Date : 23rd Jan 2011 Time : 10am - 3:15pm Miles : 78
Riders - Me, KwakaGeoff (now has Landyman's KTM), Richard, Ben, OneWheelJon & his mate Steve
Well 6 of the 8 arrived at my house on time. The weather seemed to be a little warmer than yesterday and no frosted cars. Thats a good start. Jon had brought his mate Steve along, who had recently purchased ChrisMs (tvtr) YZF250. This was his second ever green laning experience!!!
Best sight of the day was (for the 2nd time running) the overwhelming amount of blue bikes present (3x WRs and 1xYZF). Looks like the SW boyz are seeing sense at last!!!
Off the Yealmpton to meet BigG/Sam but they'd got a puncture en route and informed the garage that they couldnt make it (that was a good a move, as they didnt have our numbers). Taking in the lanes of Newton Ferrers and then heading NE towards Devil Steps. At this stage it was clear to see Steve was a natural on the lanes as he was taking it all in his stride and didnt hold anyone up all day. He didn't even fall of !!!!!!! So it was straight up Devil Steps, I had one of those rare cleaned-it days apart from when I ducked under a branch 10m from the end. Everyone else got up without any major fuss. Water mid-way at the top of this lane was very little but the water at the far end way deep again, looks like drainage has been blocked again. Route continued east-bound. On 202-205 the tree felling continues and we had a non-passable section that required some manual tree moving!! Then looping around to -212, the top section of which I had to cut through 1/2" thick ice through the long puddle here - sounded nasty on the bike, and also strangely blew my main fus by the time I got to the end of it??? (was ok again after replacing). Richard had a mare at the bottom of the hill on this lane and claimed to see the 1st badger of the day. Took in lanes to Harbertonford where Jon and Steve called it a day (Steve has a knee injury from an industrial accident and was aching too much). So after a pasty and some fuel off went the remaining 4 of us. Heading by Bow Bridge and up towards Totnes via the nightmare -295 which saw Rich hit a hat-trick of badgers all to himself. Through Totnes and off towards Stoke Gabriel (after the last visit to there and seeing what great lanes there were, we felt a repeat visit was necessary), before heading back via Berry Pomroy and back to Totnes and then mostly road-work back home.
Saw quite a few groups out today (more than ever before), but didnt recognise any - although there were a group that had come across from Paignton (anyone from here???)
Anyhoo it was a great day. The sun shone and none of us had any cold moments all day. Suprising how tired and achey I am tonight though.
Cheers guys, til the next time..........................
Ben nr the top of Devil Steps
Rich @ the same
And Jon
And Steve (successfully getting up the steps on his 2nd ever green lane ride)
The boyz at the top of the steps (apart from the good looking one with the camera)
Nice report and pics Wheely. Went that way last weekend (without camera), Devils Steps has changed yet again and was by far the easiest I've ever seen it. The water at the far end had me off and the bike completely submerged, aparently it was most funny seeing me up to my elbows in water trying to find it. There seems to be a few new groups out riding lately as we met two groups that I don't know.
