Crew: Slim, Dunc, Butty, Smiffy, Stunt
Route: Bolly Maze, Grimshaw lane, Lord St, Poachers Snicket, Blaze Hill, Pike Road, Bank Lane, Cheshire corkscrew, Jenkin chapel, Pym chair, top o the moor to Wingather, Taxal edge, Kettleshulme, Bakestonedale road, Poachers.
Conditions: Cold, clear, stiff easterly breeze.
Notes:
Pete touts a big ride to Taxal, secures an 8:45 table at the poachers, so game on!
A repeat of last week at the bolly maze, with team acoustic on time, and team e running behind.
Playing catch us if you can, we need to get started to make it round in time.
Butty is with us on Blaze hill, whilst Smiffy takes the Rainow/Smith lane route and arrives in time for the regrouping on Bank Lane. Tis a strong cold wind blowing tonight up here, so onwards without much of a pause.
Big puddles still a feature of Bank Lane, we slither to the side to get past, before heading down the corkscrew – huge amounts of mud and slop on top of the rocky terrain reduce the fun element, but all down without incident.
A lot of mud on the bridge at the bottom makes for a few ooh and aahs with some sideways action whilst trying to conserve some speed for the climb up the other side. Another full width mini flood just before Jenkin Chapel suggests that some proper draining maintenance is needed on here!
No spooky faces in the graveyard seen with the naked eye, but the spectre of a difficult climb instead as we are ascending to Pym chair into a headwind!
The final sections are most exposed, and the closer to the crest the worse it got, definitely a grim climb tonight. Prompting some discussion about what constitutes a grim climb – steepness for sure, but other factors can be considered, we all agree that it is a three big climb night tonight!
Huddling in the limited shelter of the wall by the entrance to the moor Stunt breaks out some proper hot chocolate for a much needed warmth and sugar boost (no alcohol shocker!!). Reinvigorated we take on the trail to Wingather – probably the wettest and softest it has been for a long time, making momentum difficult to maintain, but still a good bit of riding.
We have another clearish sky, but with a decent sliver of bright moon, the stars are less bright than recently. The windchill is discouraging us from standing around much to take it in anyway.
We are just about on schedule, some care needed not to get too close to the edge at Wingather with the wind, and the rocky sandy chute down and round to the woods had some helmet catching low branches to negotiate!
More soft ground in the woods, so quite impressive that Butty makes the climb (even e assisted) without spinning out.
We have made Taxal 🙂 a mix of frost hardening ground and soft mud makes for full concentration to pick a tyre track and anticipate the squirm in the dips, but smiles all round at the end. Smiffy has had his first taste and approves!
Thirty minutes to get to the pub, and we do get the benefit of a tail wind up the long drag from Kettleshulme. FIrst riders are on time, and the joy of a warm pub.
The artex is now a cappachino light brown, with some light green for the wood edges, the big radiator by the door is blasting out heat for the first time in living memory, and the pump of doom has disappeared!
After the Harriers have ordered their drinks we are well looked after by Liz, there is a nice 4% fireside porter from Wincle brewery, and the menu is little changed.
Stats are exchanged…and it looks like by the time we each get home it will have been a munro night 🙂
Smiffy is down to 27% battery, and we demolish the food in our need to replenish our own energy!
We are able to congratulate Gramps Butty in person this week, ponder on scandi flicks, finding silver linings to appreciate in everyday activities, and the need for a routine and place for lights/kit to enable getting away on time properly equipped. Butty’s charging drawer has drawn admiration for a properly engineered solution!
Is Guinness zero the new tactical coke?…quite possibly, and the mini AoE go leffe ahead of the settling of the bills and a chilly ride home.
A late appearance by Sarah…is she regretting leaving for the Harrington arms?…