Date: Tuesday
6th August 2013
Route: WP, Meavy, Burrator, Leat, Lowery Cross, Peak
Hill, Sha**ers, Norsworthy, Crazywell Pool, Raddick Plantation, Yennadon,
HQ.
Riders: Keith, Gidon & Ben
Road: Greg, Colin, Paddy & Steve P
Depart: 19:45
Arrive: 21:50
Distance: 12 miles
Weather: Perfect
Sometimes you think you've seen it all and done it all on a Tuesday
GOWCC ride, but the reality is you never know what is coming next!
So, it's a Tuesday at 7:30pm in Willowby park. Greg is roading, nothing
new there, the Moorland Hotel and the Moorland Links Hotels are mixed
up, nothing new
there, Gidon turns up, nothing new
there and Westy is running late, nothing new
there.
Then another roadie appears, Paddy, unique! Never thought I'd actually
see the day when Paddy "came out"!
Also uncommon was seeing Ben, no work
and with the family up north he was reliving his youth. I actually
can't remember when he last came out, but I do know it was more recently
than when Alan
Cade last did!
So
just
three headed off to Meavy. As we "walked" up to Burrator
the next surprise.
We came across a small injured bird in some distress. After a quick diagnosis,
Ben with his medical training coming to the fore, picked up a large stone
and put an end to the suffering, unique! I remounted my bike more worried
than
usual if I should fall off and injure myself!
Up to the railway and at the first opportunity
we picked up the leat. This makes Sam's favourite loop twice the length,
I hope he doesn't find out about it. Up
hill to Lowery Cross then up to Peak Hill base camp to see Ben disappear
at some speed down the hill. I had been looking forward to a slightly
more gentle pace this evening with Greg on the road, but Ben was like
a youthful Routemeister!
Past Sha**ers then down the path to
Norsworthy and up to Crazywell Pool. We stopped to look at this pool
of legend when I thought Ben had a stone in his shoe, but he
took
off the other shoe and sock and never
stopped until he dived into the warm water, unique!
Back to HQ via Raddick Plantation and
over Yennadon before Gidon won the Binkham Hill challenge. And this
time I was actually close enough to witness it with my own eyes! We
enjoyed our first pint outside but retired inside to wait for the roadies.
They arrived 45 minutes after us having been to Jennycliff, very nice,
and as dusk fell they explored the darker side of Union Street, interesting!
All-in-all another great night to be out on a mountain bike,
conditions were absolutely perfect, the moorland effect is definitely therapeutic
for me and the Jail Ale does wonders as well! Who'd want to be
in some foreign country where they all hate the English, the scenery is
all brown dust and you can't get a decent pint of beer!!!!!
Reporter: Keith
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