Crew: El Pres, Slim, 3 Sheds, Troll, Doog, Butty, Dunc, Stunt
Route: Bottom of Zag, Charity, Bottom o Oven, Tea rooms, Cat, Danebower Hollow, Cumberland Clough & Brook, Standing Stone, various routes to the Smithy.
Conditions: A mild “sub 5” cloudy skies, no wind, trails soft in places.
Notes:
Pete floats that a return to the Smithy is overdue, conditions favour a classic combo of Charity and Cumberland to get us there, and El Pres gets a table booked.
Eight riders start the ride ..even if Butty went to the wrong RV initially 😉
Two on steel rigid steeds, as in addition to the regular Fortitude of Dunc, the tubby tyred Marin is subbing for Stunt’s KTM which is part way through a full strip and rebuild (geeky convo on bearing pulling ensues)
At the start of Charity, the lights over the plains and hills are clear, but apart from the moon occasionally poking through wispy gaps we have full cloud cover (and lots of glow reflecting in it off the conurbations).
The RHS bridleway is muddy and slippery (and some big tyre tracks to boot – small 4×4 or quadbike?)
Barn own ghosts along the tree line then into the pines as the first riders approach the crest.
As the natural (and manmade) erosion processes evolve it is becoming clear that the traditional “high” RHS of the main track is getting too narrow, new lines and approaches are now needed.
Speaking of approaches – Stunts descent of the extension under braking could be heard at the Cat! literally smoking at the bottom – the new pads are worn in, and the old ones have burnt off a lot of the contamination thanks to the cleaning in alcohol pre ride.
Dunc declares a B ride to furtle round the forest with dicky knee playing up, and worse a palm of the hand nodule giving grief to the braking fingers! We bid him well, and carry on up past the Stanley arms
towards the tea rooms (which Doog recalls once upon a time being the “Dish n Spoon” a pine cabin affair which served some fine bananas and custard – for 9 year olds parties).
Some Tractor & Trailer, and pickup & horse trailer manouvering malarky at the Farm on the LHS as we crawl by.
Almost no wind on the tops (a rare thing), but a big hole in the middle of the track from the Cat to the first gate, where it goes over a stream some of the supporting structure must have given way, and the surface falled right through – lots of shouts of HOLE!!
Fast all the way to the A54, and for a “mild” sub 5 ride it is starting to feel a bit chilly on the traverse to Chumby. Plenty of adrenaline on the way down – with Moist Ravine Edging a good way to describe the top, and Rocky as F lower down!
Cue the obligatory sub 5 tipple, provided by Stunt who discovered some Pear Schnapps in his quest for brake pad cleaner! It is quite acceptable (most have a second snifter!)
The Brook is back to its wet and dry character, we somehow manage to avoid any pinch flats on the way down, but the hammering has one casualty in Pete’s front light – which goes strobelike with a suspected loose joint in the light assembly itself.
No appetite to hang about though as the cold air is pooled in the valley, a huge new floodlight on one of the farms seems to light up a whole field! Tired legs on the final climb to standing stone. The leaders go RHS for a final fling, the remaining team go route one (with optional bob’s bench) to the warmth of the Smithy.
A cosy fire is burning, and with our usual table occupied, we are also cosy around the window table.
Dunc has been on a public service mission to remove loggage from paths (very hazardous to night time runners)
Duchars, Neckoil, Landlord and Anthem all fine choices, and we buy out all the remaining Chicken, leek and Mushroom pie specials – but the star of the show is the chefs gravy (which he gives us an extra boat full – it is superb with chips!)
This weeks specialist subject – special tools needed for those frustratingly unique fittings that Shimano et all love to develop – and then do two versions 2mm different in diameter! (One of our number bought the wrong one!!) and don’t start on head sets – the Aldi micrometer is very useful in checking id’s and od’s!
With Pete’s lighting woe, we get the favourite – what new light discussion as a bonus!
Before it gets too out of hand being sensible, the mantatory silliness does take over and enables venting on the foibles of modern life.
Warmed by Laphroig on the inside, extra layers needed for the ride home – light rain (maybe sleet?) makes for setting a decent pace to generate heat to offset chattering teeth.
That’s January TNR’s done for another year!