drunkcyclist2

Words by Alex, Pics by Pete

Crew: El Pres, PTD, Slim, Butty, TJ,Mr Inc, Coley, Stunt

Route: BL, Zig zags, Charity, Butty’s Snicket, Narnia, Charity, Extension, Standing stone, New BBQ descent, Rezzies, Sutton Hall

Conditions: Balmy 7 degrees, hill fog from Back Eddisbury up, dry but very muddy trails.

Stats: Butty Faff (brake pad replacement), Off (Slim)

Notes:

A surprisingly “not cold” night, although the expectation of it being colder led to a sub 5 degree rule planning execution anyway 🙂

Hill Fog meant route would be the forest, Butty to catch up  (with cake!) which he did by the end of the Zig. then promptly had a major faff with brake pads, sticky chain and where’s my tool bag! Rest of us stood and offered advice (although Stunt did have a useful tool). Cows in the next field not bothered..

Into the cloud past descending fell runners on the Zag, care descending to Walker barn.

No sign of the rush hour at Chazza, bar lights only by this point. Decision to do the snicket despite the likley mud driven by the fact that descending chazza would be somewhat hazardous in this poor vis.

The pine needles meant that only the boggy patches were muddy (but how!)

Amazingly we found our way to the end, whilst discovering that a simple call your number system was beyond us! (Strictly style SEVEN! seemed to cause amusement)

Cake and warm whisky mac stop – perfect.

Still misty all the way to the bottom of the oven, but then climbed out of it to standing stone.

Someone has been using our BBQ fireplace! and even properly sawing bits off fallen timber!! (secretly impressed..was it a lightweight hand chain saw??)

More cake and Coley’s special speyside malt in stoppered bottle (pirate stylee AAARRRGGGHHH)

Very slippy descent, which caught Slim out at one point in low speed toppling.

Plus tyres good (if your nobs are big enough!)

Last thrash round the rezzies, PTD pops into the Smithy to sort xmas TNR meal, retire to Sutton Hall.

Busy and decorated with a lot of Santa sacks…we do find a table in the Garden Room 🙂

No one’s tempted by the dark ales yet, much Blonde and Wizarding. Sausage and Mash is however a big draw, and some even do puddings!!!!

We play a virtual Dunc to lower the tone almost immediately (perhaps inspired by two stops pre pub?)

The real one sends us cartoons later too 🙂

Much talk of 2017 things to do..some of which are already happening.

Much mirth, and for a shortish ride a lot of fun 🙂

Words by Alex, Pics by Pete

Crew: PTD, El Pres, Slim, Butty, TJ, 3 Sheds, Mr I, Stunt

Pub: Dunc

Route: BL, Zig Zags, Charity, Narnia, Hardingland, Lower Ressies Loop, Smithy

Conditions: Cold and Clear, wet & muddy trails

Stats:  1 chain break (3 sheds)

Notes:

More start time shenanigans with online voting!! Democracy gone mad.

Slim was “on time” at 6:45 with the required drinks on board

Sadly most others were not..anticipating further lateness (words were had!)

Cold for those who had been waiting around…3 Sheds heads up hill early to get warm.

Crew is strung out over a fair distance by the first Zig, with counting slightly complicated by another couple of riders doing the same route.

With a tactical use of the road (by some) we are almost back together at Windyways, but the slog up to Charity stretches us again.

As we close in on the elusive 3 Sheds a string of lights appears from Hacked Way lane – It’s Rush hour in the forest..as 20+ riders from multiple groups have all managed to converge at the start of Charity in simultaneously…Eric would certainly not have approved!

Some banter is exchanged on “how lovely the weather is to bring out all these riders” 🙂

Under an amazing waning orange supermoon its time to descend!

At Narnia gate we extract ourselves from the stream of riders and head for the bench.

A triple refreshment stop 🙂 in addition to Slim’s Rusty Nails (excellent as ever), Butty has discovered some Turkish Ouzo like stuff in his freezer….strong licquorice with notes of burnt inner tube it actually tastes better than it smells!, and TJ has Glenfiddich (aaaahh).

The rest of Narnia is navigated without incident, and we merge with more riders at on Hardingland (what is going on!!). 3 sheds 9 speed chain reaches a failure point, but is quickly repaired with a quick link (those gold 9 speed ones are so easy!).

There is just time to order food at the Smithy before a quick blast up on the road, then round to Bob’s bench to finish the dregs of the Nails & Whisky (no takers for the Turkish!).

3 Stags in the field beyond the final reservoir turn loom in our lights briefly.

Smithy quite busy so we’re on the back table for food, before retiring to the table window by the fire for more drinks.

Hi brow topics dominate for a surprisingly long time, Dunc arrives and much debate ensues about the tone of the conversation dropping at this point 😉 Ribald humour much in evidence very soon.

Vans with bikes on park up outside and some of the visiting MTBers come in for a pint and crisps. One is a scott e bike for a chap who’s legs have clearly come off worse from an encounter with something (help for heros garb being worn) Respect!

Soon we are the last customers left, we almost manage to forget the now obligatory final short, and Stunt discovers that the doors are on one way locks!

Tis a cold ride home once again, but so far no ice yet this season.

Crew: PTD, El Pres, Stunt

Route: BL, Old Road, Teggs, Crooked Yard Road, Chazza, SS1, Narnia, Lower Chazza, Dentists Descent, Standing Stone, New spot trail, Kirsten Munt ascent, Nessit,  singletracks, reservoir loop, Sutton Hall

Conditions: Clear & Dry with a chilly Easterly breeze.

Notes: 50% increase in crew this week!! So that will be a grand total of three 🙂

Its quality that counts though – and with a tricky wind and very dry trails its a perfect night for doing all the secret singletracks 🙂

Starting with Teggs we meet a very nice walker who wants to know where to get lights as good as ours! Less give in the hard ground makes for a bumpier descent than usual, but the right hand side snicket (free of argumentative natives this week) is very rideable (if your legs and technique are up to it!)

Opting for the road climb we are still generating enough heat to avoid the extra layer just yet. Cracking sky with the last of the sunset, a half moon, few clouds, and all the hues of light in the deepening dusk.

Layers on and full lights for the first foray onto the paths less travelled…to find it extremely well travelled, and waymarked for night time riders!! It looks a little different at night…and soon it’s because it is..and others have made a quasi downhill course. Backtracking we do find “our” track with a bit of dead reckoning trial and error, and enjoy the dry and firm track 🙂

Back on the Narnia track our lights catch the eyes of a couple of deer lower down.

Rocky and loose down to forest chapel, more backtracking to find the entrance to dentist descent – which is untouched, although some trees are down near the start (which is why it looked a little different). Fantastic conditions – just the odd diversion for downed twiggery here and there. Care needed for the odd damp rut as PTD has a sideways slide!

More uphill on the road to Standing stone, then a sober explore of the “new track” it’s all rideable if you know what is coming, more deer encountered lower down.

Time is on our side, so we can head up again, this time offroad, the KM ascent has had some drainage work done, widened and topped up with aggregate, seemed easier than we feared.

Stunning views from Dan’s bench, then a stunning encounter with a huge Stag just round the corner! PTD is level with him before we realise he is there!! He moves off a little then turns round, we decide to take the other path to the gate..

Perfect conditions for the sneaky tracks all the way down, and a new Wall jump on the downhill course means serious signs! (good 4 foot drop off!) PTD is excited – but needs a far burlier bike than the five.

The pub is calling, and with the last of our energy some impromptu racing to the Smithy. Bar is busy, and some ladies (who must be regular) happily inform us that they call us the Gynocologists..because we have bright lights..there is no real answer to that!

Kodiak Gold back on tap (beating the perfectly pleasant Thirst Quencher). Much debate between El Pres and PTD on food choice, they both plump for the quiche, but with differing sides, Garlic Bread & Skinny Chips. Stunt does his usual by being temped by new dishes before ordering the burger!

#firstworldproblems alert as out of Chiabatta they are, and would it be ok if they make the garlic bread from Focaccia instead!?

Tales of Finale Ligure…we need to go! Good catching up all round, and an excellent night, no stats recorded, although we reckon we’ve done some decent climbing (certainly the evil cramp that struck in the middle of the night would support that view!)