10th February 2011 - Barbon

To start 7 turned up, Charlie, Jamie, George, Ian, Neil, Chris M and Grant; CT was running late, but had the view/hope that he could catch up by taking the lanes at the start and if the others took it slowly.....maybe he'd catch up. In the end the head start was about 20 minutes, which was a lot to claw back, but unknown to CT; Grant, Ian and others were having mechanical gear trouble on any uphills and so going was slow, so slow that Grant did something to his gears and mashed them up good and proper and after the first off-road section when he did not turn up, others went back to find him and eventually Grant turned up, but he had to walk/roll back. So this delay meant CT may catch up yet and surely he would pass Grant on his way back? No he didn't because although the lanes would be marginally quicker than the first off-road bit, he missed the correct lane (wait until you see a sign for Bullpot farm before turning off the lane) and ended up going over a green lane and met up with the first off-road lane anyway, which meant he did see the sight of an office chair above a wall (ask Jamie)...!?! Anyway now onto the proper tarmac lane CT was thinking if there are no lights at the top he'd carry on around the road and meet up on the next section, but there was a light, Dam! Actually it was Jamie coming back down to check all was well and both decided to go along the lane anyway as CT still had to sort his head lamp out and at least everyone would meet up at the next gate, which they did. What a palaver! But we were now all together, but still only 7 in the group, lose one win one! Now we headed along the lane and turn left at the end by the farm for the bridleway along Aygill beck, this was rocky and tricky in places, just to right amount of momentum was required, down to the road and one river crossing for Chris M so he could wash his bike, the rest took the bridge, back to the pub for a warm by the fire. Next ride is at the Red Lion, Lowick.