drunkcyclist2

Words by Eric, Pics by Pete

Crew;
A Team; El Pres, Butty, Slim, PtD, Eric.

Another Team; Dunc, Big Nick

Route; BL, Buxton Old Road, Tea Room, Cat track, Danebower, RH option, Cumberland Brook, Standing Stone, LH option, Sutton Hall.

Conditions; At last – not raining!

Stats; El Pres; puncture

Offs; Miraculously non

With the first snows of winter lying in the hills the decision was “southwards and up” for some festive fun. Everything on the climb was toasty warm until the moment you stop. We regrouped in the lee of Stakeside before heading out into the teeth of the gale over the hill to the Cat. The first snow was encountered here and as the snowy climb was contemplated there were a few envious glances cast at Butty’s tyres “of size” (can’t say fat). However it was surprisingly grippy even with normal skins, that’s the uphill part, the downhill was just sheet ice.

Across the road to Danebower and the fun really started. Everything was OK if the snow under-wheel was making those reassuring crunching noises; but when it all went quiet it was time to keep a straight line and fingers off the brakes until you’re off the ice and back on the crunchy stuff. At least the Ice Road Truckers have 18 wheels to keep them upright. To make things a bit more interesting someone had ridden along the track before everything had frozen solid and left a deep death rut which once in, you were committed to following to wherever it lead!

Having survived as far as the gate without incident it was time to get crazy and head off piste. So it was seats down and follow Butty and PtD; initial misgivings about the wisdom of our actions soon giving way to whoops and hollers.

Riding in the icy river flowing down the middle of Cumberland Brook gave everyone a welcome respite from the snow and ice, and a wet rear. The chill was starting to get to folks as we regrouped in Wildboarclough so El President’s declaration of a puncture was not greeted with great joy but as the mechanics get to work PtD opened the bar and Whisky Macs all round soon restored the team’s morale. Now that is leadership.

It was then back over Standing Stone and free route choice to Sutton Hall. The weather had the last laugh with those opting for the easy “road option” encountering black ice on the descent – fun.

Words & Pics by Pete

Route : Some quiet lanes and tracks in the vicinity of the Scottish fishing village of Eyemouth

Crew : Pete

Conditions: 6C and 20mph winds, lots of big puddles ..but fantastic, low “Northern Winter” sunshine

Notes:

It is a Thursday afternoon, Xmas eve.
I have brought my Cotic hardtail up here (with newly fitted 1×10 drivetrain 🙂 ) with the intention of revisiting some old haunts that I have not seen in 10 years.

In the 1990s when my daughters were knee high and my in-laws were younger we came up to Eyemouth lots ..and I would bring my 1991 Kona Cindercone, replete with solid fork and cr@p brakes.

It was time to ride these lanes and tracks again. With the Cheviots on one horizon , and the North Sea on the other …it is hard not to feel at ease with the world 🙂

Words by Eric, Pics By Pete

Crew;
A Team: El Pres, Butty, Slim, Dunc, Doog, Mr I, Three sheds, Eric.

Pub:

Route: Rainbow Bridge, Middlewood Way, Doog steps into Bolly, Ingersley Vale, Poachers snickett, Oakenbank, Jumper Lane, Blaze Hill, Highwayman, Gritstone, Sponds, Dale Top, Pott Shrigley, Poachers

Conditions; Miserably wet at low level, climbing into miserably cloudy higher up.

Stats; Non reported

Offs; Non reported

With a distinct lack of enthusiasm from the southern contingent an RB start was declared with El Pres and Doog making the journey up from the south.

It looked like a bit of a leadership vacuum might be developing until Butty, by far the northernmost chap, stepped into the breach and lead off along the Middlewood Way. The steps from there down to Bollington were the scene of a Doog somersault many years ago – the poor guy was persuaded to give it another go, and as we reminded him, bikes have suspension forks these days (most bikes Dunc).

With everyone safely downstairs it was up to Ingersley Vale for an ascent of the Poachers snicket which seemed to have got very muddy with the building works at the bottom. Oakenbank and Jumper Lane saw us reach the cloudbase where things got wetter than they already were and as we climbed Blaze Hill the visibility shrunk too. The only good thing about not being able to see where you are going is that you can’t see how far you still have to climb.

The ride along from the Highwayman to Charles Head was a little scary as those mega rear lights don’t seem quite so bright in the fog. By Charles Head it was full on grim so to make it worse we headed up the gloop towards Sponds – “I think we need to turn off left somewhere around here”; then we saw Butty’s lights, local knowledge, we’re saved. It only took a couple of flounders around in the gloom and we were back on track. The rocky bit from Dale Top saw your correspondent suffering from glasses – can’t see without ‘em; can’t see with ‘em all fogged up.
Once back down to Moorside Lane there was some debate about the next bits but the general consensus was – this is a bit grim, we’ve ridden enough to justify putting a stop to this, *** it, pub!
We arrive at the Poachers to find cyclists were expected – nearly all the seats were decked out with rather fetching black bin bags.
Your correspondent left the Poachers at what seemed like a sensible time but it would appear from reports on social media that an old fashioned axis of evil broke out shortly afterwards. Reports were received that some of our members were not functioning fully the following morning and one was seen drinking soft drinks as long after the event as Sunday. It would appear that El Pres is certainly not yet suffering from glasses.