Riders :- Coops, Richie, Neil S, Pete, Roger, Stevie S and Foxdale
The ride started from the Highway Man and headed for the railway line on the Poortown Rd, Pete not talking to me and Coops after the gay ride at the weekend, the railway line was surprisingly very muddy after the recent dry spell, once out off the bog we headed up the Staarvey, always a nice climb and dropped down to Laurel Bank, the next climb was up the Vaaish one of our favourites, always in good condition especially with the now crisp ground, I had a Seamus moment struggling to open a gate (if it was the crystal maze I’ve have been locked in) Richie was having trouble with his ring (always painful).
A short road ride to Manannans Chair, Coops went first followed by me and Pete, about halfway down Coops found a piece of ice about the size of a threepenny bit (those under 40 google it) which threw him off his bike landing nipple tassel down, as me and Pete went past sniggering we thanked him for pointing the ice out, at the top on the Cronk-y-voddy we regrouped and made sure Coops was okay while he reapplied his burlesque make-up.
Off to Cooil Dharry on the road me and Coops were in our element on the tarmac according to Pete. Cooil Dharry supplied the usual fun though the track is covered with gorse cuttings, at the bottom I said “I’d be surprised if nobody picked up a puncture”. Another quick road ride back towards Peel turning off at the track that takes you back onto the Staarvey Rd, Halfway up my tyre started to go down. Top tip don’t put your camel bak in a puddle of mud when changing tubes, Pete stayed with me while I did the change, secretly he wanted to ask me about road bikes.
At the Staarvey track me and Neil headed back to St johns, Neil picking up a puncture, the rest headed down to the grasstrack at the side of the quarry, Steve, Richie and Coops picking up punctures ‘there’s a lot of gorse out there at the moment’ only Roger and Pete on his Mexican peasant’s bike (santa cruz) surviving the night.
Coops later had to go to A&E about his shoulder don’t know how he explained the nipple clamps though.
Foxdale