Words by Eric
Crew; PtD, Stunt, Mr I, Croxy, El Pres, Coley, Butty, Eric
In the pub; Slim.?
Lame excuses; Non submitted
?Route; Buxton New Road, Cat, Danebower, Quarry, Blackclough, 3 Shires, Knar, Sparbent, Cumberland Brook, Standing Stone, RHS, Bob’s Bench, Sutton Hall
Conditions; Warm damp and very midgy in places
Stats; Butty – gear cable
?Offs; Butty- fell in river
Notes;
Bit windy as the peloton set off up Buxton road at what seemed like Tour de France speed. The wind made the climb a little more like hard work than recent ascents but apparently not for Mr I who was off the front again.
What is taken in one direction is given back in the other as the wind assisted the descent of Danebower; there were tales of skittery bits and tank slappers on the dry gravelly track. Across the road the terrain was more suited to Danny MacAskill than us mere mortals but despite a few pushes and shoves everyone emerged grinning – but not as much as after the superb drop down into the valley. The final bit to Three Shires was the first reminder of why this is a “path less trod…” with rocks the size of small cars. The second reminder of paths less trodden was when the crazy decision was taken to tackle the “swampy route” out – it was a little drier than normal but we were aware that this was where Coley had almost disappeared on a previous visit.
The stupid steep climb out at Knar was too much for Butty’s gear cable so we left him behind. Well most of us did, Coley was assigned to help the repair as the rest headed on.
At the regroup at the gate on Cumberland Brook there was much tyre pressure faffing before the descent although if we’d stayed a bit longer we would have witnessed Butty’s head first arrival following a 3600 spin over the ford.
Over Standing Stone and the RHS was just too good to miss on a dry night before a blast down to Bob’s Bench for a PtD birthday tipple. Unfortunately the Scotch was accompanied by that other famous product of the Scottish Highlands – midges, so we drank two hasty toasts and legged it. Slim was due to rendezvous at the bench but it was a case of “ *um” let’s get out of here.
Leffe and Golden something or other in Sutton Hall, with the lowlight of the evening being the bowl of “table salad” ordered by MrI – what’s that about.