Date: Tuesday 3rd May 2011
Route: WP, Cycle Track to Clearbrook, Steep drop onto Cycle Track, Off at Goodameavy under bridge and up hill to Wigford Down, Down to Dewerstone track and Shaugh Bridge, Up to Pipeline & Cadover, Up to Big Clay Pit Pond, Trowlesworthy Tor, River Meavy/Leat Weir, Ditsworthy House, Track, Road Down, Sheepstor, HQ.
Riders: Keith, Sam, Stephen, Paddy, Julian, (Nick & Martyn). Colin & Gidon on the roads.
Depart: 19:40
Arrive HQ: 22:35.
Distance: 18 or 20 miles
Weather: Breezy high, nice low.

Pleasant conditions brought a good crowd out even if two opted for a leg shaved road ride (brought on by MTB mechanical problems…Colin will do anything for a leg shave!!!)

Seven started on MTB. A nice gentle pace along the cycle track to Clearbrook and then on towards the steep drop down the railway cycle path. Crossing the empty leat on the approach to the drop is a narrow-ish Heath Robinson wooden bridge which is in need of a little tlc, in one plank there being a nice little gap in which to place ones front wheel. Most avoided said gap……except Martyn, who having spotted it and thought “that’s something to avoid”, firmly placed his front wheel in it. I had stopped at this point and was merely watching, only to observe Martyn coming to an immediate standstill and for man and bike to rotate together around the now stationary front wheel. Martyn being a sensible chap, during the rotation, knew should he put his hand out to break his fall would likely break his collarbone, so manfully held onto his handlebars hoping to land on his head, thereby remaining uninjured!!! At the last second the thought of a head plant seemed to yield uncertain results, so he skillfully twisted away to land on his shoulder. Very clever indeed…….but broke his collar bone anyway!!!

Nick, in military fashion snapped to attention, volunteered to race home and get his car and take the night's victim home to his adoring but no doubt, unsympathetic wife, which he duly did thereby skillfully sidestepping a Routemeister beasting.

So the first couple of miles took their first victims and on went the five, having broken one of the GOWCC cardinal rules of only being able to return to HQ for beer if doing so with + or – 10% of those who started. (28.57% of those who started failed to return, if you want to be really accurate!!!). (President - 28.5714285714% recurring to be exact)

Anyway, down to cycle track, off and under it at Goodameavy, up steep hill to Wigford Down and followed wall round the top and down to the Dewerstone Winding House. Down to the Dewerstone track and on down to Shaugh Bridge via steep stony path. Brief conflab yielded revised route up Pipeline to Cadover, then it being only 9.20pm and there still being light in the sky, up the road to the Clay Pit big pond into a stiff easterly breeze where three of us manfully used Sam as a wind break and settled into what Routemeister tells me is called an “Echelon”, (ie a peloton at an angle appropriate to the wind), thus shielding those downwind of the lead rider. Thank god for Sam's thighs because mine were beginning to melt.

So, Big Pond, track to switchbacks and then off up to Trowlesworthy Tor and off into the night aiming at the Princetown mast hoping to find Ditsworthy House and the weir over the Plym. After much wanting to go left and being forced to stay high and right we overshot the River Plym/Leat Weir by a couple of hundred yards but had at last found something someone recognised. So, up to DWH, track to Scout Hut, road to Sheepstor and then road to Iron Mine Lane/Burrator Inn and back to HQ.

A great route with one of the easier sections taking a very unfortunate victim. Colin and Gidon were waiting at HQ looking well shaved and with not a bead of sweat in sight. I think I have sussed this road riding….up Meavy Lane, right at the shops, past garage and straight to HQ!!! Seems good to me.

Reporter: Paddy

President's Footnote: Valiant effort for the Golden Pants, but unfortunately does not qualify on the grounds that it was far too painful and the comic content was far too low!! If an award was given for simply trying to frighten me or to make me take out insurance to cover my employer's pitiful amount of sick leave, then it was an unbeatable off.