Date: Tuesday 19th October 2010
Route: Iron Mine Lane, Burrator, Handrail, Deancombe, Keith's Bridge, Peak Hill, Lowry, Yennadon, HQ.
Riders: Martyn, Paul, Keith, Paddy, Colin, Steve & James.
Depart: 19:40
Arrive HQ: 22:00
Distance: 13 miles
Weather: Showers dying out.

No Excuses!

According to the Met Office it was going to be a clear, cold, dry evening. With this good forecast, bang went my last feeble excuse for non-attendance. Paddy's excuse of his wife still being at work soon evaporated as she arrived home. Colin's excuse of feeling a bit under the weather carried no credence. Martyn's excuse of lack of time due to spending a whole day writing last week's report was thrown out. Paul's often used excuse of not wanting to leave Jo at home with the neighbours from hell is no longer valid. Steve's excuse of the need to catch some more baddies was quite valid, but everybody needs some leisure time. And James had no excuses!

So seven gents arrived at WP in light rain, which soon turned into rain heavy enough to mean a quick retreat into Westy's porch which gave Sarah quite a shock as she arrived home with the twins! Given the inaccuracy of the forecast we decided to stay fairly close to home so off to Burrator we went.

The first tricky downhill challenge of the evening was the drop to the dam from the railway. The first four appeared to fly down with ease, but Westy really did fly! From my position behind him, all of a sudden his arse was where his head should have been and then he just completely disappeared into the bracken, which thankfully was hiding no granite.

Onwards to the handrail which I negotiated with three less offs than last time! Then along the trail to Deancombe where Paddy showed off his jumping skills over the two streams. Up through the woods above Norsworthy and looped back to head for Keith's Bridge. Here I again succumbed to the ruts. If your two wheels are in a different rut there is only one outcome, (three letters beginning with O)!!

Although time was on our side we all seemed to be in agreement that with no Routemeister, we should make the most of his absence and return to HQ with the possibility of a three pint evening. So we headed up from Keith's Bridge to Sharpie Tor, across the saddle to Peak Hill where we took in the moonlit view towards Plymouth Sound. One more tricky decent off Peak Hill then the race for HQ.

Reporter: Keith