Pics by Pete, Words by Eric
Crew: Lee, El Pres, Butty, Eric, Slim
Joining us on the hill : Gee
Route; Rainbow Bridge, Middlewood Way, Brookledge Lane, Shrigley Road, Birchencliff, Dale Top, Blakestonedale Road, back to the top, Birchencliff, Styperson, Vale
Conditions; Drizzle to start, but turning cold and spectacularly clear.
Stats; None
Offs; None admitted to
Notes:
Good to be joined by Lee tonight as 5 Oranges assembled on the Middlewood Way in a miserable drizzle. Butty’s plan for a clandestine foray to a secret location was thwarted when “the man was there” but a swift re-route kept us going. The long climb up Birchencliff and on up the bridleway was just what was needed to warm up chilled legs – in late May! We headed on over to Dale Top for a spiritual hmmmm at Butty’s rock of calm. As we sat and drank in the amazingly clear views to the west; the Holy City, Blackpool Tower and Heysham Power Station a panting figure came charging over the rocks towards us – Hello Gee.
After some trick cycling and equally trick photography in the wall of death we headed down the screaming descent to Blakestonedale Road, everyone taking slightly different lines to try to avoid the glutinous mud holes which have a nasty habit of getting in the middle of the dry line – everyone made it to the bottom with the usual grins breaking out.
Back over the top again was the plan so the killer climb was attempted by all – and sadly failed by all; put it down to the slippery conditions or maybe just that we are non of us getting any younger. The drop back down to Birchencliff more than makes up for the little bit of pushing, and the whooping grassy bit at the end just finishes things off nicely. Just time for a final bit of technical trickery in the woods and into the Vale for an earlyish doors finish.
It might not have been a lot of miles tonight but the descents were superb, the climbs technical and challenging and Orange was the right choice. Lee had only planned a swift half before an early start the next day; but three pints later he was seen fitting borrowed lights for the late night ride home – Lee, welcome to TNR