Date: Tuesday 28th May 2013
Route: WP, YGC 18th Fairway, Clearbrook, Darklake Woods, Plymbridge Woods, Cann Woods, HQ.
Riders: Keith, Sam, Gidon, Jude, Danve and myself.
Notable absentees......Greg, aching to get out (6 women +ve) riding a 50+ miler on road at 16mph, Steve, aching joints (2 child +ve) residing in the arm chair (0 mph) and James.....(hols?)
Depart: 19:40
Arrive HQ: 22:22
Distance: 18 miles
Weather: Mainly dry

A dry start but precipitation was in the air, we quickly decided that we would make an effort to get down to Cann Wood and have a play. Sam knew a couple of alternative routes which would, as it turned out make the trek down to the 'Kissing Gates" most interesting. Did I say alternative? By Clearbrook, I had already lost the group. For some reason or other, "the Group" had taken the conventional route to the track..... I had not seen this move and had progressed vide the alternatively pleasant single track across the Common Moor to Martin's Bridge and thence to the 'line' to pick up with the crew on Bickleigh Bridge.

It seemed to be a night of warnings from Soothsayer Sam tonight....."beware, beware especially around the corner" was one such quote, and there was good reason to beware too! The first warning preceded the decent down to the river in Bickleigh Vale. Whilst Sam, Danve and Gidon dropped fearlessly down the greasy slated path, Jude, Keith and myself proceeded more gingerly. Needless to say which method worked best. Anyhow two heavy falls by Jude and a couple of submissions later (Did you know that the great wrestler from the 60's Mick McManus died this week?), K,C and J arrived at the bottom to pick the others up in the ride to the bottom of Woolwell viaduct.

There was something new to do then...Sam showed us a loop in Darklake Woods (a second warning from the soothsayer - beware oooh! the slippery roots) Nothing reportable occured but warning number three, with options and advice soon followed... a short hop, skip and a bump, bump later and Gidon had found option 2 on, "How to get down the slippery, rooted sharp drop" to be not his best option decision of the night.

More river tracking followed, I had waited for Gidon to take breath after taking part on his own version of the Nutcracker suite. We both temporarily lost contact with the group. From the new sation at Plymbridge we tracked via the 'Kissing gate" to Cann. Once more the group dropped two members....one being me. Keith and I missed their turn and ended up taking the highway to the picnic tables at Woodside. As Keith attempted to make contact via 'Buddy Beacon', I called Gidon....my phone worked...quelle supris! and we regrouped once more before taking on the Blair Witch Project which, incidentally, initially seemed to have disappeared into the ether.....Spooky. At the end of this project there is yet another tricky decent to take on / decline. Here Danve conquered all fears of a previous skirmish with a phantom tree... riding with quiet assurance tonight, nothing phased him.

With time passing on the group led by Sam and Gidon attacked the long run home with restrained gutso. By Goodameavy a split occurred, Sam continued up the track, the others toiled up the quicker Goodameavy Hill to Clearbrook Leat Bridge. Confoundingly but impressively Sam lead us all.... back towards HQ.

He didn't take in the pleasures of the hostelry...... the others did....but once more that night, I was left on my own as the other bandits pushed their buttons and exchanged codes as they played with their iPhones to create more links on the "Bluddy Buddy Beacon". It would seem that the person most needing this piece of technological wizardry is not interested.....beware you never know what is around the next corner!

The girls from the bar, on instruction, "turned the bloody lights out" in the pub tonight... it was a subliminal meassage to say it was time to go and we were sent scurrying into the filthy night. Which reminds me, did you know that the ARP Warden (Bill Pertwee) from Dad's Army passed away this week? There's only two members of the original cast left. The vicar, and Pikey (he who should not be identified!")

I'm just a minefield of misinformaton!

Reporter: Colin as if I hadn't given you enough clues.