Words by Stunt, Pics by Dunc & Slim
Crew: Dunc & Stunt
B Team: Slim, Eric & Butty
Route (For A Team) : Rainbow Bridge, Endon House, Lidgetts Lane, Back of Kerridge, Rainow, Smith Lane, Gnarly descent to below Jenkin Chapel, Pym Chair, Singletrack to Wingather Rocks, Kettleshulme, Moorside Hotel, Bowstones, Quarry Descent, Splash & dash past the Cottages, Pott Shrigley, Poachers
Route (For B team) : Tythy Muster Point – Canal at Zeneca – Endon Hall Lane – Lidgetts Lane – Kerridge – Ingersley Vale – Poachers Snicket – Gratuitous Ascent of Beeston Brow – Poachers
Conditions:
Threatening clouds & cold wind die down to give a sunny evening, Dry trails with muddy patches.
No Stats
Notes
Another long list of excuses on the WhatsApp Chat! and yet again Stunt and Dunc keep the TNR flag flying.
With dry trails and tiny team we decide to go large and supersize the ride and rely on B team to order food (or even risk the beer and crisps option!)
The 2×11 carbon whippet vs the 3×10 chunky five get a full extended comparison “vs” testing on this ride.
Early indications are that chunky will need to work harder to burn off excess cake consumption from earlier in the day (no bad thing!!)
Despite the rain earlier in the day, the wind seemed to have dried most of the trails, Endon Hall muddy track pretty firm, back of Kerridge nice and dry…apart from the muddy slope on the way to the cut across to the Main road – would have caught out less wary riders 😉
Long slog up to Smith Lane, and the whippet machine’s gearing starts to show some weakness on the steeper sections as the 5 can be spun very effectively in granny, and the first of the yo-yo overhauls is experienced.
Climbing higher we notice that we have left the clouds behind on the plain, and the sun is establishing itself 🙂
Taking the fast off road route to below Jenkins is it’s usual sodden slippery, rocky trickiness – but good efforts by both. Banter peters out on the steep grind up to Pym’s chair – 5 wins this one hands down.
Brief stop to recuperate the lungs and then its time for swoopy singletrack to Wingather rocks – even more fun than usual with added low sun in your face.
Climbers finishing up – walk below us gear a clinking, time for a Brandy “on the rocks” to celebrate another year of stunt (showing off another loud jersey)
No rest (if we want food, or to stay warm) and a very cold decent into shadow to Kettleshulme and up t’other side of the valley.
Past the now very smart cottages at the turn off onto the track up to the Moorside, we break back into sunshine, crank past abandoned van, curious sheep, and across the main road onto Mudhurst lane, tut at the poor architectural styling of the new house(s?) and keep yo-yo ing until Dunc decides that carbon’s reputation must be saved and digs deep to reach bowstones first.
Another Huge mound of grey stuff has appeared (with yellow digger), staying close to the wall is the best idea despite the drainage. Uppy Downy track needs care to traverse due to the still very deep tractor tracks, but it’s still light enough to not need lights at the stile.
Quarry descent is worth the trip with twighlight requiring caution nearer the bottom. Splash and dash by going straight on at the bottom, and final push to the pub.
B team are already in residence, and have ordered food as requested (no green eggs and ham though)
A night of temperance and restraint (apart from Butty’s appetite – but then he needed to carbo load!)
All available clothing required for the ride home