Words by Eric, Pics, and G&T by Pete
Crew; El Pres, Slim, Doog, Butty, TJ, Stunt, Dunc, Big Nick, Gee (with beard !), 3 Sheds, Croxy, Coley, Eric,
Route: BL, OBR, Zig sans Zag, Murderer’s entrance to Tegg’s, Leather’s, Concessionary B’way, Narnia backwards, Charity, Snickett, Standing Stone, Nessit, Middle descent, Leather’s again
Conditions; Dry at last, Mackintoshes not required.
Stats; Slim, minor chain faff
Offs; Non reported
Pete was right, we should remember Dan’s birthday, not the other; and so it was an appropriately large crew who gathered at BL tonight. (wholly Eric approved on this particular occasion)
It was a blessed relief to be riding without waterproofs although most people admitted to overestimating the cold and as a result we were sweating by the bottom of the zig. Part way along the zig Slim remarked to your correspondent that this was the very location where the Presidential chain had shuffled off it’s mortal coil only the other week when – b’doing, so did Slim’s. If you didn’t know you’d say we were being watched by mischief.
The descent from Teggs proved to be a little sketchy with front wheels following their own calling on the muddy bit at the bottom. An old rally driver friend of mine always used to say – “crash backwards, it hurts less”. A short stop was made at the Leathers to order food and then it was on up the long slog to the bridleway and the witch’s cottage. Here we had to let the traffic pass; gets busy on a Thursday evening these days, before crossing to Narnia. Not sure who thinks that walking up here is quicker and more fun than riding round the other way but walk we did. Back on Charity we had to wait for the traffic to pass before joining the route – gets busy on a Thursday evening these days.
The snicket is now nicely washed out, almost back to where it was a few years ago. With time moving on faster than we were, it was every man for himself up to Nessit; sadly your correspondent, considering himself to be well placed mid pack took the scenic route only to find the rest of the crew assembled at the benches, Gin poured, ice and slice in, but anxiously awaiting the arrival of the tonic mule – oops sorry chaps. With all tonic used to the full, the gins still felt rather robust, with the second sliding down exceedingly easily – MARVELLOUS.
Soon thoughts turned to Katie and the girls, and to Dan and all the sunshine he brought to us and to the rest of the world.
Then it was time to go.
Some reported the ensuing downhill went very smoothly – others simply reported “what downhill”
Very soon we in our spiritual home in the Leathers, with the usual cheery banter; Dan would not have wanted it to be any different.
