2nd December 2010 - Ings

This ride was scheduled from Elterwater, but due to the snow and Arctic conditions making travelling tricky, we decided on somewhere local and Ings was it. It was also the venue for last seasons coldest night out where we ventured out in -9 degC so would it be colder???

6 riders met up at Ings, Grant, Charlie, George, Chris M, Jamie and Joel; CT was running late due to travel logistics getting in the way, i.e. messy icy weather! and so the lead group set off south west for the trip round to Blackmoss, there was apparently an incident with a gate, but the gate survived, ask Joel for details. From Blackmoss head over the A591 and across to Heaning to Mislet to join up with Moorhowe Road and head along to met the Dubbs track, up the track and meet up with CT at the reservoir. Now you should be warmed up of sorts, but you do not want to stand around too much or your feet will freeze (unless you have nice warm NEW boots like Charlie! next week look out for the snow tyres). Onwards and up the lane, the snow was filling on the gaps but the bikes wondered around whilst finding grip, so you had to keep peddling and looking for grip and direction. Make steady progress up to Garburn track where we stopped for Chris M to produce some flapjack, from the classic date recipe first introduced by Neil, thanks must go to Chris's wife for the baking! Now head down Garburn, tricky in the snow as there is a ditch either side, turn right at the Limefitt, stop for photo! continue down to caravan park, here George had freewheel issues, i.e. it froze, so did anyone need a pee? because if you can pee on your freewheel (i.e. make it warmer to free the frozen mechanisum) you can carry on, it worked and George continued. Down the main road, thinking to go up Garburn for the return leg, but George and the others carried on up the road, we then turned left to take the lane to Ings, but it was cold on the road and so we turned off left up Longmire Road, here Joel carried on the lane back to the pub. We ride back up to Garburn, rode and walked some of the hill and then rode down Dubbs Road and back via the lane. The snow riding was interesting in many places, feeling slippy when smooth on the road to riding like loose sand where it was just powder snow, but we all made it back safely if a little cold and the temperature... the cars said -6 degC, but it felt colder! Nip in the pub for a log fire, beer and crisps. Next ride is scheduled as troubeck, so at least it's local.