Legal exercise pairing: Dunc & Stunt
Route: Tythy, Cliff Lane, Tea Rooms, Shining Tor, RH track to Hoolihey Lane, Lamaload, RH climb to double track, Oakenbank, Poachers Snicket, Lord St, Farm track to Canal, Rainbow Bridge, Tythy
Conditions: Mild, breezy, wet and boggy away from the main trails.
Notes:
An impromptu plan to go high and do something different hatched before looking outside and seeing the wind picking up. We do it anyway.
Last minute faffing includes Stunts swapping boots due to a loose cleat, and Dunc “getting it all together”.
We opt for the direct Cliff lane route, and get overtaken on the up by a skinny runner! (although it’s been resurfaced!!)
More resurfacing of sections of the main road to the cat, although depsite signage saying it’s closed, it was open. Very quiet though as most traffic was taking the bottom of the oven shortcut.
Pairs move fast, but sometimes muscles are not used to the lack of stops..Stunt needs to stretch out a hamstring at the tea rooms.
The shining tor climb is back to the momentum sucking soft patches, and the bog of doom at the top..we wonder about the route choice, but carry on regardless.
Top of the trail across the boggy hills is sloppy slidy silliness, but it does improve as the slopes steepen, and overall its a lot more ridable than we fear. Although its very unpredictable about which soft spot will eat a wheel, and which will ride over easily!
We manage to not get lost either, and after the stone gateposts (with no gate or fence) we know the climb is over.
A big logging machine is working near Hoolihey lane, serious overtime!
The grassy descent is marginal on grip and we both have sideways moments, and luckily we did remember there is a fence halfway down!
We contour over the field rather than follow the trail down by the stream, and it’s a good choice!
Lamaload slighly spooky and the undisturbed layer of pine needles suggests no walkers or riders for a few days. On a night where we have no fear of climb, we opt for the prettier route to Rainow by going right of the water works, and pushing up a bit to get to the double track. Bonus of this route is that we avoid the road climb up through Rainow.
Oakenbank superfast, and we keep to our there of avoiding the tarmac as much as possible and swing down the Poachers snicket, and Kerridgeish, to the Canal and Rainbow bridge.
Tired legs from the lack of stops, but a great ride!
Respect to TJ and Lee for doing a 40+ mile ride to leek and back during the day!