Date: Tuesday 9th March 2010
Riders: Paul, Stephen T, Greg, Colin and for part of the way, Paddy.
Depart 1945
Arrive 2200
Distance 16 miles.

Route: Lake – railway track – Burrator Dam – Sheepstor – Scout Hut – Eylesbarrow – Nun’s Cross – Stone Row – Down Tor – Deancombe – Norsworthy Bridge – Handrail below Sheepstor – Burrator Dam – Meavy – HQ.

Five set forth to Lake. And then there were four. An almost instant failure of Paddy’s freewheel curtailed his efforts after an extended lay-off suffering with chronic excuse syndrome. This bout has not been as virulent as the one Alan is suffering with. This occasion was genuine and Paddy showed great restraint in venting his spleen.

Up iron-mine lane and east to the railway track. Firm under tire with the dry conditions. We arrived to a point just above the Dam and descended to where the Ice cream van parks-up. Too cold for a Mr Whippy this evening, although Colin must have come near to one, deciding to descend on foot. (Please see footnote below).

Onto Sheepstor and the Scout hut. We were all a little fresher than our last visit to Eylesbarrow and made quick work of the long trail. The wind was a little in our faces to Nun’s cross, but made up for it by being on our tails across to Down Tor. Another great descent on the western flank of the Tor to Dean Combe and onto Norsworthy. A short delay in play here as we suffered our first puncture for a while - Paul the sufferer.

Handrailed the tricky bridlepath under Sheepstor, rejoined the road and onto the Dam. From here we followed the Leat into the woods. This is where my memory gets slightly fuzzy???

Misreading a chicane in the path I (leading a section of downhill) chose the path of least resistance and entered the dry leat through the air. Although my take off was good (but unintentional) the execution of my landing was anything but. Only in the sports of diving or Gymnastics do you regularly lead with your head. I have never done either of these sports but chose a Tuesday night at 2145 in the dark for a ‘taster’.

My head hit the deck, thankfully cushioned by a significant depth of leaves. Limbs all intact I looked up to see Paul sliding to halt on his side just above me having decided that a disappearing light was a light not to be followed. Bike and rider amazingly intact we cycled onto Meavy and back to HQ. We missed Martyn by 10 mins but the social sec attended. Something about a prescription for Man-flu.

Reporter: Greg

President's Footnote: A correction from Westy "I only stopped at the top to slightly lower the saddle. I too completed the descent although I almost got taken out by the telegraph pole guy rope at the base of it in my attempt to miss the deep trough of mud."