Words by Pete , Photos by Butty & Pete
Crew: TJ, Butty, Lee, 3 Sheds, Pete, Kersh, El Pres and Bern
Route 1 (Pre incident) : Maze Rendezvous – Via duct – Butty’s Rooty return along MW – down to Bolly Rec – under the aqueduct – up to Clarence Mill – Canal Towpath – exit to SugarLane – Ascent of Styperson – Descent of Styperson
Route 2 (Post incident) : Styperson’s Woods ascent (again) – Long Lane – Beeston Brow – Poacher’s Snickett – Waulkmill Wood – contour back through the Poultry House – Redway Lane – Grimshaw Lane – C&P
Pub : Cock & Pheasant , Bollington
WhatsApp to El Pres: “ Yo Chris ….I am doing the WNR write-up…do you wish to issue an “official statement” on your incident ?”
Reply :
“ No official statement necessary as nothing unusual took place. The president lead his followers with his usual bravery and daring and completed the ride as normal. Any rumours of accident or injury are completely false and without foundation. “
A career in politics awaits , methinks…..
Notes :
Meanwhile …..
It is Butty’s Birthday , It is Butty’s route – nobody argues ….
The Cock & Pleasant , as our eating and quaffing venue. Has been arranged . Menu choices had been made.
Then Kersh arrives at our RV point unexpectedly …this is when the jinx was created …
But at this point we are none the wiser …..
Butty leads us across the viaduct and then his Rooty double back …much fun….
Down the big steps to the Rec ..and a brief encounter with our Jane and the Spans …
Up to Clarence Mill and across the fancy & cyclist friendly bridge ..the Canal and River Org have done an excellent job of fixing up the canal here.
Off at bridge 22 and up to Sugar Lane …where Butty leads us on a push/climb up through the woods. The jinxer rides a lot of this …the rest push a lot.
Then a bit of a free for all descent back down through the roof’s playground of berms and bombholes. I held back a little , but followed Lee Chris and TJ’s route – not sure who was first . Not very far down I encounter TJ and Lee further down what I would describe as an “impossible chute” of loose stones and mud. Chris is standing up and looking a bit dazed. At least he is standing up ! Nurse Wadsworth calmly takes control …fabricating a triangular sling bandage from Chris’s jacket, and walking Chris’s bike ands own out towards sugar lane.
TJ then phones in the Poynton Branch of International Rescue ..and 20 minutes later the Mystery Machine (aka TJ’s 54 plate Merc Van) arrives to pick up his excellency.
The rest of us (and the afflicted one) have been resting on the verge on Sugar Lane , sipping fine whisky provided by the Birthday Boy .
There are rumbles of thunder from across the Cheshire Plain .
El Pres is whisked off by TJ and Enid, the rest of us have another go at some more aversion therapy – a second ascent through Styperson Woods.
From here to The C & P was an inventive route again .
C&P : Good food (excellent eggs , Gammon Steak and Chips) – Estrella , Amstell & Doombar …And Kersh gets El Pre’s PIzza. That about sums it up. We may not return.
At last orders we are turfed outside to shelter under a table umbrella for our last beer and a cheeky AOE. There is a flash or two of lightening and it starts to rain .
Its 22C at 11pm ..definitely a tropical night
Postscript : Fortunately it was not a bust collarbone. He is a placebo of a cyclist . Any excuse to see the A&E nurses.