Words and Photos by Pete (and Ordinance survey )
Crew : Butty, Pete and PTD
Route : Bottom of the Zag , Saddlers Way , Bottoms Reservoir , Leathers , Reverse Nessit , Half chazza , Narnia , Hardingland , Crookedyard Rd , Bull Hill Lane, Lidgetts La, Redway , Nancyside La, Poachers Snickett
Conditions : Cold and dry
Notes : Last week it was a crew of ten , this week just 30% of that . Three amigos. But it still works well !
After getting a bit chilly waiting 10 mins at the bottom of the Zag (note to self – don’t arrive too early at the muster point on a cold evening in February) , Paul turns up on time . Butty is running late so we arrange to meet him at the top.
Paul always arrives bearing gifts – a route idea and some in flight refreshment.
Tonight’s Forest-ish circuit begins with Paul taking the rocky section at the top of Saddler’s Way obscenely fast. I am in awe of this , and then I stop and think….it’s home turf for him ..some of that speed comes from lots of practice. But it is still at the obscene end , imho ..
The fading daylight in the dip by Crookedyard farm is magical.
Still some daylight at just after 6pm. It may feel like Winter still, but Spring is just around the corner.
We skirt the bottom reservoir, and try to not get wiped out by deep patches of mud on the track. Lots of big puddles.
Tarmac up to The Leathers then we climb to Nessit, the forest is strangely quiet. I am used to seeing at least a few head-torch equipped walkers and other cyclists.
A half charity ascent and Narnia is a good call. The Narnia to Witches Cottage descent is a classic section of Macc Forest, a great balance of obstacles and fun . Hardingland tonight is rough as hell – I am sure those rocks in its gravelly bits are getting bigger.
A short distance up Crookedyard Rd and we are fixing Butty’s puncture . ( That road is completely knackered BTW …gradually transforming itself back into being a bridleway . )
Weird, weird thing …so why is Butty running inner tubes on an e-bike ? why not tubeless ? but anyway he digs out this weird plastic inner tube – like a thick plastic bag. It looks wrong but it does seem to work.
It took three sets of hands to get the tyre back on the flipping rim ! The upside of this interruption is that we manage to fit in a bit of stargazing – Orion is good and clear .
A good job I had booked a table for 9pm at the Poachers as it takes an unplanned 15 mins to sort this puncture out.
Almost all tarmac now , over Lidgetts , along to Nancyside Lane and a stop on the stone bench overlooking Bollingtonia . A TNR first I do believe. Hoots of owls along the way .
Paul has mixed another nostalgic tipple – a mix of Southern Comfort and Green chartreuse (I think) , and this is a fine point in the ride to have a sip . Only 5 mins left to get to the Poachers and a great view of the lights of Bollingtonia .
The Poachers is busy enough , with the Nancy boys turning out in strength this week .
Thai green chicken curry with half rice and half chips in not my normal choice – but a good call from Butty . And the Dortmunder lager was washed down with a little Leffe .
A Covid legacy seems to be table service for beer and food orders is now de rigueur – a good thing I think.
No AofE this week , but a fine evening again