Crew: EL Pres, PTD, Slim, 3 Sheds, Troll, Butty, Doog, Dunc, Stunt
Route: RB, Endon House climb, Lidgetts lane, Rainow, Jumper Lane, last bit of Blaze hill, Kettleshulme road, Bakestonedale road, Gritstone trail, Sponds, Dale Top, Quarries descent, Moorside lane, Pott Shrigley, Poachers
Conditions: Cool, very windy, very wet trails
Notes:
A decent crew for a blustery January night, with a Bolly finish declared early, the start point is obviously Rainbow bridge..but how to join the two? Sponds is the logical choice…but is going high a wise idea tonight? Compromise is reached by doing a Jumper lane climb and deciding then to carry on, or plan B.
3 Sheds heated gloves with sci fi red lights are the envy of a few on a night where the day started mild, but under clear skies the mercury is falling fast and we are heading for a sub five (with significant wind chill to boot)
All assembled we head off with some of our number hoping to shift recalcitrant phlegm after persistent manflu. After a couple of days of serious rainfall, there is lots of surface water, and plenty of the slippy stuff in mud form on the back of Kerridge.
Lots of comparing notes on black lab puppies from PTD and El Pres, and we have to break that conversation at the end of Jumper lane for the big route decision….yes it is very windy, but cunningly it will blow us across and up to Sponds, the B and C options would be interesting new territory, but likely to raise the ire of the locals..and hence discarded. Up we go!
Climb on tarmac works out well, with decent cross to tail assist, regrouping in the lee of a grassy bank, we turn onto the gristone, discover that the second gate is holding up the fence post! and adjust buffs to keep necks warm as we enter the exposed tops.
Absolutely howling at the trig, and as soon as the last rider is through the gate, we are off into the teeth of it, over sodden grass and slimy mud on the track, a hint of respite in the shadow of Dale top, and up to the gate. E-C*#s report having to turn boost to 60% to make progress!
Lights galore – but not the Nancy’s (who are actually not far behind us), but the Bolly Harriers! they too are heading for the poachers. Any thoughts of the chapel descent are abandoned as securing food before the rush becomes priority one.
Quarries descent requires care/bravery on the low grip surfaces, but all make it down without incident (Butty and 3 sheds did badgers creek instead)
Tarmac down and across to the poachers, although Stunt has freewheel failure on the last stretch of lane, and hobby horse’s it to the crest. Nancy’s had offered a tow which was nice.
Snug in the pub, a split in the pack between the light ales and the unpronouncable stout, and we did get the food in before the Harriers. Chicken and Mushroom pie special was the winner for those who got their hands up first, the steak baguette a close second, and lots of interest in the pastrami sandwhich thing that El Pres ordered.
Classic TNR banter from geeky saddle tube dimensions, to reminicences of UFO moonbase girls (some of whom seem to be sporting the same style of kinky baselayer as El Pres, and creative names for whisky’s triggered by Butty’s Nikka (a peaty Japanese number).
PTD gets the final shorts in – and there are grumblings when he comes back with a 5 year old called Wee Beastie! It turns out to be heady and smooth and a good choice 😉
Pete swaps bikes with Stunt so he can ride home, while Pete pushes the stricken steed back to bolly base.