26th January 2012 - Staveley

It was a lovely night, no really, and the stars were out, that's George and CT! everyone else was taking a rain check, but it never rained, it was wet under foot though. Just under 2 hours for the old golf course ride, up the tarmac climb cross three rivers, down Kentmere, Long Houses and HP to end. The stars were there, but the Aurora Borealis was hiding behind cloud, but I had seen ISS (international space station) fly by this morning;). Check out repair to XTR carbon cage in case you ever need to..! Next ride is Satterthwaite for a bit o'Grizedale.

19th January 2012 - Hawkshead for Claife

Charlie, Grant, George, Paul, Jamie, Freddie and CT parked at the school as they allow parking for a donation, where as the LDNPA town car park now has;
"Number plate recognition cameras"

The LDNPA say; These are being installed in our car parks. There are signs up in each car park saying that strict and timed enforcement procedures are in place.

Please make sure you read the signs next to the ticket machines and buy the appropriate ticket. The charges on this car park apply to all users without exception.

Big Brother is not very friendly and does not encourage locals into the town, especially as all the lights were out in the car park, not inviting.

We set off via Colthouse and up the usual descent, nice and steady but we met with hailstones on the way up. Up and over across the guide posts and down, all the way down to the lake side, the last descent is down the flag type steps and very slippy IF you think about it, so just need the right amount of momentum to keep you going. Regroup at the bottom and go along the lake and head up the bridleway, up and over to the paub, past the pub....and back the usual route, great rocky descent down the end, even if my lights flickered off (faulty connection...oops). Back to cars just as it started to rain. Next ride Stavely meet at Barley Bridge

12th January 2012 - Sedbergh for Dent

5 made it out for the start, George, Charlie, Jamie, Paul and CT. It was a cool stary night, and to quote Creedence Clearwater Revival;

"Don't go around tonight,
Well, it's bound to take your life,
There's a bad moon on the rise"

It seemed Neil and Grant took this seriously and did not come out, but the moon did rise during the ride; while on the top bridleway, Towns Fell, looking east there was a glow on the horizon, was it a fire, power station, no it was the moon rising and we watched the glow develop into a hint of moon, this was just before the second descent to Dentdale.
The route was the usual one for Sedbergh Dent ride but the first section was very claggy mud, the road climb up Gawthorp was sapping as usual and Paul having not been on a bike for a few months (due to new baby) decided not to attempt it and head home early, not a bad decison as this ride eneded up at 16 miles. After the big hill we turn off left for the bridleway along the tops before descending to Dentdale, we regrouped on the track just off the road and turned lights off to star gaze, fairly clear, vapour trails visible in the night sky, while our eyes were adjusting to darkness a car came up the road and then slowed and turned onto the bridelway track, it was a landrover and they said hello and continued along the track, so much for night sight. We continued along the top track heading for the second descent, so it's around 3-4 km along this track before the testing descent to go past High Nun house, but great fun if a little crazy at the start looking for the best line to take...there is not a good line! Once back to Dent it was cold and so we headed back along the road in a chain gang to avoid the mud and keep a steady pace to warm up. A great ride on a cool night. Next ride Hawkshead.

5th January 2012 - Winster ride

5 met up near the church in Winster, it was a tad damp but not too cold, but 4 out of 5 rode with long water-proof (ish) leggings, as there were plenty of road floods on the drive over. I also passed a gritting lorry even thought it was around 8 deg C, they must have known the overnight forecast. Fairly normal route for most of the ride, down the lane south to the ford, it was very high, up steep hill and right along track and back to Winster road all fairly wet, but ridable. A quick ride around the triangle and back down the road past the Winster pub and onwards to head north up Craig lane, up the testing wet climb, past the geese/ducks and through the gate for the grassy descent, at the bottom gate (Thornyfields) decide to go right down bridleway to Crook foot, at the lane not quite sure so go right, but stop after 200 yds and decide to retrace steps (as no map!) back up the lane for more discussion at the road junction, go right and join second bridleway across to Spigot house, we actually only just missed the southern bridleway, so we'll try that next time over to crook hall. Back on track for the usual ride on south side of Undermillbeck common. Now back along lane, again, past the pub, again and this time a right hand turn south down the Crag lane bridleway, wet, mud and rocks a bit of a challenge! Back to cars for a G&T, but someone had forgot the tonic! Next ride Sedburgh bring a map and a compass:)

Bank Holiday Monday 2nd January 2012 - Grizedale

A few of us met up near Satterthwaite for a forest ride, Charlie, Grant, Neil, Jamie and CT. There had been some showers and some hail so 3 riders brought and wore waterproof trousers, during the ride it did hail, not enough to really need a G'tex, but the water under tyre really splashed up and so the trouser idea had some merit. Briefly we set off UP Moor Lane,actually not as bad as it sounds, the going is ridable, up to the fire road and head out to meet the NF route, then north west to go down the bridleway which ends at Lane Head education centre, this descent was wet and rocky, great fun to stay upright! left along the lane and then bridleway up to Lawson Park (where we met Janet Prior and co to say hello) and then up the descent back into the forest for a descent to the visitor centre via Broad Piece, another great rocky ride = one puncture for JB, then down for coffee in the new cafe. At this point is rained, so we stayed dry, then back out and up towards the tank tracks for the decent to Moor Lane and back to the cars. It turned out the gps said 12 miles in over 4 hours, just can't believe it! 'cause we climbed for ages but mostly doable. Next ride is Thursday from Winster park near church.
For photos see:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cycle-cumbria/6652931811/sizes/l/in/set-72157628761809069/