Words by Alex, Pics by Pete, Vid by Smiffy
Crew: El Pres, Slim, 3 Sheds, Troll, Dr S, Butty, TJ, Smiffy, Stunt
Pub: Adrian & Biscuit
Route: Back Eddisbury, Coalpit lane, Cock Hall Lane, Hanging Gate, Ridge Hill, Fourways, A54, Croker Hill, Ryles Arms.
Conditions: Dry, cool.
Notes:
El Pres declares a visit to the Ryles is in order, and hence on a dry evening we assemble at the bottom of the Zag with dinner deadline of 20:30.
Immediately comms ping with our resident eBikers being late, the planned route of saddlers way, lower teggs and into Langley past the bottoms reservoirs is binned off, live location is turned on, and we head for the more direct route of Coalpit lane to rv with Smiffy, and trust Butty to catch us up.
3 Sheds is looking to move somewhere more rural, looking as far afield as Herefordshire…but out the back of Langley you could be anywhere deep in the English countryside as we wend our way up increasingly worn and steep lanes.
Time to chat, admire the early summer lushness (but not the temperature!) , spot birds – obligatory Buzzard, and comment on the long locks of TJ and Pete!
A split emerges as there is a choice of lanes, so we regroup at the Hanging gate and reminice about the snug on a winters night…if only they did food again.
Library shot
Croker Hill mast is in view the whole ride, and Ridge hill gives us expansive ones over three counties and beyond.
It may be a mainly road climb evening, for which we are overbiked, but a nice piece of variety from our usual fare.
The sun is shining on us as we crest Croker, see the nifty automatic gate at the top of the road work for the locals, and get some grumpy comments re footpath from the resident farmer.
No G&T’s at the top – although it would have been the perfect evening for it, and good conditions on the descent – apart from the tractor churned mud in the lower section of the top field.
Team work to the the group through the gates, especially the final “double gate of doom”, by a newly rebuild long section of stonewall (nice job!).
Plenty of sheep poo hazards, a nice final run down to the road, and we are somehow half an hour early at the pub!
Kodiak the ale of choice, gammon the meal of choice (damn it’s good), Dr S has brought ipad and paper n pen to kick off Traws Eyri planning, and we are very well looked after as ever by the Ryles top team.
Occasional unexpected leg licking reminds us that Biscuit is with us (who does well with any gammon rinds) and the world is in a better place whilst we are with good company, and relaxed with some ale.
Dunc arrives fresh from a day out in London at a software vendor jamboree, to find we are drinking up as the Ryles is trying to close early now that the dining is done (it was pretty busy earlier).
Slim hatches a cunning plan to stop off at the Kings Head for a pudding pint. He and Stunt head off first and negotiate some beer just before they start flushing the lines.
Then in two further waves an AoE sneaks in, with El Pres, then Butty, TJ & Smiffy.
We get half an hour of being bad boys, although in reality we are still out and homeward bound shortly after 11pm.
Buffs and layers needed for a cool ride home.