Crew: El Pres, Slim, 3 Sheds, Troll, Coley, Butty, Stunt, Dunc
Route: Muller Corner, Zig, Coalpit lane, Cock Hall Lane, Bollinhead lane, Heathcote Lane, Hanging Gate, A54, Croker Hill, Ryles Arms.
Conditions: Mild & Windy, dry trails.
Notes:
“May the Fourth be with you” on Star Wars Day, also El Pres’s birthday…and the birthday boy fancied an outing to Croker Hill and a Ryles Arms finish.
The weather was not ideal, and there were mutterings about the wisdom of heading high with 25mph gusts blowing, an assessment of wind direction suggested that we would be mainly benefitting from it on our clockwise loop.
Great to have Coley back in the fold, and tales of front chainring ordering woe from Butty who arrived on the “Cockenchopper” acoustic susser.
It did feel a bit wrong to drop loads of height immediately down coalpit lane into Langley, but the route through the lanes got us down and out of the worst of the wind, a short heavy shower did nothing for morale!
Shards of sunshine breaking through grey clouds gave a bright glow to the very murky views. Sheep and lambs huddling in hollows in the fields to avoid the chill.
Cross winds past the Hanging gate had us leaning left for balance, and occasionally being blown across the road when passing gaps in the field walls.
The A54 got proper tailwind assist, never has the climb been so rapid, even on the exposed track up to the mast we were mostly cross to tail but by ‘eck it were chilly and loud.
We found a wall to hunker down behind as El Pres treated us to a fine Jura with pork pies, hang onto your glass as the wind would rip it away in a heartbeat. Double portions to keep us warm!
Engine noise behind us from a couple of boy racers practicing hand brake turns on the lumpy grass by the mast compound – not sure I’d be taking my mini cabriolet over there!
Back on the bikes and down the bumpy first field with dried out big ruts and some fresh rocks. Bright yellow gorse overgrowing onto path soon after required either a diversion or yelps of pain!
Teamwork needed on the stiles as full concentration needed to not topple over when lifting a bike into the wind. Beautifully rebuild stone wall down to the “double stupid stile” where we needed a pair of gate assistants and some coreography to get through both unscathed.
Just the final section to descend and then the last slog up to the Ryles where we have arrived early!
Excellent service as ususal, and either the Kodiac or Sir Phillip (or a Lager in a glass with a handle). Meatiest pies ever, the SMALL GAMMON ORDER SHOCKER ..although when it arrived it was not small in our books and the large would have been humungus!
Tales of pro racing support in the netherlands (also cold and winds), update on the wallpaper experience (all went well….but don’t mention the dishwasher!)
Our ebikers regularly claim that they get out more and work just as hard, but when one rides an acoustic again they are suddenly at the back all night, Mark got off lightly with what should have been a proper ribbing (maybe there were too many distractions in the pub)
An early finish meant we settled the bills at 3 pints good, but that did leave room for some garden whisky to fortify us on the cool ride home with bits of light rain threatening.
I may not have been in my winter boots for the first time this year, but some warmth would be nice!