drunkcyclist2

Words by Alex, Photos by Pete

Crew: El Pres, Slim, Stunt, 3 Sheds

Route: RB, Middlewood way, Shrigley Road, Under the Canal, West Parkgate, Paddock Cottage, Knightslow woods, Bowstones, Gritstone Trail, 1975 stone, Sponds, Dale Top, Quarry descent, Poachers.

Conditions: Scorchio, bit of a breeze higher up.

Notes:

Apparently it’s all kicking off in Russia, “beware the Belgians playing the joker”, but don’t panic it’s a dead rubber anyway and it might be better to lose!?

Whatever that is all about it certainly led to an elite Eric friendly crew, and post apocalypticly empty landscapes…perfect!

Yet another week of this dammed weather, what’s a chap to do but seek the shelter of the leafy trees…before heading high to enjoy on board refreshments, views, fresh air, and camaraderie.

Middlewood way (apart from the odd cockwomble) provided a cool and airy route to Lyme park, via the Higher Poynton car park and lane up and under the canal. We turn off at the Church just ahead of a club run of roadies.

More coolth once through the gate, and even the grass climb to a definitely slightly pink Paddock cottage, is easier than normal due to the phenomenon of grippy grass!

Being legal in the park this time of year some discussion on route, and nostalgia takes us outside the wall to the big stile over the wall to the woods. Once through we do loops across dry beds of needles, roots and backed dry trail.

By the time we venture out into the direct sunlight again, the worst of the heat has gone, and its time to attack the climb to Bowstones.

Views from the top are impressive, and a breeze is welcome. Shonky hinges on the gates don’t appear to benefit from the dry weather though.

No mounds of paper processing waste at the moment..although plenty of evidence of its scattering!

The “1975” stone provides a perfect viewpoint and platform for G&T’s with ice and lemon.

3 Sheds is send a homing beacon, and we sit and enjoy our butties (or cold pizza slices!).

When he arrives, he lays down a marker of his own in sophisticated outdoor living with proper glass, and pork pies!

Saddleworth is still smoking gently hugging the valley’s  like mist, and as the sun lowers in the sky, its clearly drifting past Manchester. More worrying is a big plume on Winter Hill, which is going high in the sky before pluming away towards Wales.

Slim had brought camera with proper lens, and clicks away happily, the black cows among the sheep munch happily on the marsh grass, and a brown calf suspiciously licks 3 sheds bike before deciding it’s not worth eating!

Finally the sun sets, the money shot is taken, lightage is deployed, and we travel fast across the bone dry tops. At Dale Top a blood moon is rising from the East, more pics swiftly taken. Quarry descent is fast and fun!

Poachers arrival at 10:10, locking up the bikes it appears that the Nancies have a santa cruz policy going!

The need for cold beer means that lager beats ale this week!

We miss the Dunc ribaldry catalyst, but eventually get there ourselves. Some banter with the Nancies who apparently call us the Tytherington Night Riders …how close they are! 😉

Pleasantly cool on the ride home.

Crew: 3 Sheds, Stunt

Route: RB, Endon House, Lidgetts lane, back of Kerridge, Poachers Snicket, Pott Shrigley, Bakestonedale road, Layby climb to Dale top, Quarry descent, Poachers

Conditions: Dusty Dry, warm & a bit buggy

Notes:

Who needs sweet spanish singletrack when the dusty dry trails of cheshire beckon?

The TNR tradition is upheld by  Stunt and the very welcome return of 3 Sheds astride his bike to test out the still recovering knee.

Disaster is almost upon us before the start, on the middlewood way bend at the start of the footy pitches behind Rugby Drive a careering gravel biker narrowly avoids us!

Early grimaces and a pedestrian pace is needed to ensure that no undue risks are taken, but the Endon House climb give encouraging signs that an early bath is unlikely.

Back of Kerridge is a bumpy ride in superdry conditions making it all the more pleasurable.

Arriving into Ingersley Vale the knee is up for a crack at a bigger climb, whipping up the snicket (inhaling the odd insect!) and heading across to Pott Shrigley.

A lot of catching up to be had and good conversation when riding as a pair 🙂

Some sleek and fast roadies whoosh past us as we turn into Bakestonedale road, we are happy to spin a low gear, but it’s not too long before we are at the layby.

Never seen the moor so dry, lots of scorched brown grass where the soil is thinner, vegetation is high, but the path is not overgrown. A lot of ragged sheep rubbing the remnants of their winter coats off on whatever they can find – including the gate and bottom of the stile we need to cross.

Short dry grass = easier riding on the final climb to dale top. Views suffering from haze and overcast skies, but a great place to be!

Along the ridge then down the quarry descent, the brown grass emphasising just how many rocks there are…but giving great grip!! Down at the gate all too soon.

We have earned a pint, and re retire to the poachers, Peroni and Dortmund Pilsner feel the right reward for a warm night, and a knee that has eased into the ride.

Conversation continues to flow (lubricated by a second pint) before heading home (still almost light!)

Hopefully the leg was not too stiff the next morning!!

Words by Alex, Photos by Butty and Pete

Crew: Butty, El Pres, Mr Inc, Slim, Stunt

Vinehop: TJ, Dunc, Bern

Route: BL, Tearooms, Stakeside, road climb to Pyms Chair, Wingather rocks, Taxal Edge, Road from Kettleshulme, Bakestonedale road, Pott Shrigley, Back lanes to Poynton, Vinehop, chez Butty.

Conditions: Perfect

Notes:

Butty has a crafty plan to celebrate his 9th anniverary of TNRing.

A big ride to finally “do” Taxal, end up at the craft beer bar Vinehop, then onto his for Chilli…and for once the TNR’s get to ride back from Poynton to Macc!

A good plan it is, Mr Inc arranges sleepover rights and starts at Butty o’clock (5:50 from Poynton)

Train home talk is trashed on the whatsapp chat just in case anyone was thinking of not riding back!!

Cometh the hour, cometh the faff….Stunt has finally sorted his tubeless woes, but discovers that uppy downy posts are no good when they won’t stay down and won’t stay up!

Rendevous arranged at Bull Hill lane/Buxton Road junction which suit Poynton end riders and Macc Riders.

Stunt arrives only seconds behind, having gone for plan B..the backup hardtail!

Motorbikes are at a minimum (perhaps avoiding the recently surface dressed road), rooks are at a noisy maximum in the wind stunted trees just before the Lamaload turn, little lambs show that the hill sheep are a month behind their plain cousins!

No paragliding off shining tor, maybe the wind (what there is of it) is in the wrong direction?

Arm warmers donned at the tea rooms, and dusty dry trail in good light is a joy…an unusual hazard is the lowish sun which is coming sideways on the descent into the Goyt, solved by hunching a little lower than normal 🙂

Grippy dry grass, and loose fireroad surface mean its spanish riding style required! loose spaniel avoided by the car park at the bottom.

Butty promises that there are fine trails on the other side of Erwood reservoir..for another night, as we watch some paddlers canoeing back to the sailing club.

No rest if we are to make Taxal, the sun is still shining behind the ridge on the long drag up to Pyms chair.

Pete and Chris are lucky enough to get a glimpse of an owl flying low to our left in the low evening light as we winch are way up the tarmac.

Across the moor is magic..but there are still the odd very boggy bit to catch you out!

Climbers on Wingather, great views, blue sky, sliver of moon (deathstar appears!)

Big storm damage in the plantation to the right of the woods climb to Taxa ridge.

More amazing views from Taxal, and not a bad ride either.

Rear blinkies winking tired legs set out for the road ride back through Kettleshulme (spotting aston martins as we go).

Revving engines behind us on the climb the other side has us smiling as the noise is not matched by the little aygo that struggles past eventually 🙂

It feels wrong to pass by the gritstone trail, and miss out an “easy up” to a great “down”, but time is against us…and the beer is calling!

Getting chilly as we descend at speed, front lights on, and past Shrigley Hall and into the back lanes to Poynton.

We collect Dunky who has beaten us there by a few mins, and lock up outside the Vinehop.

What a set of delights inside! Juniper infused pale ales, summer stouts, lager for Bern (there’s always one!). Mr Inc brings artisan snackage – is mocked, then applauded as we taste them!!

We all agree that Earl Grey IPA is a step too far though 🙂

Hunger wins after 2 rounds, Stunt heads to the shelves to buy tins with the remaining kitty…and is true to his work in buying the shiny pretty cans! (luckily they taste good too)

Butty feeds us most excellent chilli, rice and tear/share bread, our tins are gently consumed, we muck about with spotify, and within a flash it’s past midnight!!

Team Tythy make a break for it, sucking in Team Macc too.

Dunc leads us out, but only Stunt manages to stay on his skinny wheel for any length of time.

The local fuzz show a kindly side checking Slim is ok when having a crafty whizz!

Team Poynton slip into a severe Axis of Evil into the wee hours….

Strangely there seem to be internet connectivity issues in the general area the following morning.

Amazing night, tired bodies the following day.