Post by manuel6b2 on Oct 24, 2008 1:13:03 GMT 1
I managed to get to the Civic Centre for 6:50 and only found the hard core of Alan and Stewart there. The night was blowy with some heavy rain earlier this evening and the turn out looked to be very poor, however Gary soon arrived and informed us there was more coming and indeed he was right. Dennis was dropped off then Ronnie arrived with his road bike/cx bike. His MTB had only just been repaired but not in time for him to switch lights over etc. We were all due to set off around 7:05 when Noel shows up. He then proceeded to give us all the reverse strip tease act by slowly 
dressing himself much to the dismay of the onlookers. FINALLY we set off around 7:20.
The path was better than I had expected. I was expecting a large amount of leaves on the path making it difficult to judge the edge of the tarmac and perhaps making it slippery. I was pleased to find the path in excellent condition and we were zipping along with the wind at our backs, Alan and I leading from the off. We crossed the foot bridge but decided to skip out Giants Ring because of Ronnie's inappropriate bike
. We instead headed through Belvoir with Alan leading the way with his new super bright light. On a certain hill Alan faded and it was Ronnie in the lighter bike who shot to the front with me giving chase. As I pulled up beside Ronnie his bike went for a quiver and Ronnie almost went on his ear. The pace was then very sedate for the next stretch of path before turning and coming through the gate. I then took the lead heading up the hill and back into the forest. It wasn't long before Dennis came to the fore and lead us confidently through the trees as BL had done the previous week. The pace was good and things were going well before Stewart shouted out about a puncture. Not his but Alan's. Among a group of trees Alan and younger brother Dennis took to repairing the bike with the rest of us in a circle providing light. Noel pitched in by inflating the new tube by mouth alone before having to spend a fair bit of time trying to get the inflation cannister Alan has been carrying around for quite some time, to work. Finally we got going again with most of us feeling the chill after we had stopped. Out of Belvoir we turned left skipping out Lagan Meadows and headed for home with Dennis and Noel leading off. After the narrow metal bridge I organised a change at the front bringing upStewart and Alan who set off at a quick pace back along the path for home. At the rise before the aqueduct Alan faded and went straight out the back. Stewart wasn't long in dropping off as well. Dennis, Noel, Gary and Ronnie broke away leaving Alan, Stewart and I forming the second group. There wasn't enough energy between the three of us to catch the group ahead despite me giving the guys a push. Stewart pulled off at Hilden and Alan and I just coasted along back to the Civic Centre always with the front group in sight ahead.
All back for 8:55 with about 18-20 miles on the clock.
dressing himself much to the dismay of the onlookers. FINALLY we set off around 7:20.The path was better than I had expected. I was expecting a large amount of leaves on the path making it difficult to judge the edge of the tarmac and perhaps making it slippery. I was pleased to find the path in excellent condition and we were zipping along with the wind at our backs, Alan and I leading from the off. We crossed the foot bridge but decided to skip out Giants Ring because of Ronnie's inappropriate bike
. We instead headed through Belvoir with Alan leading the way with his new super bright light. On a certain hill Alan faded and it was Ronnie in the lighter bike who shot to the front with me giving chase. As I pulled up beside Ronnie his bike went for a quiver and Ronnie almost went on his ear. The pace was then very sedate for the next stretch of path before turning and coming through the gate. I then took the lead heading up the hill and back into the forest. It wasn't long before Dennis came to the fore and lead us confidently through the trees as BL had done the previous week. The pace was good and things were going well before Stewart shouted out about a puncture. Not his but Alan's. Among a group of trees Alan and younger brother Dennis took to repairing the bike with the rest of us in a circle providing light. Noel pitched in by inflating the new tube by mouth alone before having to spend a fair bit of time trying to get the inflation cannister Alan has been carrying around for quite some time, to work. Finally we got going again with most of us feeling the chill after we had stopped. Out of Belvoir we turned left skipping out Lagan Meadows and headed for home with Dennis and Noel leading off. After the narrow metal bridge I organised a change at the front bringing upStewart and Alan who set off at a quick pace back along the path for home. At the rise before the aqueduct Alan faded and went straight out the back. Stewart wasn't long in dropping off as well. Dennis, Noel, Gary and Ronnie broke away leaving Alan, Stewart and I forming the second group. There wasn't enough energy between the three of us to catch the group ahead despite me giving the guys a push. Stewart pulled off at Hilden and Alan and I just coasted along back to the Civic Centre always with the front group in sight ahead.All back for 8:55 with about 18-20 miles on the clock.