Pics by Pete, Words by Alex
Crew: El Pres, Mr Incredible, Butty, Dunc, Stunt
Pub: Slim
Route: BL, Cat, Danebower Hollow, Cumberland Clough, Standing Stone, Forest Fire roads, Reservoir, Smithy
Conditions: Warm & Humid, much surface water.
Stats: 1 Mechanical (El Pres), 1 Faff (Butty)
Notes:
Another afternoon of rainfall radar brinksmanship…with a final deluge just before the off (and sufficient weather to see off 3 sheds)..but dry at 6:30.
Butty claims to be tired from a fast paced tuesday night ride, Dunc claims Not to be tired despite some impressive 40mile commutes!
El pres fills the route leader vacuum with “the classic” ..and the weather plays to our advantage by keeping the moto’s off the new road.
Saddle talk whilst we wait for Dunc – poor state of El Pres’s (duct tape repair worn through), Butty faffs with his because “its poking him in the c**k”
It’s a different crowd instead, as Manchester Wheelers are running a time trial to the cat, complete with snazzy car (two tone stripes no less).
numbered riders whizz past downhill (warming up before the start) and we even get a nod or two!
We haven’t got very far before Butty calls a faff stop to re-adjust said saddle! (and sneaky extra air into Dunc’s rear tyre)
Heading up again, Butty is in the lead group, and Dunc falls off the back almost immediately..which just goes to prove that your legs may have different ideas to your head!
We are almost at the turn off for the rat run over the tops when the first time trialler comes past, ladies first number 3, which leaves us wondering where one and two are.
Overtaken is the answer, as two comes past, then one..pedalling at a low cadence on a full TT machine passing us slowly (Dunc shouts appopriate roady encouragement). It doesn’t take long for someone to take the bait..and stunt chases all the way to the top keeping in touch to the final hairpin (moral victory?)
Wispy low cloud hangs over the forest, shining tor and the weather looks gloomy but not actually precipitatious.
Regrouped Danebower hollow is splashy but fun, Cumberland clough is greasy on the sides, and the brook is rather rocky (and running a river) with some added cow hazards lower down for the advance riders. Some spare vertebrae on show at the gate and circling buzzard suggest nature is lurking for the unwary!
El Pres suffers rear mech slackness at the bottom, forensic investigation swiftly concludes that it’s f****d! Extra strong cable tie to hold it in place is the right plan…but the first attempt leaves the loose end pinging in the spokes, and Chris manages to cut the whole tie off instead of trimming it back. Take two works, although leaving him in a comedy low gear for the flat 🙂
Another heron spotted standing still in the river, and up to standing stone.
Route cut short, El pres and Dunc head to the Smithy for early beer and to order food, the rest head left but choose a lower track instead of Nessit, and have fast gravelly fun with good views, and atmospheric mist and clouds.
Good to be back at the leathers, Duchars slips down like water, Carol does us proud with puds after the kitchen staff bail out, Bilberry pie a TNR first? Slim shows off the new mirrorless compact proper camera, Stunt tells of new bikepacking bike bargain arriving in the morning, and conversation ranges widely (analysis of the evolution of sooty to sweep to sue complete with hand movements anyone!)…and the Troll announces that his Leek hidehole may finally be ready for a TNR urban bivvy post a visit to the brew station!!!
Legend of the AI robots in the basement of the leathers is begun.
Very mild ride home
