Words by Alex , Photos by Pete
Crew: El Pres, Slim, Dunc, Stunt
Pub: Adrian and biscuit
Route: Zag, Charity, Narnia, Hardingland, St Dunstans
Conditions: Excessive surface water, mild, windy.
Notes:
With a band of seriously torrential rain having only just cleared, the quartet of determined riders arrive at the bottom of the zag meet point – to find a slightly grumpy Pete who having given Dunc permission to push the start back, failed to check the whatsapp updates, and had been waiting for 25 minutes. Luckily he had brought extra layers to put on to keep warm.
With more rain forecast and no table booked, we opt for a classic combo with an early to the pub to secure food.
Rivulets are pushing soggy piles of fallen leaves into odd shapes on the zag. But the sheer quantity of recent rain has cleaned the roads nicely, albeit with a goodly flow of water along the gutters.
On tarmac chazza the sandy section near the top is flooded a good foot deep and is renamed la plage du charitie for the evening.
Charity proper running like a river, Narnia not as muddy as feared, but a rare wet hardingland (plus a glowering walker).
A superb red crescent moon low in the sky, and the odd star visible as the weather front has departed to leave clearish skies for a while.
Decent momentum needed to cross the stream at the bottom the of steps in lower teggs, before the band of showers arrives.
The Dunny promises us food and shelter, and does not dissapoint.
Delicious Jaipur, two log burners, and a nice set of menu choices.
The chicken club sandwich with chips is the best value choice, but the pie fetishists are well catered for with steak and kidney pudding, and steak and ale pie!
We are soon putting the world to rights, exploring old sayings – apparently Chris’s mum used to say that you should never look at a new moon through glass!?
The music is triggering the Pete’opeida of nostalgic musical memories, Adrian arrives and confirms that he saw Hendrix in ’67 – when he was only a support act to the Small Faces.
Biscuit is slightly disappointed that there are so few people in the pub to get attention from.
At whisky o’clock the choices are investigated, and we are convinced by our young barman to try the bargain blended Japanese bottle – It’s not bad, and excellent value….so the president demands that we have a second.
Just as well we are fortified for the road, and it’s raining and into a headwind to get home.
Somehow we managed to forget to play pool..Bernard would never have let that happen!!
Next week the Christmas dinner ride….