Crew: Comrades Dunc, Mr I, 3 Sheds, Stunt
Pub: Slim, Butty, PTD & Shaun
Route: House of Dunc, Cliff Lane, Buxton Road, Cat, Danebower Hollow, Chumby, Standing Stone, Towards Nessit, Half Pipe descent, lower singletrack & rezzies, Sutton Hall
Conditions: Clear, Cold, 4″ Snow up high.
Stats: Dunc off
Notes:
With El Presidente distracted by matters of state, and the normal generals by upcoming holidays, the Northern Rebels act quickly to declare an independent Rebublic of Tytherenska, sieze control of the TNR rendevous and set out into the winter wastes unhindered by official forces.
The peshmerga assemble as planned to find that command and control is not what it used to be, comrade 3 sheds turns up at BL out of habit, then declares himself an splinter group and heads off in the right general direction.
Comrade I takes longer than expected to tunnel out of Bollistan, and has to change his uniform first (whilst the other rebel leaders drink tea and faff)
Later than planned its off into the freezing night, with cunning plan to cut the corner by heading up cliff lane (one of those climbs…you know… just the three steep sections…the start, the middle and the end! ahem..IGMC)
Just to make it extra interesting the run off from the side gullies was freezing as we watched, a couple of squeaky bum moments but no catastrophe. More importantly Mr I’s new gear cable survived the strenous test.
Approaching Walker Barn a faint light in the distance suggested the presence of 3 Sheds, and a long chase under clear skies, bright stars and snow blanketed fields (and one snowman) finally reeled him in at the tea rooms.
Re grouping briefly at the Cat, a nip of Abelour, donning of all remaining clothing, and muttering about cold bits, 3 Sheds keeps up his theme and head off first to keep moving.
A trail of hardpacked snow provided steady progress, with just enough challenge to catch out the foolhardy, 3 Sheds light has disappeared into the darkness. Dunc lowers his guard a few moments too soon just before the Gate and slides off into the pristine whiteness. Still no sign of 3 Sheds.
Camelback bite valves are frozen by the time we pause at the start of Chumby, this week Stunt manages a proper warning about the dip of doom, just in time to save Mr I some blushes.
Now for snow biking! controlled slithering all the way to the middle gate, no drifts and no sheet ice, and still no 3 sheds!
Lower section lovely and smooth with the snow, then a brutal ice cold river in the middle section, before more snowy swoopery. Quick splash through the ford and onto the gate, three bike trails exiting, presumably one being 3 Sheds.
Steaming water flowing across the road in Wildboarclough, little progress at the roadworks?, and cold now sapping the legs, climb to standing stone v tough.
Lo a light yonder doth flash, and we finally reunite with F’m Phil! Time is good and the track is nicely snow covered so off towards nessit. At the abandoned building temptation takes us down the “half pipe” for more bike skiing, a few tracks but snow depth meant control was possible!
Popping out at the bottom the final tracks required some care with icy rotted snow patches here and there. Dry roads down from the Smithy (phew). Warmth of Sutton Hall Priceless!
Equal numbers of Pubbers to riders, Kodiak Beartown flowing nicely, extra table chips for the riders, and Distillers tales from Shaun. Whisky by the fire-o, Pete on rePete all the way home, oh dear little flo…;-)