20th January 2011 - Hawkshead for Claiffe

Charlie, Chris M, George, Jamie, Joel, CT and eventually Paul turned up at Hawkshead; Paul had though he would enjoy an Elterwater ride, but we all went to Hawkshead...he found reason and hightailed it over...in the meantime Jamie's freewheel had frozen (being on the back of the truck!), solution get Charlie to fire up the gas stove in the van and give it a blast; all good to go (no stopping at the loos, 'cause they were shut, frozen pipes!). To get warmed up straight up the road and up the usual final hill, oh this is new, but in fact it is an excellent climb and it did warm us up, or at least the folk with circulation in their fingers, Charlie just eat more cake. Now it was an excellent night, the stars were out and the moon was large, it was a little foggy in places and icy in others, but the cold held the ground firm, mostly. So up the climb to the guideposts, the either straight over for the de-tour down the tricky (actually quite rideable in the cold) and up the other tester to meet CSC and JP at the trees, now be warned that the forest looks different 'cause folk have chopping down them there trees. Anyway we re-grouped and continued up and over the hill to Sawrey, past the pub, more fog, up the hill, down and stop at the gate for 1st round of cake...but wait no JP, Charlie was first to head back into the gloom, then we saw smoke signals, not it was just the fog, actually there were flashing lights, were UFOs on the way down the lake..no just Charlie indicating that JP had a problem. SO we all rode back to sort Joel's bent mech' hanger, just caused by the blo**dy chain jambing. Back on route and down the descent to the lake, along the shore, up the hill and onto the fire-road to the guideposts, more cake somewhere along the lines and now the gears were freezing up. Enjoy the last descent back to Hawkshead, except JP who took a tumble. Too late for the pub so off home. Next ride Haverthwaite, meet near the pub.