Crew: El Pres, PTD, Mr I, Stunt
Route: BL, Zig zags, saddlers way, hacked way lane, chazza, extension, standing stone, bottom of the S bends, KM decent, paths/rezzies, Smithy.
Conditions: Horizontal rain, surface water, dry & cold later.
Stats: One Puncture (Mr I)
Notes:
So many times the weather looks dodgy, only for the TNR to be blessed with a slot of good weather. We worry that it will be a grim ride, make the decision to gear up and head out, and later looking over the plain from up high, feel proud to have made the effort and gained the reward of being up in the hills when most would be cosied up at home.
Tonight was not one of those nights!
The laws of probability cannot be bent forever, and between storms Clodah and Desmond, another atlantic low not quite worthy of named status came through precisely between the hours of 7 & 9.
Route choice – not exposed, well drained trails.
Crew -small but hard core and taking one for the team to keep the TNR tradition alive.
Zig puddles deep & wide, we are almost blown to a standstill on the Zag, and the wind requires us to drop 3 gears on normal ratio…speaking of which a long discussion on the merits of 1x, 2x, 3x & 9,10 or 11 was enough to get us to the top without noticing the grimness too much.
Teggs nose car park – glasses steamed, or rain in the eyes were the choices on the descent, and gentle braking required at the bottom!
Hardingland ascent always requires full concentration – as its frustratingly do-able unless you spin out or take a poor line. PTD shows how its done, the rest of us curse and mutter as we start and stop.
Wet but not cold, more climbing on the now very clean tarmac of hacked way lane, and a welcome benefit this time of getting higher – wind assist and clear vision!
Up chazza through odd pockets of cloud – which are not actually on the top!?
Splashing down the running river Mr I punctures – insufficient tyre pressure is suggested…how very dare you!
The delay = time spent not generating heat, and after completing chazza, negotiating the slippy top & loose bottom of the extension, the climb to standing stone is welcome.
We laugh at the weather…but a Team decision to is to keep it short and simple from standing stone, and head across on the fire road to the Kirsten Munt descent (“that” water bar almost catches out PTD due to more mist patches).
Literally dripping wet we find the Smithy pretty busy, our tables are occupied!! and we are relegated to the tables by the back door (which after the shedding of sodden layers is probably vaguely socially acceptable).
Smithy’s own ale is the best choice, food choices tend towards the hearty and warming, and luck prevails as tables next to the fire vacates just after food is served – we decamp instantly!
More calories are needed to compensate for wet clothing – puddings follow in short order :-). By this time Mr I , having shed socks & stuff, is wandering wild haired, wild eyed and bare foot completing his transformation into his alter ego the Troll, and the viewers of our posted pictures spot even more disturbing damp patches on his shorts!
Beer, conversation and whisky flow on, but the inevitable and unenviable task of donning wet gear and heading out into a now clear and cold night cannot be ignored. I have never seen such speed from El Pres and Mr I heading back (they being wetter than I and needing to create more warmth)!!!
At least the bikes won’t need hosing down this week…although the waterproof trousers will!