Crew: El Pres, Slim, Butty, Bern, 3 Sheds, Dunc, Stunt
Pub: Croxy
Route: Back Eddisbury Lane, Zag, Teggs nose, Holehouse lane car park, Smithy, Nessit Hill loop, Smithy.
Conditions: Dull and mild, wet later then very wet!
Notes:
A day of on and off rain, but the TNR slot looks like it might get away with it, or just some light stuff.
The President takes charge of operations, and takes us forestwards with a Smithy finish for some variety.
A late running Stunt will take Saddlers way and along the bottom to try to RZ at the car park (where he gets bumped by a careering badger that explodes out of a hedge!).
More variety with a Teggs exploration having done the zag, with wet ground the main descent needs care in places.
At the bottom El Pres’s tyre lets go with a BIG BANG! and a huge tear, this is no Thornton style over sweated asset – but a 2 month old tyre with a catastrophic failure. It takes a couple of attempts to fix, the milk bottle carton inset trick does not do the job, but two tie wraps achieve a soft but rideable situation. Prankster Phil making a second loud bang as they test the inflation 😉
Stunt has been left confused by seeing riders descending, but then not appearing, so has headed uo to the Smithy (for what turns out to be a long wait).
Eventually and with rain falling, we arrive to order food. El Pres declares that he will be staying – not wanting to risk the tyre any further, heroically three others offer to stay and keep him company. With TNR flag continuing to be flown by Butty, 3 Sheds and Bern who head out to do the white rabbit ascent and then loop back down from Nessit.
In the Smithy there is beer tap faff, as both first and second beer choices run dry before a pint can be pulled! After John scurries into the cellar to sort the situation, we end up with Neckoil, and then head onto the recommended Titianic Steerage IPA.
We are kept amused by the boys on the other table who are geekily into “van life” topics amidst proper boyish banter.
The intredpid trio arrive back rather damp reporting heavy rain arriving at the bottom of the climb. Butty being particularly under dressed for it…a case of the shacket not hacking it 😉
One of the kitchen team comes out with terrible news that there is only one fish and chips, El Pres generously lets Phil have it, and then (having to have the menu read to him as the specs are misplaced) he upgrades to a rare steak.
As the food arrives…and shock – there are two fish portions on Phil’s plate!! could El Pres have had his fish an chips after all??? fortunately his steak is amazing and all is good. The ales flow, and the topics bounce from cycling gear…much love for Endura stuff, random trivia – life on Mars actor who used to live on Barracks lane (Chris Skelton), life updates…Bern’s “bumble’ings”, ribaldry..grandads knackers, and familiar themes….not missing work f@8kwittery – with Croxy celebrating his first week in the catgory of “not economically active”.
Early leavers report the outside situation as wetter than an otters pocket, so definitely whisky to face the homeward journey (watch the candle when clinking glasses though!)
Sadly the situation has not improved as we unlock bikes, El Pres decides his tyre is fit for purpose to get home, and foolishly turns down the lift offer from Croxy, and we head cautiously down the road in heavy rain.
Legs soaked to the skin by the time we are through Langley, and just as Dunc mentions that the repair is holding up well…a huge balloon appears and El Pres is forced to stop. There is nothing to be done, but deflate the tyre to get the inner tube back (amazingly it did not pop), and take the long wet walk home.
Debate on time of “walk from Sutton to Barracks lane” vs “bike to bolly” is settled by the 3 rings protocol. With the walk of shame being faster.
Fortunately the October mini heatwave is on the way, so it was not cold.
Learning points – tubeless is the answer, never refuse a lift when you have a dodgy bike, don’t leave the waterproof trousers at home when the foreacast is rain, never believe the forecast and prepare for the worst.
Will it be winter boots next week?