Words by Stunt, Pics by Slim
Crew: El Pres, Slim, Dunc, Butty, Chris L, Stunt, Mr I
Route: BL, Tearooms, Goyt, Back of Erwood Hall, Pyms Chair, Blaze Hill, Poachers
Conditions: Cold & Dry, Trails still muddy
Stats: 1 Off (Pete), 2 Punctures (Chris L)
Notes:
Whisper it….it’s not raining, blowing or freezing!!!
Slim on time shockert! ..a welcome return of Mr I and very welcome injection of youth with Chris crossing the America’s Lally, despite last minute brass nipple related delay (a portent of things to come?)
Loose plan to go high then decide on route vaguely north to bolly.
Dunc, Iron Legs Pres and young Chris set off up the road pace, leaving the rest of the chatting riders far behind very quickly.
By the layby past the speed camera sense had prevailed, lungs recovered and the group reformed.
Relief at the tearooms as despite grains of snow lying on the ground, its not frozen, stand down the ice alert! It is cold though, extra outer layers donned at the gates.
Time for a goyt descent – straight down until the left turn through the wall.
Its slightly muddy, but mostly dry, and extremely rideable, probably better on the track than alongside too (which it rare).
Pausing at the gate, the skies have cleared, a 3/4 moon is bright, and orion looks down approvingly. Time for the trails into Errwood.
Wet and muddy in the usual places, but again extremely rideable. Still rocky & rooty once over the stream.
Time for some cognac laced black coffee (just because it’s a cold one). Moon shadows get Slim geeking off on big camera and lens thoughts 🙂
Time is getting on, any thoughts of uphill singletrack past the shrine are abandoned, so down over the waterbars towards the road.
This be where young Chris gets a front puncture..splinter group to ensure food ensures (which quickly turns into the front four everyman for himself to the poachers).
Dunc discovers its light enough to ride uphill without lights. Its a long slog but the cold makes the hills almost a pleasure.
Great to have been high and big (a rarity this winter)
Stunt takes orders via whats app in the poachers (Dunc heroically checking out the vale as per the original plan)
Multiple punctures – wire induced? mean its a long time before the two Chris’s appear.
An evening of temperance, Butty straight onto a pot of tea, joined later by Stunt and Mr I (coffee) after a mass pudding to recoup the calories burnt in the cold.
Prize for longest puncture repair to Chris L (spent most of the time in the pub working through patches).
Thoughts of warmer rides and lighter nights, plus snow reports and thoughts.
Sensible time home.