Words by Eric, Pics By Pete
Crew;
A Team: El Pres, Butty, Slim, Dunc, Doog, Mr I, Three sheds, Eric.
Pub:
Route: Rainbow Bridge, Middlewood Way, Doog steps into Bolly, Ingersley Vale, Poachers snickett, Oakenbank, Jumper Lane, Blaze Hill, Highwayman, Gritstone, Sponds, Dale Top, Pott Shrigley, Poachers
Conditions; Miserably wet at low level, climbing into miserably cloudy higher up.
Stats; Non reported
Offs; Non reported
With a distinct lack of enthusiasm from the southern contingent an RB start was declared with El Pres and Doog making the journey up from the south.
It looked like a bit of a leadership vacuum might be developing until Butty, by far the northernmost chap, stepped into the breach and lead off along the Middlewood Way. The steps from there down to Bollington were the scene of a Doog somersault many years ago – the poor guy was persuaded to give it another go, and as we reminded him, bikes have suspension forks these days (most bikes Dunc).
With everyone safely downstairs it was up to Ingersley Vale for an ascent of the Poachers snicket which seemed to have got very muddy with the building works at the bottom. Oakenbank and Jumper Lane saw us reach the cloudbase where things got wetter than they already were and as we climbed Blaze Hill the visibility shrunk too. The only good thing about not being able to see where you are going is that you can’t see how far you still have to climb.
The ride along from the Highwayman to Charles Head was a little scary as those mega rear lights don’t seem quite so bright in the fog. By Charles Head it was full on grim so to make it worse we headed up the gloop towards Sponds – “I think we need to turn off left somewhere around here”; then we saw Butty’s lights, local knowledge, we’re saved. It only took a couple of flounders around in the gloom and we were back on track. The rocky bit from Dale Top saw your correspondent suffering from glasses – can’t see without ‘em; can’t see with ‘em all fogged up.
Once back down to Moorside Lane there was some debate about the next bits but the general consensus was – this is a bit grim, we’ve ridden enough to justify putting a stop to this, *** it, pub!
We arrive at the Poachers to find cyclists were expected – nearly all the seats were decked out with rather fetching black bin bags.
Your correspondent left the Poachers at what seemed like a sensible time but it would appear from reports on social media that an old fashioned axis of evil broke out shortly afterwards. Reports were received that some of our members were not functioning fully the following morning and one was seen drinking soft drinks as long after the event as Sunday. It would appear that El Pres is certainly not yet suffering from glasses.