Words by Stunt, Pics by Pete
Crew: El Pres, Slim, Stunt
Pub: Dunc & Nic
Route: RB, Endon House climb, Lidgetts Lane, Lower back of Kerridge, Rainow, Oakenbank, Pott Shrigley, Bakestondale Road Climb, Gritstone Trail, 1975 stone, Trig point, Dale Top, Quarry Descent, Ford, Birchencliffe, Sugar Lane, Vale fail, Poachers.
Conditions: Murky, Damp, Low cloud, wet trails
Notes:
What a difference a week makes! Dodgy british summer weather and suddenly it’s only the hard core riding…even a whiff of winters gold fails to attract further recruits.
Pete declares a Rainbow Bridge start, slack pub crawl option given short shrift, off we go.
Small crews are social affairs and a steady chat accompanies the steady pace (well Pete has done 3 cycle commutes already this week).
Eye spy a little owl…yes really..on a fence post between the canal and clarke lane.
Cows in the field at the start of Kerridge ..we stop to have bad thoughts on what other bits of shonky gates of cheshire could be upcycled into 🙂 !
Its greasy rather than muddy, but the vegetation is the biggest hazard blocking those narrow lines, or attacking forearms and unprotected fingers!!
Moody skies as we crest Oakenbank, and a first look up to the higher ground…will it rain?
Time to climb on road, we each settle in to a pace that suits, and are soon lost in our own thoughts. Entertainment however is provided by rag tag groups of roadies belonging to the Cheshire Mavericks (if being a bit tubby, a bit middle aged, and a bit slow up the hill is Maverick!). Stunt amuses himself by keeping close enough to one group to be the Top Gear “spare car” threat, and no doubt annoying them by almost keeping up on 3″ tyres (moral victory for MTB 🙂 )
The tops are in cloud, but weirdly so are the valley’s either side of the road..but not the road!
Gritstone achieved, and proper tractor tracks have made the double track into double stream of sloppiness. Luckily the centre grassy bit is rideable.
Stunt declares whisky o’clock at the 1975 stone (well metal plate in stone surround)..sadly the usual 360 degrees of lovely views are all mist.
Extra layers on as the dampness seeps in, and the Dalwhinnie Winters Gold slips down.
We find our way to the trigpoint, and through the gate we discover what the farmer has been doing….spreading muck…as far as the eye can see!!
It’s really quite impressive.. in a complete and utter coverage of every square foot of a whole moor!!! The brown stuff is also extra claggy with fibrous content.
Mouths firmly closed we manage the up and downs at moderate speed (still in the cloud), but still end up with bikes and legs covered in the stuff!
Quarry descent is opted for, and at least over the stile we are clear of the sh*ttiness, and the bikes shake most of it off on the way down.
Water splash helps clean the tyres, and (with only a quick stop for a bit more air in the tubby rear tyre for high speed stability) it’s down sugar lane to the vale.
Next time we will look in the windows before locking up…not a seat to be had in the house…so we head uphill to the poachers.
Nancies already tucking in to their food a little after nine, which makes us feel less bad about an earlyish pub.
Alton Pride, pies and gammon, and we are feeling refreshed and relaxed when Dunc and Nic arrive to lower the tone, relay tales of the hottest mayhem in living memory, drink dodgy Rhubarb cider, and force us into too much Leffe!
It’s just what we needed, and ribaldry is duly enacted 🙂
Can’t keep up with them on the way home..funny that !
Pete did make his friday cycle commute (but not with the new 650b wheels though)..Riding five days in a row (will he become super slim!?)