Loaghtan Riders :– Coops, Ray, Skippy, Stevie S, Pete, Foxdale and Neil
Other Riders :– Maxx, Dave Quirk, Robbie Corrin, Rich Sims, Mark Blair, Rod Clayton, James Meikle, Dave Reilly, Neil Kerruish, Paul Flanders,Pat?, Dave Q.

After convincing Ray at work that it would be a slow ride and only about 5 or 6 turn up he agreed to come on his first ride since the E2E.

The ride started at St Johns (Home turf for the Loaghtans). Once all the runners and riders were ready the 18 of us set off like the start of the Grand National (some of them were past their sell by date and should be at the glue factory).  We went up the Starveey and right at the Kissing gate where a few of the Laxey lads took it a bit too serious for my liking especially the tongues.  At the bottom it was on to the Vaaish track were in the past we have been shot at and had equine trouble, this time nothing happened.  The track brings us back onto the Staarvey Rd where the first casualty of the night pulled up, Skippy retired due to his rear brake binding though this coincided with the fryers being turned on at the chippy.  Mananins chair was the next test for the large field with some of the Laxey riders using the whip on each other.

A quick road ride to Spooyt Vane was next on the agenda, the field was spread out now with the back markers being closely followed by an ambulance, at the bottom we lost another rider Stevie S pulling up knackered, the curtains were drawn round him and the service revolver was loaded and bang, luckily for Stevie, Pete had the gun and has a shot like Andy Carroll missed by a feckin mile.

Cooil Dharry was next, everybody waving at Stevie O’s house on the way past (bought from the proceeds of being the islands only dwarf throwing promoter, he’s a giant in this field).

We were now at the furthest point away from the start, well done Maxx for snapping his gear cable here, unable to repair it we zipp tied the offending cable out of the way; we set off on the coast road back, 50 yards on well done Maxx for getting a puncture in his rear hoof. Maxx decided to make hasty exit home before anything else could go wrong.

At the Iron bridge it was a right turn onto the track that takes us back to the Staarvey Rd, halfway up Dave Q’s jockey wheel gave up the ghost, we all rushed to take the piss, Neil K offered his expert advice ”that’s fucked” a quick bang it and botch it and we got going again back to base.

Me, Coops and Pete went to the Tynwald for a pint where Pete stunned me by stating he doesn’t like cricket….tart

Foxdale