Words by Alex , Photos and Vid by Pete
Crew: El Pres, Slim, Troll, PTD, Butty, TJ, Dunc, Eric, Bern, Stunt
Route: Backeddisbury Lane, Zag, Charity, Extension, Standing Stone, Nessit, Ressies, Kings Head
Conditions: Snow showers, c5-10cm fresh snow, old snow and frozen puddles underneath.
Notes:
Snow had fallen Monday night, with some TNR’ers able to go play Tuesday daytime, then sunny and sub zero in the hills until now when more snow showers due.
With conditions looking good, and the added bonus of a rare Eric appearance, ten intrepid riders assembled two by two at the bottom of the zag, and almost to a man deciding that they might have overdressed!
Dunc shows off his new 18 bikes steel hardtail freshly built up from the Tarn – it’s seriously long – a good half a wheel length over an orange 5. Dunc claims that it doesn’t feel that long, although does admit it has a longer turning circle than most bikes! Butty is on the Liteville – having broken his ebike motor in the snow on Tuesday (the Spesh warranty is proving very valuable!)
Claims of being too hot quickly evaporate in the snowy landscape, and route discussions lead to a go to charity and assess from there..so up the zag over lovely grippy sqeaky fresh snow, with creaking and cracking from the iced puddles underneath – snow riding is a very acoustic experience!
Some mistiness at windyways and down to walker barn as local atmospherics condense the moisture in the air, and more snow falling as we ascend charity to the off road section.
The climb is looking good, but once crested there is a lot of snow in the centre of the lane, PTD and Butty lead a splinter group to Narnia via the bombhole and swoopy bits in the trees, the main party take the high road on the RHS down to the gate, and Dunc takes the burly hardtail route one down the lane.
The side trail is good with only one short section where the snow is too deep to progress without a short walk, Dunc navigates the main trail fairly easily, and the Narniaites have had muddy slippyness in the trees.
More route discussion concludes (eventually) that keeping going down chazza is the right answer – and despite doomladen fears of huge wet pools of meltwater – its smooth fresh snow all the way down – just need to avoid catching a handlebar on the side in the ruts either side of the centre near the (narnia gate) start.
Extension also fun, the driving wet snow in our faces up to standing stone less so.
Luckily it stops soon after so onwards and upwards to a WhiskyMac stop at Dan’s bench.
More splintering in choice of descent – and El Pres breaks protocol on a solo white rabbit descent, does’t wait for the rest of us and is in the Pub sipping a pint whilst we wait at the Leathers wondering what to do.
Slushy roads down through Langley and Sutton probably the worst conditions of the ride.
Fireside table, inception to sup, and hearty food soon have us warming through and bantering. The veggie brigade are astounded at the quantity of Hallumi in the battered “not fish” option….cheese sweats tonight??
The custom MkII escort rally version – Eric has been touring a very expensive toyshop £150k and up, so the question is if you had the money would you? Royal family can afford it – crown estate reform as part of the revolutionary zeal at one end of the table. What can’t you drink due to excess in your youth…most diverse answers being Mead and Martini Rosso!
Three pints good, but a whisky for the road, and needed – hailing/sleeting on wet roads on the way back.
Snowball fight post midnight reported in Higher Poynton. Badgers sensibly tucked up in their setts tonight we assume.
Top snowy riding, back to wet filth next week!