25th October 2012 - Ribblehead for Newby Head and Cam High Road

Well 5 turned up at Ribblehead junction just as the weather/wind chill turned cold... the starry sky may have been a clue! George, Charlie, Grant, Jamie and CT set off with lots of wind proof layers with a view perhaps that a top layer may come off once warmed up, but the head wind saw that this did not happen and shorts (or short finger gloves!) were pretty cold. Head north along the road for a few km warm up, or at least try and chain gang together and make progress into the head wind, then tee off left onto part of the dale way and Black Rake Road (which is a track) battle with the wind and tussocks up to the road, turn right down to Newby Head Gate and over the main road to head up the Ribble way onto the Cam High Road, now it was sleet/rain/mist, my bloody glasses were useless visibility was suffering. Now it is steady climb up, just watch the off rocky bit and the wind factor, at one point Charlie followed the 29er gang and I followed Charlie and then caught her as she fell off due to wind rock interference! Eventually re-group at the top gate and stop for one of Charlie excellent ginger cookies, well done! Now zip up all the clothes and start the descent, which is about 3 miles in total and mostly downhill, just watch out for gullies and cobbles which are interesting at any speed. Charlie also had to deal with a dying rear mech which had lost it's spring, as she really had to keep peddling to keep tension. Gayle beck at the bottom was dry and so we could ride through, then onto the road for a little wind assisted ride back to the cars. It was an introduction to winter but a great ride, Grant even wanted to do it again....another day, I think last time we did it was at the end of a long summer ride and this short route kept you fresh. No pub but home for a warm up. Next ride Troutbeck, park in lay-by near church.

18th October 2012 - Hawkshead for Claiffe

It was a warm evening (for October anyway, although Charlie had her winter boots on!) and 4 met up at the school car park, Neil, CT, Charlie and her nephew, Graham, who was up for a few days from Norfolk; so Charlie dragged him out for a few hills, kindly lending him her old training Santa Cruz (the heavy one) whilst she gallantly rode her race bike (weighing nothing but a feather apparently ;)). So Claiffe it was, along the lanes and up the downhill, it is actually not bad at all and virtually all rideable in a oner, obviously we stayed together as a group to support Charlie in case her feather bike blew away. On the ride up CT mentioned that the international space station, ISS, may be visible in the south west at 7.05pm for 4 minutes, but alas the clouds were in the way, maybe next time. check out web site here http://spaceflight1.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/view.cgi?country=United_Kingdom&region=England&city=Kendal

Grizedale in daylight (Saturday October 20th!) blue sky:)

Basically we did the guide posts, extra loop bit, up and over past the tarns, Far Sawrey down to the lake shore, and here the track along the lake is virtually tarmac like, so we shall see what the weather will do, but it looks like they have installed good water pipes for drainage, then up past base camp and back to the guide posts for the downhill finish. Neil was slowing at this point but he had already ridden a 20 mile warm up earlier in the day, bravo, we added about another 10 miles. Charlie was heading off to Ambleside in search of chips, curry or anything to eat. Next ride Ribblehead for a bit of the Cam high road.

11th October 2012 - Troutbeck - Jenkins - Loughrigg

It was a tad damp, but still 3 folk turned out, Jamie, George and CT, we started off by climbing up the road and headed up Robin Lane and continued onto Jenkins Crag, the rocks were damp but we were soon in Ambleside and as it was still early we headed off for a lap of Loughrigg, at least we were warmed up for that climb. Descent was fine, round tarn, down the Terrace note that at the S bends the surface has been flattened and there are no burms to rail, so watch your speed, (route here http://m.gpsies.com/mapOnly.do?fileId=vksqbnbmxahpczud with assistance from Bike-Treks) rest of route is back along coffin route into Ambleside (avoiding main road as much as possible) but them we had to resort to going along main road, until we headded left to go up Wain Lane and roll back to cars. PS Jamie had some GREAT flapjack stuff...next ride from Hawkshead park at school.

4th October 2012 - Ings

So a quick lap of Kentmere, OK just 3 rivers in the end then hot foot to Watermill for grub, Charlie, Jamie, Grant, Neil and CT turned out, as did a load of other folk...who just wanted a meal, the front half of the pub was booked out for a function so table space was in short supply, thankfully making the right noises and folk left us some space. It was a tad damp under foot but otherwise a nice ride following some blue sky weather, apparently if was sunny in Kent and Devon as well. The 29er crew (2x) went for starters and main course whilst the rest were restrained but civilised:) If we'd have been sat by the fire we would have been asleep! Winter ride list to be confirmed, watch this space. Next ride Jenkins Crag from Troutbeck.

27th September 2012 - Lowick for Grizedale

George, Grant, Jamie and CT met up near the Red Lion, there was threat of damp-ness but in the end no need for Goretex. Head east into the forest, the first decent is great but some wet rock reduces hero moves! Into the forest via Moor Lane, Satterthwaite, actually not a bad climb, keep going steady and it is all rideable, we met some MTBers coming down, muttering it's a busy night, at least you can see lights now it's getting darker early. Once into Grizedale we headed up and over to Parkamoor to avoid the wet tank tracks and get onto Ian's home descent, along the way we toured a few fire roads to get to the best spot, but the descent is one of the best. No frogs this time but we did see a toad! No pub this time, but next week we'll have a meal at Ings after a ride, end of summer no less.