Date: Thursday 26th November 2009
Riders: Paul, Stephen, Paddy & Sam until disaster struck!!!
Departure time: 19.45
Arrival time: 21.50
Distance: Somewhere between 17.3 and 17.7 miles depending upon
whose bike ‘poota you believe!!!
Weather: Getting cold, dry, overcast but with good viz. Temp
~ 6°C
No route from Routemeister meant lengthy discussion
and debate prior to departure. Greg and Colin came out to see
us off and
we despatched duly down a very cold and long Meavy Lane to…err….Meavy.
Past the ford and up the steep climb to Ringmoor Cottage, avoiding
Earthquake for some reason. Then onwards up to the Scout Hut
passing a team of “other” MTB’ers at the road
junction.
After showing them a clean pair of heels we
took the left towards Ditsworthy Warren House where on the
most innocuous section of
level and unrutted track, inexplicably Sam’s front wheel
reversed itself and threw him firmly to ground, winding him and
(as it has turned out) breaking a bone in his hand. A certain
Fizio (sp??) sorted him out at Derriford today though!!!! So,
in true “Gentlemen of Willowby” spirit, (and abiding
by one of the club's informal rules to never show sympathy) we
buggered off and left him to get home on his own.
We then continued up Drizzlecombe to the main track and then
past Eylesbarrow Tin Mine, Nuns Cross (passing a member of the
previous MTB team encountered) who had a puncture and no working
spare (likewise, his team had done the decent thing and left
him to his own devices) and we found him having cut an inner
tube in half, knotted both ends with a view to re-insertion and
inflation. Nutter!!! One of his mates took pity and came back,
so on we went to Princetown. Paul decided it best to arrive at
the Plume via head planting in as many peat bogs as he could
find his way there.
We then came back to HQ down the old railway,
at standard Routemeister speed …..max chat….. into
the wind (ugg!!) and then back via Walkhampton.
Greg took it upon himself to stand in for the
Social Sec (who by all accounts has a severe case of Man Flu,
poor boy!!!)…or
does Greg just go to the pub on his own anyway???
A good outing with Routemeister making us pay
(in sweat) for some misdemeanour or other, but great shame
about “Fingers” Whitehead
who will join us with his plaster cast next week. Sam, can we
all sign and draw Chads on it??? Do Chain Reaction do waterproof
plaster cast sleeves????
Reporter: Paddy
