Riders – Coops, Gadge, Neil, Alex, Les, Bazzar, Cam, Will, Foxdale, Debs and Ryan

Bazaars bike didn’t break ……shocker!

First outing for the winter boots since summer? Still pristine with mud from February.

The ride starting from the ‘Cat with no Tail’ which meant a familiar route, only this time Coops decided we should do it reverse (what a cock). We set off towards Honey Hill on the Clypse reservoir track which was washed out in places (must remember that for later), since we were doing it in reverse it was a right turn towards the Ennemona Rd, this was pretty badly washed out as Coops found out, an early faller in tonight’s ride coming of in a deep crevasse using all his coastguard skills he managed to climb out of the 6″ rut, a short road section took us onto the Little Coanrheenne Rd track where Neil and I managed to box Gadge and Bazzar on the crappy side of the trail and wouldn’t let them cross, a quick spin and onto the Garey Rd (or cow track keep your mouth shut on this stretch).

Top tip if you’re not sure of the route don’t take the lead as Les went flying past the junction while we pissed off to the right leaving him to catch us up. A short rest before we tackled going up Baroose, being gentlemen we offered to let Debs go up first (as we didn’t know how badly it would be washed out) but she declined, it was then decided that the travelling circus on the 29ers should go first the four of them set off with bow ties spinning and red noses glowing.

Into Conrhenny plantation Cam, Debs and I deciding to risk the big puddle following Cams line carefully Debs taking the opportunity to clean her shoes, the others taking a short diversion around the puddle apart from Alex who took the most elaborate diversion by taking a wrong turn, it was only at the top of the hill that we noticed that he wasn’t with us, Neil volunteered to find him and meet at where the two trails cross (he really is a gentleman you wouldn’t think so looking at him, he has gone up in my estimation but he started low).

Alex probably wished we hadn’t found him as instead of doing the drop off he decided to just drop missing the log ramp altogether; after making sure he was alright and going through his pockets whilst he was dazed we moved onto the tree section of LDLR 2012 it actually rode better than the event.

Honey Hill was waiting for us again this was also badly washed out having to pick your line carefully and then back on to the Clypse trail which we had all rode earlier in the night and remembered where the newly made ruts are…except for Bazzar and Will I Am, Bazzar managed to jump the rut just in time where as Will thought he was in a Triathlon transition station managing to come off and at one stage actually running and overtaking his bike, I was close behind and somehow avoided the discarded bike and Will doing a Michael Flatterly impersonation.

At the bottom I must have got a pinch flat, a quickish tube change showing Cam the correct use of a pump, unfortunately I chose to mend it next to a fast flowing drain which meant we were all dying for a pee (except Debs from Douglas) by the time I finished.

A quick road ride back to the ‘Cat with no Tail’ and a quick pint of HobGoblin to end the evening.

Foxdale