Words by Alex, Photos by Pete
Crew: El Pres, Dunc, Slim, Stunt
Route: Rainbow bridge, Redway, “under Nancy”, Waulkmill wood, back of Kerridge, Rainow, Robin Hood, Oakenbank, Poachers.
Conditions: Warm, humid and moist.
Notes:
The big lump of wet stuff on the radar moving across the country for most of the day had deterred many, but with a deferred start to co-incide with the back edge clearing us, the four riders assembled in good order on a damp middlewood way. Stunt giving the semi-fat rigid Marin an outing instead of the KTM.
Stunt suggests a slackish route with a cheeky Robin Hood stop, no one is arguing, even Dunc – who is saving himself for a big Gravel weekend in mid Wales.
TNR first as El Pres releases some blue beetles into the undergrowth, having removed them from his tree hugging nursery where they were causing issues.
Pete has set an alarm on his phone to remind him to give El Pres a tool he has borrowed to sort his rear shock, very organised…although El Pres claims his tool is now redundant (phnarr phnaar) as the design of the fox shock has changed.
New fencing around the gate at the Canal to the double track, but nothing new in the huff and puff to get up Nancyside lane to the top, especially on such a humid evening.
Variation on the descent by going all the way down and then up Waulkmill wood – which is short but not without challenge – no one cleans it in one go, but tubby tyres show their worth. Photo above !
Kerridge is wet grass, wet slabs, and slightly muddy, with the field crossings hard work on the climbs to gates, Dunc has to stop and de-layer due to overheating!
The slope of doom is not too bad, but the stream crossing muddy patch is much deeper than expected – you needed momentum to get through without a dab.
The most dangerous part of the ride is parking the bikes on the decking at the Robin Hood, so slippy that the bikes almost don’t stand up!
Our arrival has co-incided with Rainow Ukele setting up, so we hasten to the back room to sip our pint of Boltmaker and reflect on last weeks bad behavoir which Chris missed, and the impressive exploits of Harry running all the Snowdonian peaks over 100 miles non stop!
Back out for a final climb up Oakenbank, a quick stop to take in murky views of gently steaming woods, then a rapid descent – new hazard at the end with a vehicle parked with it’s back end partly across the track. With the sun getting low and temperature dropping a hint – a hint of mist in the hollows!
Plenty of bikes parked up in the Poachers garden, and a warm welcome as always. Lightweight 3.7% Faithless the ale of choice, and in the spirit of healthy options no red meat is being consumed!! Three Hallouimi’s and a Scampi.
Wide ranging debates on reliability of vehicles – Mk4 golfs and 2010 Audi A3’s getting high scores, lightbulb replacement (too often needed on a Mk6 golf) and newfangled LED headlights will need whole unit replacement it seems. The benefits of dog ownership, the “joys” of offspring learning to drive/being able to drive.
Duns shows us the MRI scans of his knee – that white bit on the left hand side should be on the right – but its now out of the way so i may be able to get running again soon…fingers crossed.
On a temperate evening there was no Whisky (we tried to calculate how much we had imbibed last week…and it made for shocking numbers), a gentle Leffe finish instead before settling up and wending our way home…and to ponder why was Pete’s bag so heavy??