Crew: El Pres, Slim, Bern, Butty, Dunc, Stunt
Route: RB, Middlewood, Grimshaw lane, Chancery Lane, Lord St, Ingersley Vale, Poachers Snicket, Oakenbank, Kiskhill Lane, Jumper Lane, Blaze Hill, Kettleshulme Road, Bakestonedale Road, Gritstone, Sponds, Dale top, Quarries descent, Moorside Lane, Pott Shrigley, Poachers.
Conditions: Wet trails, 6c, very windy up high.
notes:
Pete had looked at a TNR on this night in 2015 and decided to use that route as our inspiration for the evening.
After some serious wind and rain earlier in the day, the skies were mostly clear, and a good slot predicted for the ride. The initial 8 riders were reduced to 6, with Bonis lane traffic snafu, and family duties taking out G & TJ.
Third week in a row for the fortitude for Dunc, everyone else on their usual steeds.
Some gratuitous climb back up into Bolly, to drop it again to Ingersley Vale, where coming at it from Lord street is much more difficult to spot for our lead riders!
Sloppy and muddy it’s more of a challenge than in the dry summer!
Oakenbank more straightforward, but muddy and slippy on the final descent/double track.
A bright orange “star” to our right lowish in the sky likely to be Mars?
Plenty of warmth being generated on the grind up to Jumper lane, accompanied by the gurgle of water rushing in the culvert at the side of the road (I do love it when drainage is working properly).
Some current affairs talk sparks dark muttering from Stunt.
A brief respite as we regroup, then the long final tarmac section all the way across to the Gritstone.
Wind fortunately cross/tail, and increasingly strong, all good up past the 1975 stone (even with Butty taking the high line by the fence and threatening to herd the cowering flock onto the main track and his fellow riders…the ewes looked but stayed put).
Turning up to sponds required leaning into the wind to stay upright!
Dunc declared the strength to be “double buff” and with windchill likely to be close to zero, there was no hanging about at the Trig.
Wet across the grassy bumps, then very muddy and slippy on the old coach road.
Once at Dale top, shelter sought behind the big wall as we regrouped.
Into the teeth of the weather along the ridge, and gusts made hitting your gaps between the rocks a bit tricky. Plenty of dabs turning the corner for the descent, and one off for Dunc caught out by lack of rear grip.
All down safely to Moorside lane, Birchencliffe option declined due to likely flooding, so whilst another flock of sheep gently moved off the track we decided to route one to the pub!
First bikes in = best lock up spot.
We get choice of tables – so we settle in opposite the bar, leaving the huge dog by the long table undisturbed – his owner cheerfully telling us that helmets can trigger him – especially green ones!
The other doggo in residence was a french bulldog with one ear up and one ear down – apparently he was trod on by another puppy when very young and it never recovered!
Some nice pale ales, and a very quffable rum porter, all £4 (the right answer!!). Burgers excellent.
An evening of chat, and at time group therapy in dealing with life’s mildy infuriating challenges 😉
Some debate about when winter starts, and a proposition that it is tonight – as the gents is so cool that steaming is observed when using the urinal, surely a sign it is the winter season!?
The AoE swerves the whisky (apart from El Pres) for the comfort of the Leffe zone, classic TNR.
Eventually we have to rouse ourselves, gear up, and discover that the wind and rain hath returned. This is not what was ordered! The worst abates as we mount up, but a full gas pedal home is needed.