3rd July 2008 - Lowick for Satterthwaite

6 riders met up near the Red Lion, Lowick Bridge, Chris M & T, Neil, John, Jamie and Ian. We set off north along the Crake Valley to take the right hand hill up Bletherbarrow Lane, this is a killer warm-up and as it happened one member of the group did not make the hill start. As we were heading along the lower valley lane warming up, someone had a rear type blow out, (no names ..Ian "and it was a brand new tyre") and so he had to walk back to his car because the tyre had split too much to fix, but he does live locally and so he may change his tyre and meet us at the top of the descent (he's done it before) just to avoid the first hill!!! The rest of us continued on, merging at the top with the bridleway and enjoying the muddy puddles before the downhill to High Ickenthwaite, join the lane turn left and head to Force Mills, we ignored the shortcut left bridleway at Force Forge and choose to try out the little testing route to the right at Force Beck, we tried it going up, you need to walk in places and 3 of us tried it going down, 2 dabs. Then we all continued up the road to Satterthwaite where we took the bridleway of Moor Lane, keep going up, at the first gate we were offered flapjack, no just yet, so we made Neil carry it further up the climb! More up hill with rest stops at the fireroads, now we get flapjack (made with dates and coconut, nice!) onwards to the top and cross to High Parksmoor, more puddles, here I noticed that although I got wet feet peddling through the larger puddles, Neil on his full susser did not, something about higher bottom bracket! It was getting darker on top, no rain yet but it looked due at any moment, jackets on and head along, enjoy the view over Coniston and we met up with, guess who, Ian turned up with a new tyre all ready for the downhill. It's a great tester, watch those rocks, I passed Jamie heading back up for more he shouted something like "the rocks are grippy" but did I hear slippy or grippy, mind games? pick a route, ignore everything and just ride, it's great. Re-group and continue along and down a few more rocks and switch-backs to enjoy. Brilliant, back onlong the road in a little shower of rain and into the pub to discuss past and future rides.
Next ride is Keswick.