pee token). The toilets now have huge metal fences with turnstyles, and it's not dissimilar to the security fences around the data centre at work. The term 'spend a penny' has obviously been resigned to history in the face of rampant inflation !!!
We continued our journey along the A64, taking the Pickering turnoff, past Eden Camp (great museum if you have never been !!), then into Pickering, and finally onto the fantastic road that takes you right through the heart of the North Yorkshire Moors (Heartbeat country), and into that gem on the East Coast that is Whitby.
Parking was going to be a problem as the town was packed but we eventually found enough bike parking spaces a little further down the road from the Whistlestop Cafe. By now, it was late lunchtime and we were all starving, so we went in hunt of fish and chips (when in Rome and all that).
Following our Fish and Chips luncheon, we had a good look around the town, another photocall, a wander along the harbour wall, a wander onto the beach (which was packed being a lovely day) and a pat of the donkeys.
All we needed were knotted hankies on our heads and sandals (with socks still on) to complete the typical British seaside scene !!!
Spotted a great steam powered bus near the harbour, which will be worth a trip on at some point.
Heading back we largely split up with several going seperate ways to see friends in the area, others needing to get back a bit faster, and Sam just itching to enjoy her Ducati on the North Yorkshire Moors.
A cracking day out on the bikes, great roads, great seaside town, the sun shone all day and spent in the company of like minded friends. Does it ever get any better than this ...... probably not !!!!