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.