Words by Eric, Pics by Pete
Crew; El Pres, Butty, Stunt, Slim, Gee, Josh, Dunc,TJ, Eric
Pub; PtD
Route; NBR, Charity and extension, Stanley Arms, Cat, Danebower, Field, 3 Shires, Cut-thorne, Sparbent, Cumberland Brook, Standing Stone, RHS, Bobs Bench, Sutton Hall.
Conditions; Nice.
Stats; Non allowed, Dunc, head dab.
After the Armageddon like conditions of the last few days Thursday provided a welcome break in the weather. There being no decenters to a motion for “The Classic” the decision was made and it was accepted that the usual rule of no faffing, shoot the wounded would apply.
Josh, (everyone’s new chum at Evans in town and “friend” of the Austin family) was a welcome addition to our ranks and was soon at the front on the climb, despite already having ridden in the forest earlier in the day.
Through the winter months you forget the majesty of the descent of Charity in the evening light but tonight everything was restored, despite the sticky up rocks and the full stream on the lower section.
As we were regrouping at the end of the extension Josh appeared at the bottom “in the air and sideways” – looking both ways at the junction wouldn’t have helped here Josh!
Some chose more vestments at the Cat but it was still remarkably mild for the blast over Danebower and the slither down towards 3Shires. No swimming this time around, and not too much time to loose with the beer clock ticking. No clean sheets up the climb to Cut-thorne despite a couple of valiant efforts; “rhythm and line girls, rhythm and line.”
Tired legs started to reveal themselves on the climb back up to Sparbent but another hooning if streamlike descent was the reward. Dunc approached the stream crossing at the bottom with more precision than vigour, in fact not enough vigour at all, and indulged in a very precise head dab onto the rocky entry ramp – never mind could have been worse, more people could have seen it!
Over Standing Stone and options to the finish, RHS and Bob’s Bench providing the most fun.
The usual welcome was awaiting at Sutton Hall which was unusually busy with pre-Easter weekend revelers. General concensus – we should go big more often.