Crew: Stunt
Pub: El Pud, Adrian, Dunc
Route: BL, New Road, Back Eddisbury, Bridleway to Windyways, Charity & Extension, Standing Stone, Nessit Hill, between the downhill, track & ressies. 5 Clouds later.
Conditions: Sub 5 but above zero, still some snow up high.
Notes:
Whilst many a TNR’er is in the alps for winter sports, there is snow on the hills back home. Not many are available for a ride, so it doesn’t take much for the TNR tradition to be upheld by a solo rider.
Stunt heads out for an early start on a classic route..
The crane by the canal has disappeared from the skyline (or it’s red light is broken), fields are wet and soggy either side of the road, some hill fog encountered on the “zag” up to Windyways and over the top, but clear at Walker barn.
Snow clinging on at charity, but only really at the top, the descent very slushy but not icy, and the extension clear.
A couple of fell runners out with head torches, and a few tyre tracks from earlier riders but otherwise pretty quiet.
Dan bench provides excuse for a quick nip of Winters Gold (sub five rule obeyed).
A gaggle of riders starting out at the top of the paths above the rangers station.
Rather strange to see so much life through town on the way home!
El Pud to the rescue for the “pub” element of the ride, so washed and fed and breaking out the urban friendly brompton, part deux is at five clouds.
Adrian joins us (warm boozer beats cold for mountain rescue training), and the spaniel teases the poor chocolate lab on the other table something rotten.
Funky joins us too, and the house mesa goes down very nicely. A cosmopolitan crowd is nice to see, and Slim posts regular pics of his belgian beers!
Some good catching up and setting the world to rights…and its closing time all too soon. Yes cross bikes beat bromptons (it would have been closer if you hadn’t got lucky at the lights though!)