Sunday 6th April

With the weather threatening and some of the keen riders already in heavy drizzle the cell phone was buzzing.  We decided to head east from my place.  I headed outside and hooked up with Phatboy, Dozer, Tinkerbell and Silverfox.  We headed off around  the Heathcote towards the towpath for a quick blat along here.  Ooops where is Silverfox.  he had his front wheel wash out of the wooden bridge half way round.  We then decided to head up Mt Pleasant road for a change.  Got rid of a layer before the climb.  Steady climb up here with Phatboy and I pulling away until we reached the t intersection.  Tinkerbell and Dozer came in next with Silverfox not feeling the joy as much.  Cloud was getting thick and a few spots of drizzle but we carried on up.  Headed into Longridge (well I think that is what its called) and then up onto  Upper Major Hornbrook.  The group scattered into 3 again.  Started the climb up the single track with the track showing lots of grease.  Still rideable though, past an interesting site and then hung a right into the top track.  Rocks were greasy as and showed what it was going to be like.  We regrouped here and chatted about what to do, the weather and options.  We  decided to head up Broadleaf and cut the ride short.  Grunted up Broadleaf, Tinkerbell teasing us that he was gonna open the gate but he didn't.  Op up we rode, over the fence.  I continued down thinking the oothers were gonna be close behind me but they weren't.  The rocks were absolutely mayhem.  Slick as and a few dabs ensued.  I waited at the top of Greenwood and then they all came trough.  All found it treacherous.  Phatboy had gunk in his eye so we cleaned that up and headed down towards the pines at the top of Richmond.  The track  was greasy and slick.  Covered in speckles of mud at the bottom.  Over the fence and then down Richmond Farm Track taking a sheep trail by the rock face before rejoining the track.  From here a fast blast down the road for drinks etc at Dot Com.  Phatboy then led us all back to Ferrymead Bridge at a fast clip.  He and Dozer headed down towards home while the rest of us headed around the towpath and back to mine easily by 12.30.

Later in the day, when it was all a LOT drier, Mellonfarmer got out with Jet the Dog and rode some of the same and some of the not same trails... without the big road bits too - using petrochemically entropied 4 wheeled conveyance to clean up those bits