Crew: Dunc, PTD, El Pres, Butty, Mr Inc, Slim, Stunt
Route: BL, Zig, Teggs, Smithy, reverse ressies on the upper track, across to reverse path, contouring past the exit of the Ferriser route to the middle road, up to standing stone, right of the RHS, but back up the track half way (not worth it), standing stone, Ferriser, path, ressies, Smithy.
Conditions: Cold, drizzly
Notes:
A rare full ride for Dunc and not even half term! apparently Pilates was cancelled and pass out forthcoming 🙂
Whilst we await his arrival at BL, route discussions begin, when El Pres’s phone pings and informs us of incoming rain in 10 minutes!!
Well no one was expecting that..its supposed to be dry!! Depressingly multiple apps confirm that there is indeed a little bit of rain on its way.
Butty wants to do the “Right of the Right Hand side” descent again as its dry…
Once quorate we head out, with mizzle in the air by the time we are at Teggs.
Its cold too…and some grumpiness at tyre pressure faffery from Slim is dispersed by a jovial greeting to Gollum…my Precious…my tyre pressures..;-)
Some left and right splits – but all arrive at the bottom in one piece, and not too greasy (Slim stays upright this week)
Time to order food at the Smithy on the way past, Pheasants have been well hung apparently!
A night of doing things back to front, and Butty leads us round the ressies and up the higher track, then down again to head up the (suprisingly steep) track with the water bars at the top we normally shoot down.
Luckily the next bit is to countour across to the middle road, and its definitely net downhill this way 🙂
No escaping the road climb to standing stone, and dark mutterings about the plan to do it twice!
The drizzle is now well and truly established, so the RotRHS is now not “dry” and wet roots and mud are making it rather slippy.
We stop while Butty and PTD explore the adjoining uphill tracks…but sadly they just lead to well maintained paths back to the top.
Deciding against going down again (and triggering the road climb no 2) we opt for Ferriser instead.
Getting across there on the grass section has some syncronised rear wheel slithering from Troll & Stunt!
Less moisture seems to have got to the Ferriser descent…well until the end that is when Butty ends up sideways (but upright) in the ditch at the end. Mr Inc almost falls sideways down whilst trying to not to ride it, and the rest of us tiptoe out onto the fire road.
Time to do the normal blast down and round the right way round, and we are into the Smithy by nine for the food.
Freddy Brewster wins the battle of the ales, Halloumi in a Black burger bun amuses, and the Eighties sound track brings out many a name that band condundrum.
Mens TNR xmas meal debate, and the Smithy wins (the Lamb on the menu definitely a factor!).
John trys to get us to try a Black and Tan with port..and when we finally succomb he’s shamefaced..he’s out of Port!!
Another week of extremes with some teetotal behavoiur, and the gap yaar AoE talking us into a second whisky late on!!
Cold post pub (especially in damp clothing!)
Only a month to the shortest day…and only a few degrees colder and it would have been snow tonight!