Date: Tuesday 1st February 2011
Route: WP, Burrator, Scout Hut, Nunn's Cross, Leat, Boneshaker, Yennadon, HQ.
Riders: Martyn, Colin, Paddy, Greg, Steve, Keith, Sam, Alex, Adrian & John.
Depart: 19:40
Arrive HQ: 22:05
Distance: 14 miles
Weather: Mild & dry.

Attrition

After returning home and opening my emails at 5:00pm, I thought I may be riding alone, there was no suggestion whatsoever that there would be a turn out of ten. We welcomed two mew gents, Adrian and John, who were 'fully suspended'. As we headed off I started to chat with Sam, but very soon found that I was talking to myself. I stopped before the end of WP to find that Sam had made the grand distance of less than 20 yards before terminal mechanical breakdown! At least he could walk home!

We descended to Burrator dam from the steep drop off, with the still frozen patch at the bottom to remind us that the moors had not fully defrosted. A bit of road then to the scout hut before the rocky assent up towards the Eyeslebarrow Tin Mines. We waited for the last two, but only Martyn appeared with the news that Steve had a broken chain, but would try to catch us up. Two down (20%), eight to go!

Once at the top there is usually a nice quick dash to Nunn's Cross, but not this evening. The track had turned into treacle and it was extremely hard going. We turned east to pick up Nick's Leat (AKA, the Devonport Leat). Although it was a mild evening, the leat looked deep and menacing and with a vision of my Pink Chit issuer appearing in my head, I bottled it and walked as much as I rode!

I was happy to leave the leat and pick up the Boneshaker to head back to Burrator. Four gents disappeared up to Crazywell Pool, but soon reappeared. We did the Westy loop through the woods and back over Yennadon to arrive at HQ with a good hour's drinking time left. Steve was waiting here for us having fixed his chain and done a similar route. The Routemeister would have been disappointed with the mileage, but it really didn't reflect the effort we had all put in, the beers were well deserved!

Reporter: Keith