Date: Tuesday 2nd March 2010
Riders: Paul, Stephen, Colin, James, Greg
Depart 1945
Arrive 2200
Distance 16 miles.

Route
Leg of Mutton, handrailed the road to Horrabridge. Pew Tor, Leat to road under Cox Tor, Merrivale, Yellowmead Farm, Foggintor Quarry, King’s Tor shortcut, Railway. Mountain rescue carpark. Sharpitor, Peek Hill, Lower Lowery. Yennadon down, Iron mine lane, Lake, HQ.

“A nice easy one this evening fellas, got a touch of the man-flu,” quoth Stephen. “Likewise for me,” added Colin, “Cycled to work and back today.”

Dutifully, I reigned in my initial plan and joined by a newcomer James (who new Alan and was introduced to Paul who introduced him the group), we began. Paul tried his hand at nocturnal 3-day-eventing but his stead pulled up at the first near the toll house in Horrabridge. Up Jordan lane and the usual mis-direction over Plaster Down before cracking onto the left of Pew Tor on a good dry track to follow the leat all the way to the Princetown-Tavy road under Cox Tor. By this time we had discovered an unrelenting Northeasterly. What faced us next was a head-down silent procession across the moor, pedalling hard to maintain momentum (or inertia, if you speak the BBC Olympic commentator’s language!!). I made the mistake of trying to yawn at a particularly windy point. I nearly swallowed my tongue. I could just make out an unrelenting whisper of expletives following me up the hill. In the 20 minute grind I don’t think Stephen repeated a single one of them! Mind and toes completely numb we turned off to Yellowmead Farm and the wind joined us.

“I used to work in a bank when I was younger and to me it doesn’t matter whether it’s raining or the sun is shining: as long as I’m riding a bike I know I’m the luckiest guy in the world.”
Pro racer Mark Cavendish, after the second of his four stage wins in the 2008 Tour de France.

Yeah Mark – nothing about the wind in there you sprint-stage tart!!!!

A good bit of respite from the wind saw us most of the way down the King’s Tor short cut and on to Routrundle Farm. Gathering ourselves we slogged on up the hill to the road and then a following wind again to the base of Sharpitor. Lost in the Clittor is the way Stephen remarked on the next part and my spelling was never great. We crossed the saddle to Peak Hill and a great new descent down to Lower Lowery. Up to Yennadon and Down. Lake and HQ.

Five pairs of very weary legs met Martyn already installed at the committee table warming the beer. I think we had all pulled out the stops for a good portion of the journey and the beer (no surprises here) tasted very good.

“When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking.”
Sherlock Holmes author, Arthur Conan Doyle, Scientific American, 1896

Reporter: Greg

President's Footnote: "No hill too steep, no beer to dear". GOWCC President 2009.