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A celebration of Winter…..

Its about time for a bit of gratuitous Macc & District winter piccies…the snowy start to the new year has just got me in the mood 🙂 ….

From Misceallaneous 2008

This is an “analogue photo” of the Leathers Smithy I took back in December 1990 I think . Not very often this reservoir freezes over, eh ?

From Snow on hills above Bollington Sunday 27th Feb 2005

Above Bollington & Rainow Feb 2005 (on the way to Jenkin Chapel)

From New years day 2010

Next up …one from new year’s day 2010…who can tell me where it is taken ?

From 15th jan 2007 Walk to Shining Tor and beyond

This one is from January 2007 and a frosty walk to Shining Tor at sunset

From Misc Winter shots

On the trip to work Jan 2005

From Misc Winter shots

Another at Alderley Edge the same morning

Check out our very own “Weather Widget”

Courtesy of the Met Office and their generous HTML script …I have altered the site to offer this as a permanent page – see Right Hand Menu

Xmas WAGs do…the piccies

A token ride over Kerridge …

From Xmas Ride and Bash 12-12-2009
From Xmas Ride and Bash 12-12-2009
From Xmas Ride and Bash 12-12-2009

Frolics chez Palmer

From Xmas Ride and Bash 12-12-2009

TNR 18-12-2009 Christmas Slackers Ride

From TNR 17-12-2009 Xmas Ride

A Mega Crew of:

El Pres, El Pud, Doog, Eric, Dan, Nic, Dunc, Mark, Shedless, Pete, Coley, Bernard & Peter, PTD & Ian, Stunt, Luc, Kersh, Salad Dodger, Joe

+ Pub: Mawds, Shaun & Croxy

From TNR 17-12-2009 Xmas Ride

Route

Old Buxton Road Zig Zags, Walker Barn, Charity Lane, Narnia, Hardingland, Settlers Way, Teggs Nose, Langley, Church House.

From TNR 17-12-2009 Xmas Ride

Conditions

Well below zero (+ wind chill!) with a dusting of snow on icy ground

From TNR 17-12-2009 Xmas Ride

Stats

9 Miles, 1500ft

1 puncture (Joe)

1 Seatpost Failure (Dan)

http://connect.garmin.com/player/20679822

Notes

Another world class planning & logistics exercise courtesy of El Pud & PTD!

Weather provides perfect seasonal backdrop

Charity Lane a touch icy

Bitterly cold in an icy wind

Did anyone else see the decorated Christmas tree in Narnia!?

Mulled wine only warms you up for a few minutes

Teggs Nose cocktail bar – par excellence, Scorpions Tail & Blue thing (TBC)

Fun decent to Langley

20 pints of your finest ale as we fill the Church House!

Rumours of road rage!?

Crimbo Crackers & Turkey Trimmings by the roaring fire..

Bishops Finger the pint of choice

Baileys with ice!? Even the staff mock Nick

Pete stacks Z’s again!

From TNR 17-12-2009 Xmas Ride

Extra Photos Section :

From TNR 17-12-2009 Xmas Ride
From TNR 17-12-2009 Xmas Ride
From TNR 17-12-2009 Xmas Ride
From TNR 17-12-2009 Xmas Ride
From TNR 17-12-2009 Xmas Ride
From TNR 17-12-2009 Xmas Ride
From TNR 17-12-2009 Xmas Ride
From TNR 17-12-2009 Xmas Ride
From TNR 17-12-2009 Xmas Ride
From TNR 17-12-2009 Xmas Ride
From TNR 17-12-2009 Xmas Ride
From TNR 17-12-2009 Xmas Ride
From TNR 17-12-2009 Xmas Ride
From TNR 17-12-2009 Xmas Ride
From TNR 17-12-2009 Xmas Ride

TNR 12-12-09 “Bollistan”

From TNR 10-12-2009 Bollistan
From TNR 10-12-2009 Bollistan

Crew:

El Pres, El Pud, Doog, Eric, Four Sheds, Three Sheds, Manc Mark, Dukin Dunc, Joe, Salad Dodger, Big Dan, Stunt.

Route:

From TNR 10-12-2009 Bollistan

Rainbow bridge, middlewood way to the Vale, Beeston mount, past the Poachers, Oakenbank lane, novel Gritstone loop from Lamaload access road, a parting of the ways, Cock and Pheasant.

Conditions:

Cold and still, wet and muddy off road.

Stats:

11 Miles & 500 ft ish

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/20679829

3 punctures (mark 2, Dunc 1)

1 snapped chain (el pud)

From TNR 10-12-2009 Bollistan

Notes:

Early faffing hints that we may have triggered an “Ericurse”.

A short ride big on steep hills.

More faffing on the gritstone trail allows appreciation of Bethlehem like rainow.

…Even more faffing triggers a splinter group!

Ericurse lifts now that group rider balance is restored 🙂

Ninja exploits down to Oakenbank from above.

Did El Puds chain snap or did it simply wear through? Evidence collected for later analysis!

Cosy welcome at the Cock and Pheasant.

Quiz night gave added interest (well until we lost interest)

Cashlow produces coins and nearly wins a Brucie bonus 🙂

RAIers confused as to why only 3 glasses from a whole bottle?

Marc has a wheelie bad idea

Axis of E Sail away in an old ship 😉

From TNR 10-12-2009 Bollistan

We never did agree on the right number…

TNR 03-12-2009 Two Teams, Two Routes

From TNR 03-12-2009 Two Teams Two routes

Crew 1:

Butty, PTD, El Pres, Joe, Big Nick

Pub – El Pud & Mawds

Route:

Cat & Fiddle, Stakeside, Goyt Rough Descent, Climb out via Access Rd to Derbyshire Bridge, C&F again, Standing Stone, Forest, Langley, King’s Head

Conditions:

Ok, very wet underfoot

Stats:

None at all

From TNR 03-12-2009 Two Teams Two routes

Notes:

A PTD Route

Phantom Puncture & Two Chain Snaps

Crew 2:

TJ, Shedless, Salad Dodger, Eric, Croxy

Route:

Buxton Old Rd – Blakelow Zig Zags – Windyway House Bridleway – Teggs Nose high entry – Through the Quarry – Off Piste to Langley on the right hand side – Road to Forest – Hardingland – Chazza – Narnia – Nature reserve route with a hop over the wall – Erics slippy forest descent – Trentabank – New Forest path opposite the Leathers – King’s Head

Notes:

A Croxy-ish route ?

King’s Head was the right answer….

Good Beer (Speckled Hen and A.n.other I can’t recall)

Good Nosh …huge homemade(?) pies

A stock of Viz and the Profanisaurus (Pete was crying with laughter)

Sofas and a real stove

Eccentric Landlord with a two tone 70s roller

A triangulation of evil ensured a late exit

TNR 26-11-2009 Jacksonville

From TNR 26-11-2009 Jacksonville

Crew:

TJ, Butty, Phil The Plumber, El Pres, Shedless, Salad Dodger, Stunt, Luc, Joe

Pub – El Pud & Dukin Dunc

From TNR 26-11-2009 Jacksonville

Route:

Rainbow Bridge, Lidgetts Lane, Rainow, Road to Lamaload WTW, South Side Track to Hooleyhey lane, Towards Jenkin chapel then up to Highwayman, Blaze Hill, Pott Shrigley, Brickworks track, Right down track to Shrigley Road, Jacksonville, Boars Head.

From TNR 26-11-2009 Jacksonville

Conditions:

3C with occasional sleet, very wet ground conditions

From TNR 26-11-2009 Jacksonville

Stats:

Approx 20 miles(including return from Boars Head), 2000ft of climb (Mr Butty to confirm)

From TNR 26-11-2009 Jacksonville

2 Offs – Pete & Joe (Rainbow bridge!)

No Faffs

Notes:

A Mark Butty Route – we now have the new Kershaw!

A rare visit to the South Side of Lamaload.

First really cold ride of the winter

A Shameless Shedless Softie bottles out at the Poachers

Passing peletons with the Nancy’s at Pott Shrigley Church

Vin Chaud & Hot Tart courtesy of Enid a chez Jackson

Boars Head felt like the Church House good food, reasonable prices and a real fire 🙂

Shock as El Pres makes the wrong pie choice!

Hobgoblin & Black sheep and even a wee dram fortify the posse for the long cold ride home.

Postscript by Pete :

Two new sayings were created this week :

Trevor gets the tarts in 😉

Trevor’s Plumber gets the beers in 🙂

Wednesday Dawn Ride 25-11-2009

From Dawn Raiders 25th November 2009

Crew: Big Dan, El Pres, Salad Dodger, Stunt

Route: BL, Walker Barn, Charity Lane, Nessit Hill

Conditions: 5 C, Force 6 wind, very wet after overnight rain.

From Dawn Raiders 25th November 2009

Notes:

El Pres starts his daily commute at 6:15am.

Waterproof trousers compulsory (unless you El Pres who is rock hard!)

Its busy early!…

Plenty of Buxton commuters & Dog wakers unsettled to see MTBers at such an hour.

Charity very strange – much water, little loose rock, but slippery.

Stunt has a dab on the muddy ruts on the top of oven lane.

Plenty of early morning snapping from camera Pete.

Properly light at 7:30

Dan deploys the bacon butties (warmed by spicy ketchup) at the top of Nessit Hill.

Cracking views of the Cheshire plain

Funny to be finishing in the light this time of year.

TNR 19-11-2009 EricQuestIII “Return of the White Rabbit”

From TNR 19-11-2009 Ericquest 3

Crew:

Event Maestro Eric + Scorer Mawds

Team Palmer

Team Thornton

Team Smith + Shaun in the pub

Team Kershaw

Bungle & Zippy (aka Pete & Phil)

Red Mist (Alex & Trevor J)

Young Bucks (Dan & Joe)

Billy Whizzers (Billy & Nick)

Dual Noobes (Mark & Dunc)

From TNR 19-11-2009 Ericquest 3

Route

Rally style start from Eric’s Garage

Choose your own route around the controls

Finish at the Leathers Smithy at 9 or face penalties

Conditions

Clear, mild but a serious Southerly wind!

Stats

1 Chain requiring surgery pre start Trevor Jackson

1 off Stunt with the red mist by the dam

2 lost maps

Notes

From TNR 19-11-2009 Ericquest 3

Another masterclass in event organisation from Eric!

The trailquest format is a cunning combination of speed, routeplanning and estimating time/distance.

21 in the pub – a new record?

Andycapping yet again provides a close finish

Points mean prizes – this year a new trophy is unveiled

Excellent to see lots of Lads & Dad’s teams – well done all!

All controls were visited by at least one team

Every team visit oven lane “Gallaghers Leap”

To be a contender you need to bag the big controls

Amazingly Billy didn’t crash!

Phil & Pete managed to lose both their maps in the wind and then bicker!

Trevor J’s sugar rush sweets & Stunts navigation prove a winning combination.

El Pud & Alastair run them close and take the family class title.

As ever much route comparison post event to work out which strategies were best!

Adnams refreshes the weary competitors

Next year starting ramps & countdown timer outside the Smithy?

The Triangle Of Evil (you know who you are) graces the Kings Head with patronage until the wee hours

TNR 12-11-2009 Edgy Behaviour 3

From TNR 12-11-2009 Dont Push me cos I am close 2 the edge 2

Crew: El Pud, Salad Dodger, Big Nick, Duncan, Coley, Joe, El Pres, 3sheds, Trevor Jackson and Mrkbutty, Kersh

From TNR 12-11-2009 Dont Push me cos I am close 2 the edge 2

Pub : Mawds, PTD and Sean 

From TNR 12-11-2009 Dont Push me cos I am close 2 the edge 2

Route: Rendezvous on Beech lane, Bollin Valley, Prezzers, Hare Hill, Lots of messing about centred on the Wizard …both sides of the hill, descent of squirrals chase, ascent of swiss hill, and the new slant on the carved owl route…rd back to Prezzers.

From TNR 12-11-2009 Dont Push me cos I am close 2 the edge 2

Conditions: Very wet before, no rain whilst riding…started to rain again on arrival at the Legh Arms 🙂

Very slippy and wet underfoot.  

Stats:

1 Off – Pete – early on

2 puncture faffs (only 5 mins ) Kersh and Andy

Notes:

Bollin valley reliably muddy 

Classic AE circuits given a new slant

Legh Arms comes up trumps for food and opening hours

TJ shows his “Liberace” side as well as “getting the beers in”