Date: Wednesday 13th January 2010
Riders: Glen, Stephen, Paddy, Greg & ………JULIAN (hurrah)!!!!!!
Departure time: 19.45
Arrival time: 21.32
Distance: 10 – 12 miles ish
Weather: Clear skies with occasional cloud. Temp ~ 0°C.

Julian lives….and can still ride a bike. After his sterling efforts studying for exams over the last 4 or 5 months, Julian finally did the exams last weekend and has allowed himself some well deserved exercise.

After brief discussion we headed up Lake Lane, Iron Mine Lane and along the Private Road (for anyone living on the Private Road I mean straight onto Yennaden Down!!!) then along the old railway and up through the plantation above Burrator Reservoir. With the mercury falling noticeably and temperature through freezing it was evident under wheel it was not to be the easiest of nights. The snow had melted a little and then re-frozen making the going tough. We followed the road from Lowery Cross to S******s Van and still the going was tough and treacherous. Tough enough, in fact, to inflict its first casualty. With an under performing Clarence, Stephen called it a day and headed home on the roads with frozen cleats and many wheel spins behind him.

The remaining 4 headed uphill into the plantation and then followed the track down to Leather Tor Bridge. It took a little bottle to wait the 4 or 5 seconds after turning the front wheel for the bike to follow, usually swiftly followed by the back wheel kicking out, shifting ones direction by 45 degrees usually towards a snow drift…but it was good fun all the same…and very hard work!!!

From Leather Tor Bridge we dropped down through the woods to Norsworthy Bridge and followed the road down the eastern side of the reservoir to Sheepstor where black ice was a plenty!!! We then gingerly headed for the dam itself where Glen peeled off back to Huckworthy and the remainder down the path to Meavy.

Confident of our abilities Julian, Greg and I were now safe on the roads with a gentle climb back to HQ ahead, or so we thought. Just out of Meavy, black ice (which is called that for a reason) put all 3 of us on the floor within a second, each of us hurting ourselves in one way or another. Obviously the person most in need of his hands hurt his……hand (Julian the Surgeon)!!! The one needing legs (to get to work on his bike tomorrow AM….Greg) hurt his….leg (actually backside to be more precise) but I was the only one with the real injury……blood (scraped knee!!!). We walked the rest of the way up the hill!!!

We only gained enough confidence to remount after grit was evident (a plenty!!!) further up Meavy Lane. Thence to HQ to be joined by Stephen who legitimately claimed his pint having actually ventured out on two wheels with us, Keith, who again had been out on his bike earlier…and Westy who just came along as stand in Social Sec (who again was conspicuous by his absence!!!).

All in all a good work out but we could do with less of the white stuff!!!

Reporter: Paddy

Top Tip: In icy conditions stay off road. Black Ice is exactly that…black….and invisible!!!