Riders :- Seamus, Coops, Rocky, Pete C, Neilk, Foxdale, Dave, Shaun and Pete Mc

The first ride together since ‘Longest Day Longest Ride’, due to us being sick of the sight of each other and a rare occurrence a hot summers evening, we only seem to get our shit together when the weather is crap.

As it was so warm Seamus decided we should climb, can’t beat climbing in really hot weather.
Up Trollaby from Union Mills then up Nab Lane to the first gate at the bottom of Cronk Breck, Seamus was there first quite proud of himself that he had managed to open it on his own with no instruction.

First wave of midges had found us attacking Dave and Pete Mc. The climb to the next gate at the top off Cronk Breck wasn’t to bad very dry, the only down side was no cool breeze, more midges whilst we waited for Coops who was clearly out of practice having recently taken up ‘mincing’ and neglected Mtb-ing; he is receiving counselling for his condition and if he slips again and you see him walking give him a slap.

Once over Cronk Breck we picked up the E2E course in reverse going up Sartfield, mutterings of discontent about Seamus’s route were getting louder, a fast descent down Black Mountain and down through Ballaugh dust making visibility poor (didn’t think I’d ever see that). Arriving at the bottom of Ballaugh Coops got a puncture, though we think this was a ruse to get a rest, Neil the wise sage said “you should go tubeless as this is time you’ll never get back and the clock is ticking”.

Up the ‘Port’ next which was different, about 10 trees down that had to be climbed over and scrambled under when it was rideable the trail disappeared with overgrown foliage finally out of the jungle we regrouped at the foot of Ballacob, whilst resting Neil held court with his words of wisdom whilst discussing the tree disease “you can’t stop mother nature” we just looked at each other in unison “cock” but as he went to school with mother nature maybe he knows best.

Across the tops on the E2E course which was in good nick we didn’t see one rambler cutting it up, Shaun got a puncture near the Baltic turning, we were all getting a bit tired at this point so we offered him no help. At the bottom of Sartfield a discussion took place as to which way now, club rules say we have to stick to the original planned route, a quick vote was taken as it was getting dark and lack of lights, 6 voted this rule is bollocks, Kerruish spoiled his vote as he didn’t understand the question, Seamus wasn’t allowed to vote as no one was talking to him by now.

Tarmac it was then down Injebreck going past Colden was like riding through hailstone with the midge clouds. The leaders stopped at Baldwin waiting to regroup, this is were the ride took a surreal turn, an irate house owner opened a window telling us to feck off and stop being a nuisance we explained we were just waiting for the rest to catch up then we’d be off, this didn’t calm him down, when Dave suggested he shut up and went back to his bottle things escalated, he came out to confront us reeking of whisky offering to take 7 of us on, Pete pointing out there were actually 8 of us didn’t help, Kerruish asked if he was from Foxdale as he was acting like it. Shaun used his management skills to negotiate a peaceful out come as Kerruish was trying to get his boxing gloves on…..which would have taken ages.

4 of us went back to Coops’ for cake (thanks Rachel) and hide from the nasty man.

Foxdale

We have since found out that Ballaugh plantation is out bounds and should not be rode through even on the firetrack.