Riders – Max, Cat, Jason ‘Spandau’ Bolt, Coops, Seamus, Foxdale, Mike, Neil K, Craige and Neil

The ride started from the Colby pub, Coops, Seamus and I arrived late, the other riders already assembled and ready to go, Jason ‘Spandau Ballet’ Bolt’s bike lighting the dark night up due to the amount of Gold Bling resembling a Jimmy Savile bunga bunga party.

A quick road ride to the Parville track to warm up and for the fun to begin. The middle of the track was too greasy to ride up so we had to use the sides, the night silence was broken by the sound of a wailing Banshee which turned out to be Cat getting whipped by the flicking brambles, a short breather at the top and onto Earystane. After the climb it was the mud fest in the plantation, very slippy and rutted tracks, Cat decided to try acupuncture to ease the aches of the previous nights kettlebell class by coming a cropper in a gorse bush (excellent gym http://www.v2gym.co.uk/).

We had another breather at the top gate with the discussion revolving around 29ers, tyre choice and lights, Cat and I talked about the more serious issues of the the day ‘The Great British Bake Off’ and plaited bread; I could hear grumblings of “you’ve changed” and “you’ve been spending to much time on the road bike”.

Cronk ny arrey laa was waiting for us, just before we tackled it I offered to get a small splatter of mud off Seamus by giving him spit wash with my lace hanky but too late they all sped off (bake off has shown me presentation is key to everything), Cronk ny arrey laa rode very well considering the recent weather, I managed to catch them at the bottom and told them the best way to get your sponge to rise; we set off up the Sloc at quite a pace, could have been something to do with me mentioning Mary Berrys new baking book.

A quicker descent on the road down to Surby and a sprint back to the pub as I had to get home to watch todays ‘Loose Women’ (which I have on series link) were the topics were ‘is blue the new black’ and the ‘menopause’.

Back at the pub, Cat had made a Lemon Drizzle cake that Mary Berry would have been proud off and a pint of Okells Red to finish off the night.

No mechanicals tonight mainly due to Bazzar not being out.

Foxdale