Date: Tuesday 24th May 2011
Route: WP, Yennadon, Sam Loop, Leat, Rescue car park, Routrundle, Short Cut, Dartmoor Brewery, East Face of North Hessary, Badger Alley, HQ.
Riders: Sam, Paddy, Keith, Gidon & Nick.
Depart: 19:45
Arrive HQ: 22:02
Distance: 17.71 miles
Weather: Perfect clear evening, turned chilly.

How is it that you can get ten gents out mid-winter in sub zero temperatures with a wind chill of -10°C, yet only five when conditions are perfect in May? It's a mystery of the moor! Of those that didn't get out, Stephen's wife was at work, Colin had been sent away (to Coventry, appropriately), Martyn is bored at home desperate to get out for a pint and Greg needed to get some road miles in. As for the rest, they missed a cracking ride in conditions that made us all again realise how lucky we are to live where we do.

The evening started with Paddy rolling up with a flat, so back he went to his bike workshop for a quick change of tube. We decided that on such a glorious evening we should head upwards so off over Yennadon we went then a quick Sam loop in Burrator beside the gently flowing leat. We picked up the leat again to pass the point of Paul's Golden Pants moment, (talking of whom, when are we going to see you on a ride again Paul)?

Across the B3212 and down to Routrundle to follow the old railway to the shortcut. At this point Gidon revealed that he had a head cam on his helmet and he'd been recording the ride from the beginning! There were a few worried looks as there are certain topics of conversation on a ride that should stay within the pack!!!! At this juncture, given the dryness under wheel, I suggested we tackle the dreaded east face of North Hessary.

So off we went passing our sponsors HQ to settle at base camp. The view from the bottom is quite daunting, but with the last of the daylight remaining and the ground's firmness it was as easy an ascent as I've made. The views tonight were truly spectacular and as we took them in and checked watches, we decided it was time to get to HQ ASAP.

What followed was a quick cold blast down the road to Badger Alley where four of us found it very amusing that Gidon overshot the turning and carried on down the hill. Through the Alley where the biggest obstacle was a heard of cows. After the long road slog back to HQ we were all very happy that we had an hour's recovery time ahead of us.

Sam is still on his all or nothing wagon, no booze during the week then s**t loads at the weekend! I prefer Gidon's approach of small quantities often, much more sociable I think. Then there is Paddy and Nick's way which, I suspect, is s**t loads always!!!!! My way is some where in between, but after wobbling all the way to Horrabridge, I think I'll follow Gidon's lead in future!

Reporter: Keith

This report failed to mention the half man route that some of us took (one to be precise). It involved an outward leg riding up Stokehill Lane with an ever increasing sense of respiratory failure secondary to a lack of cardiovascular fitness, all round lardiness and increasing rear wheel resistance to the point of seizure. The return leg involved carrying the gold plated cycling machine back down Stokehill Lane to put it back where it belongs in storage. Start time 7.20pm. Finish time 7.40pm. Total distance travelled 0.8 miles, 50% cycling, 50% walking. Total altitude climbed about 100 feet. Total calories expended - a lot. How is that for a report?

My next report will be of a route from home to the bike shop and back.

Reporter: Al