Words by Pete, Photos & Videos by Butty & Pete
Crew : Butty, El Pres, Bernard, Pete
Route: Windmill- Sugar Lane- Pott Shrigley Rd- To the chapel- Reverse chapel- Ascent of Bakestone Dale Moor to Dale Top – Ski on bike descent – Birchencliffe route out- Road through Pott Shrigley to Bolly and the Vale
Conditions : sub zero from the outset- ice and drifting snow
Notes :
A TNR first – we start with a rendezvous (& a half, thanks Bern !) at the Windmill
A “Butty Production”/“Butty is Route-master” event with a Vale-finish-pre-order-the-pie structure
Snow was drifting before the reverse Chapel ascent
The ascent to Dale Top was Butty idea and pushing the boundaries of wisdom
Inner voices were saying … “what the f*ck are we doing ?” …fortunately we ignored them !
Calvados was our reward at the top (thanks Butty) where it was blowing a hoolie .
Then a mad ski run down
Arriving at the Vale we have the Corner table next to the big fire ! Result
Food arrives- Pie tastic
Chris Palmer tastes beer again
The Ribaldry Twins arrive late but deliver their customary insights and mirth. Kerridge ridge has been found to be crunchy.
Pete has even slower (than normal) ride home due to being stuck in the granny ring because his front mech was jammed.
Quotes “ Bernard : …… final thought on last night ….. if we ever do a TNR across the Antarctic, I suggest Butty leads us. He won’t take us the easy way round but it’ll be a good laugh in the pub after – in the highly unlikely event we get there!
Reply from Butty: “Thanks Bern! Was a “piece of cake” getting up there, assuming the cake is frosted with deep snow and a heavily blown freezing glaze ? The descent was fun though, I quote Mr Austin, “closest I’ve been to skiing on a bike”.