8 gathered…only 7 made it back. After
brief route blah blah the consensus was to go high and head
for Princetown.
The weather had been lovely all day and the stars were now
shining so it made sense to get altitude. The views of night
time Plymouth,
as usual, failed to disappoint.
Left out of WP to Meavy and up Stephens Earthquake
(it’s
so much easier coming down!!!) to Ringmoor Cottage and on
towards the Scout Hut taking the right along the track shortly
before
the Scout Hut to Ditsworthy House. Martyn had been having
rear brake problems and drew stumps here arriving home safely
but
with no fluid in his back brake line.
From Ditsworthy we went up Drizzlecombe and
joined the Scout Hut – Princetown “motorway” below
Eylesbarrow Tin Mine. Shortly after passing the tin mine Greg
decided it
was not to be an incident free evening and threw a puncture.
He knew it had been quite a climb and we all needed to cool off.
Under no pressure and with just 6 as audience he managed a 10
minute inner tube change. Creditable!!!
Then on to Nuns Cross Farm, Boneshaker Crossroads,
South Hessory and The Plume where Greg needed another “pump” to
make him hard again!!! Time presseth on and Stephen (as we
all have
now come to expect) set a cracking pace back down the road towards
Yelvy with only a Greg/Colin/Paddy peloton able to wind him in.
At the bend we fell off to the back of Burrator woods and followed
the path down to the Keith’s Bridge at the River Meavy
where bikes were put onto shoulders with only Glen getting a
boot full. Down the fire track towards Norsworthy Bridge where
a “schism” occurred. 4 took the right over Leather
Tor Bridge and climbed gently up to the “Shaggers Van” and
the 3 continued to Norsworthy and back to HQ on the roads. The
4 followed the road to Yennaden Down and then, on leaving the
car park, Sam rode the hump that divides the car park from the
Down and misjudged the downslope…..where his steed threw
him “drekkly” over the handlebars. After a short
team chortle (the Gentlemen NEVER show sympathy)…..Stephen
did EXACTLY the same about 5 yards later. The chortle lasted
longer this time!!!
Then down Yennaden to Iron Mine Lane and Lake Lane, catching
Glen on the last rise into Yelvy.
Stephen reported 17.5 miles which was a bit
disappointing but I think we all felt we had earned a pint
of Jail particularly
Stephen………who reaches his half century TOMORROW!!!
Happy Birthday old chap!!!
Reporter: Paddy
STOP PRESS……Stephen has gone to
work on his bike today for the first time. Not bad for a man
of 21 again!!!!!!!!!!
