words by Alex, Pics by Pete
Crew: El Pres, PTD, Dunc, Bernard, Slim, Stunt
Route: BL, Cat, Danebower Hollow, Cumberland Clough, Standing Stone, LH side, RH side, LH side, rezzies, Sutton Hall.
Conditions: Cool, windy, hill fog, lots of surface water.
Notes:
An afternoon of steady and heavy rain = flurry of excuses and opter outers despite optimistic noises from resident weather geek stunt.
..who is proved right when assembling at BL pink tinged clouds herald the end of the rain!
Slightly prolonged wait for those who were lingering over their tea before venturing out (you know who you are!)
Big events Bern shows the spirit by turning up anyway “because I had nothing better to do tonight” 🙂
Route logic is wet roads = no motorbikes, so go high and do rocky trails.
It started well….Bern asked to treat him lightly as he’s not that fit (then preceded to shoot off the front never to be caught!), rain had cleared most of the muck from the roads, and traffic indeed light.
Low cloud loomed beyond the average speed cameras, and wind rose, oscillating between help and hindrance. Crows wheeled and soggy lambs gambolled and scattered as riders passed. Into the murk, cold, visibility 20m, rear lights on, grinding climb.
Huddling out of the wind at the side of the Cat we get pictures of sunny european cities (thanks Eric!), extra layers are donned, and we chat until Slim finally arrives. Time to move straight away to get warm again.
Lucky we are mostly in full waterproofs – as danebower is covered in deep puddles, and the channel to the side is almost full of gurgling rainwater. Wet shoes.com (hopefully waterproof socks or shoes?) not the best for Berns white trainers.
Dim too, some front lights tried, spirits are low, Stunt says we’ll be out of the cloud on the other side, Harrumps suggest grumpy crew are in no mood to be cheered up.
Puddles eventually subside, it gets brighter – we ride faster, then lo out of the cloud 100m from the end! That chap is right again (even if it is still a grim evening for May!!)
Pressing on to Chumby, the beginnings of smiles as the new signs warning of fire risk seem absurdly optimistic 🙂
Suprisingly the descent is no damper than normal – apart from the big stream and impressive waterfall. PTD mocks Dunc about his ability to descend at speed on his Rigid “wet bike”, and is then put in his place by big wheeled bravado! Legend of the long legged sheep nearly born (until we realise its dragging its shedding fleece behind it) the Cumberland sheep were looking especially scraggy – is there a sheep farmer shaming website?
Quick replacement of cable tie to rear mudguard at the bottom, the chill air is left behind, and morale is rising.
Time to inspect the support walling going on at the bottom of the closed lane to standing stone, and some cheeky use of signage at the top!
Fast descending on the LHS, then over the road, back across and along through the woods – Dunc and Stunt lead grin induced thrash with some leapfrogging rivalry. Into Sutton hall without the need for lights 🙂
An even split between the Plum Porter and the Lighter ales, and we are waited on hand and foot by a new and impressive barstaff. Just as well, as its been a hard old ride. Tales of the spanish adventures, and ideas for rides further afield are hatched. Bern does pudding, before its home time for well deserved zeds.
