Crew: El Pres, PTD, Slim, Butty, Dr S, Lee, G, Stunt
Route: Zag, Windyways, Tea rooms, Shining Tor, downy/uppy trail to Hoolihey lane, RHS of Lamaload, dam descent, road out to tower hill, Rainow, Oakenbank, poachers snicket, Church house.
Conditions: Cool, Showery, but dry trails
Notes:
Despite a somewhat mixed forecast a plan is touted to go high and enjoy firm trail conditions on the notoriously boggy route down from just past Shining Tor down towards Lamaload.
Obsessive weather app geekage suggested a need for waterproofs – but those who donned them from the off were regretting it at the bottom of the zag – with the showers skirting close but not delivering.
Extra points for Dr S with 2 waterproof layers!!
It is breezy though, and we are grateful for it being mostly an assist up to the tea rooms (good bit of buzzard action for those watching on the long straight drag section).
G also delivers on his promise to ride with a full turbo boost scorcher to catch us up (60% battery used), this then takes our group to an even 50/50 split of Ebikes to Acoustic…
At the tearooms we get a good view of the incoming weather – dark clouds backlit by the low sun are on their way and the windchill is significant. Buffs and layers needed now!
Despite the dry summer the moor on the other side of the wall has recovered well from the fire in the spring – mostly green after the recent rains.
The trail up to shining tor however is down to remnants of geotextile and devoid of the top layer in many places – going to need some serious attention soon. Encouragingly firm and lacking bogginess though.
Great sky with clouds, a bright orange stripe on the horizon, and shadows across the landscape, no drone shots tonight – tis too windy for dronie to fly 🙁
We head to the left hand turn through the wall – and Pete has called it right – dry firm and grippy (probably for the first time ever!) we make excellent time and manage the fast descent down to Hoolihey lane without lights just after sunset.
PTD has discovered some fine Glenfiddich in his Dads cupboard – which he estimates is now almost 30 years old – we toast relations and relationships, and savour it’s serious smoothness whilst overlooking Lamaload.
There is water in the reservoir – but as the late Paul Daniels would say “not a lot!” . Proper night riding now more fast fun down to the waterworks (no grumpy residents bothered to come out), then down the side of the little wood and out onto the road.
The only downside of todays route is this grind back out, but the twilight skies and little glimpses of the Manchester red lights are a nice distraction.
We do get to do Oakenbank – also dry and fast, and a rare descent of the Poachers snicket before arriving at the new home of Bolly biking the Church house.
Citra and Cruzcampo to start with, a lot of filo cheese pies are demolished, Lee talks likely Rome to Milan bike touring on Eurovelo 5 at the end of the month. Coniston trip chatter – bring spare brake pads? Mirth at the beer jug with the spitting image of Smiffy on it, and googling of the difference between porter and stouts (a slight difference in how far the barley has malted before brewing apparently)
The Cashlow curse strikes again – a lack of phone battery (despite warming it up in the pub) means G cannot pay his way again!! To much joshing he is bailed out by El Pres, we do like a TNR “constant”.
The sensible team depart after two pints, but a rare lack of an Axis of Evil, so we depart into the chilly night three pints good!
Autumn season and night riding has officially started!