Date : 19th Sept 2009 Start : 09:30 End : 19:15 (opps sorry those who stayed for the lot !!) Lanes : 63 Weather : Hot sunny/muggy morning. Bit cooler in the afternoon.
Well decided to take the next step in my run leader career and open a run up to 10 runners. Was posted up as 'Not for Novices" and filled this up nicely. Had a last minute call from Bonny's friend at Meavy, so as this gave her riding company, agreed to go to 11. I so nice sometimes !!!
All met at mine for 9:30am and we're all set for the off :
Run was due to start from my house (Plympton) straight to South Brent. However I'd reccy'ed a couple of new (to me) lanes the night before so added these. They werent on my maps (had 2 maps already for rest of run) so committed to memory. Off we set to 202-157 at Lee Mill. Found it easy the night before, but could I find it .........no way !! My own frustration sets in as I have to turn the group of me +10 around - some I'd never ridden with before must have been thinking 'oh my god, what kind of run is this gonna be'. Well 10 minutes later we had it -- we'd ridden right past an obvious turn, I'd missed it as it was at the point I'd turned around to check my group....doh !! Good start. Anyhoo, that was my one and only navigation flaw (apart from missing 1 lane nr Simms), so I recon I can be forgiven....please ??? Anyhoo after doing this excellent little lane, it was off to 158,159 which is a fun ending lane as it finishes right on the A38 !! Then onto -154 which is a little peach of a lane that I found the night before. Bonny and Mick opted out of this. Up the 9 of us went, a great rocky ascent, around a huge log, then ending in mage deep rut with overhang to put you off. But eventually everyone got up here, then off to South Brent and across to Dean. By this time we'd also met about 5 horses/riders in a many lanes !! Bleedin weather !. At -076 I didnt give the group an opt out, as although a slatey climb, last week it was dry and quite easy, but as I turned the corner to ascend, there was a river running down the middle of it..... oh dear !! Think 3 of us got to the top ok, but Phil had a few moments and just couldnt get going again, a few more appeared, with Landyman rubbing a sore bicep he'd caught on a jutting branch. We waited at the top of this one for an age to all to get up, but everyone managed apart from Phil who had exhausted himself ! Fred, who rode this twice, also hurt his arm on that branch - so we do need to get this sawn off quickly I think. Then off up the delightful -086 where the camera always comes out as I capture the climbers...
Steve (I think, its so easy to get KTMs muddled up when their so common)
Sonny (making a meal of it)
Bonny (she plods up anything)
Mick (this was a tough day for him as he hasnt ridden in ages)
PHil (wooohoooo)
Our trusty TEC TJ
Cooling down at the top of it all
From there it was off to Rattery for a nice set of lanes, across to Staverton and then to Buckfastleigh for a well earned lunch.
Words escape me
This ones a private joke between sonny, phil and TJ. Something to do with TJs complete lack of knowledge as to where Peru was !!
Mick, Fred n Steve
All fed n watered we cut back across the remaining Staverton lanes and up to towards Bickington. After -005 (the jumps !!) and -006 Sonny peeled off home as was getting cramps. Hope you Ok mate.
-007 always a good lane and we did this back n forth
Someone ??
Wee Bonny
And after -097 Mick peeled off to get back to his farm. Then there were 9.
Was then off to Liverton where we did the lanes including Simms Hill, which most were able to clean, due the nice dry conditions.
Steve
Ben
Fred
TJ
Bonny, who stalled, turned around and repeated perfectly
And some didnt get up quite so gracefully !!! This is Phil whose revs were dying and dying, and by the time he tried to change down, he first hit neutral and secondly hit Simms Hill
Time had run out on us to complete my planned run to Bovey/Lustleigh so we headed back South. At Ipplepen Phil had to leave (it was gone 5 by now) but I was itching for more lanes. Then there were 7. We caught a few lnes near Marldon before cutting back to the cluster around Tally-Ho, again which everyone got up without any quibble. And this I cleaned too !!
A few lanes at Totnes then as we headed home I decided Devil Steps were also required. This day had been excellent for me personally and my riding and confidence level was the best I'd known. I did wonder if maybe the steps would now get the better of me. But no, I just flew up them. That first concrete block that I always approach with trepidation I just gassed up and the bike gracefully flew over it, then it was go go go right up to the top with not even a dab. I was soooo chuffed. Behind wasnt so graceful with the usual amounts of backend slides and drops ........ made me feel even better knowing the steps still wasnt too easy !! Bonny didnt do the steps, but she did walk them before heading back home before it got dark (her headlamp had packed in)
Finally off the Yealmpton to the jet wash and say goodbye to the remainder of the group. Wish I'd taken a photo of them as they were a right state - It looked a little like they'd all tucked into a cow pat !!! With the dry weather a lot of the lanes were very dusty and I think I was being a bit over hard on my throttle today and causing just a little bit of a dust cloud behind me. Sorry guys, I'm sure it wasnt just me !! And yes our TEC definately came out worse for it !! Sorry mate.
Excellent day, I dont normally get off on dry summer day rides, but for me it was one of my best runs ever.
Til the next time...............................
-- Edited by Fixer on Sunday 20th of September 2009 10:44:01 PM
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