Crew: PTD, El Pres, Slim, Butty, 3 Sheds, Troll, Dunc, Doog, Croxy, Lee, Mark McD, Bern, Eric, G, Stunt
Pub: Coley, Mawds, Ruth
Route: Bottom of Zag, Zag, Teggs to Cocktail bar, retrace route back and down Zag, back eddisbury, across the main road, cut through to Cliff lane, Calrofold Lane, Rainow, Oakenbank bench, Oakenbank, Poachers.
Conditions: Dry, mild.
Notes:
The classic recipe for the Christmas ride, pre-ordered xmas meals, and a token ride to imbibe the creations of our resident mixologist PTD.
At the Tegs Bar
The yellow one: A clear sweet, longer drink. Brandy, Triple Sec, Cider. notes of sherbert. est ABV 15%
- No one gets close to guessing the ingredents on tasting!
The green one: Fruity and sweet, Blue Curaco, White Rum, Mango juice. hints of bubblegum. est ABV 16.5% (mainly due to the 60% experimental rum from Shaun)
…..we are much better with this – getting both Blue Curaco and Rum, just the wrong juice!
Washed down with Nurse Jackie’s famous home made mince pies!
As we were tidying up – we noticed a lone fly on the bar…so we gave it some sweet alcopop nourishment and left it to overindulge!
A rare route choice, with needing to get to the Poachers, the best route across was to retrace our steps, do the Zag down (long and fast!), then hang a right down and across the main road, past the shepherds hut and onto Cliff lane.
Then another right onto Calrofold, and into Rainow on the main road.
The bench is on the flat bit just after the start of Oakenbank, and we arrive in good time, but minus four riders. There is time to spot a shooting star, determine that the bright “star” is Jupiter, and just before we send the E’ers on a rescue mission the prodigals return. McD has had a mechanical, but all good now.
The listerine shot glasses are back! although not quite enough for all, so well done to those who have managed to bring their plastic cups from Teggs without splitting them!
This is an easy guess, and a crowd pleaser:
The orange one: Classic whisky mac! Whisky & Ginger wine, warming the soul. est ABV 25%
With banter bubbling it’s time for the last little stretch to the Poachers….but Oakenbank has a suprise in store half way down (when at maximum velocity) as tractors have been up and down and left a thick layer of slippy mud! A few squeaks of nervous laughter tell when riders encounter it! No one admits to an off.
Great to see Coley and Mawds at the pub, top table service from the Poachers team.
Pete has a tactical lime and soda SHOCKER (apparently he’s done a few too many eastern nights in the vale last night, and needed to be on form for somber duties in the morning).
Eric has to be restrained as he sees the Nancies leaving helmets on the table.
Bern leaves at sensible o’clock, Eric who is berthing there stays to the end, we hope he had a key!
Nice to have a dry and not too chilly ride home – the last month has been shocking for the weather.