words by Eric, Pics by Pete & Butty
Crew; Full time; El Pres, Butty, Stunt, Slim, TJ, Eric
Part time; Coley, Three Sheds
Route; NBR, Tea Rooms, Stakeside, right hand option, quarry, Goyt’s Clough, Derbyshire Bridge, Buxton very old Road, left hand option, picnic spot, Pym Chair, Jenkin Chapel, Erwin Lane, Blaze Hill, Vale.
Conditions; Wickedly windy and bl**dy cold in places. Trails as dry as a dingo’s drongo.
Stats; El Pres rear light fell off !!.
Long evenings prompted a big plan, a plan so big that sandwiches were required. Having decided on a picnic night there was some debate over where to go but a big Butty route seemed appropriate. The ritual Presidential bike rebuild allowed latecomers to catch up at the start. The climb to the Tea Rooms was a little blustery to say the least with the breakaway group sensibly taking shelter in the lea of the hill to watch the looney bikers.
By the top of Stakeside we’d lost 25% of the peloton with Three sheds knees giving in and Coley off to work. A view of lapwing chicks added to the wild moorland spring ambience before getting back to the job in hand. The descent was as dry as it gets and great fun, even for those who had turned up with wholly inappropriate equipment. Butty in his new “fit as a butchers dog” form kept dashing ahead to take on the team photography role, as Slim kept both hands white knuckled firmly on the bars. Right hand option, death bridge, and up to the road.
The climb up the Old Buxton Road into the wind was a little bracing but the reward was the fantastic as ever descent. Everyone arrived at the bottom grinning and the grassy spot by the bridge was declared a picnic zone. With only Butty declaring food options before the start a veritable mystery tasting menu was produced. Sausage and black pudding rolls, sausage rolls, prawn and rocket sandwiches, cheese and HP sandwiches, olives, more cheese, some other sandwiches and Mrs D’s racing buns provided sumptuous fare as the sun went down and took the temperature with it. Nips of Jack Daniels, Sloe Gin and some purple stuff El Pres had in a plastic bottle, kept the cold at bay for a short time but it was soon time to get rolling. The initial drop to the dam felt like deep midwinter but Pym Chair re-warmed the legs.
It’s always a bit of a shame to lose all the height off Pym down the road but time was marching on and most were getting weary, except Butty who threw in Oakenbank just to finish off.
Back at the Vale by 10.30 and there didn’t seem to be too many complaints about missing the food, in fact most seemed to be looking forward to the duvet rather than crying when the last orders bell rang.
It’s not for every night but on occasion it makes a change !