Post by manuel6b2 on Jan 24, 2009 1:12:41 GMT 1
Only four out on Thursday night. I used to remember there being over 10!!
Ronnie, Stewart, BL and me. Alan still down with the flu and out of action for another while. Get well soon Alan.
After a bright blue sky all day the temperature plummeted quickly by 7pm. We all set off at a sharp pace with Ronnie and BL ahead, a large gap, then Stewart and me. There was hardly anyone out on the tow path, most people finding better places to be on this cold night. We were facing a headwind for most of the way in until we found shelter past the steel bridge. With everyone on mountain bikes we headed over the footbridge and towards the Giants Ring. Ronnie's chain was jumping all over the place and only seemed to want to work when in the big ring. Even my own bike was starting to complain when changing through the gears and on more than one occasion it was jamming between the middle and big ring.
BL's bike was still covered in mud from Tuesday night and he was swearing by the idea that the bikes should not be cleaned as they work better with the mud on them
Even with Ronnie's bike playing up it was Stewart and me who were trailing going around the Ring which was pretty mucky almost everywhere. Out the far end, along the road and then headed down 'nettle lane'. We didn't get far as there was a tree down blocking the lane. We squeezed past and kept going. Back into the forest, under Shaw's bridge. BL and Ronnie still way out ahead. In Belvoir for a quick, exhausting spin. Glad to get out and back onto the tow path. Nice quick zip to Stranmillis before turning and heading into Lagan Meadows. Nice run through the Meadows but Ronnie was still suffering bike problems and was not keen to put too much power down through the pedals in case the chain went snap. Back onto the tow path and headed for Shaw's bridge. With my bike giving me jip as well I was happy to give the climb up to the Malone House a skip. We pushed on as the night got colder. My toes were numb but the rest of me was warm. I was at the back of the group when we all came to a complete stop at the back of Malone golf course (where the fence is falling over). Up ahead, in the beam of our lights, were two horses on the path ahead. A mare and her foal. We turned off our lights so as not to spook them. I called the local police to inform them about the loose animals. It wouldn't have taken much to spook the horses into the Lagan itself. With no way around them and zero chance of them standing to one side to let us past we had to walk slowly forward. We had to walk a fair bit before there was a chance for the horses to cross a bridge on the left and go into a field. With the horses rounded up
we blasted on home. Stewart left us at Hilden. All back for just after 9. Not much chat afterwards. We all wanted to get home and get warm.
BL. The following website might be useful
www.chainreactioncycles.com/Categories.aspx?CategoryID=260 ;D
Ronnie, Stewart, BL and me. Alan still down with the flu and out of action for another while. Get well soon Alan.
After a bright blue sky all day the temperature plummeted quickly by 7pm. We all set off at a sharp pace with Ronnie and BL ahead, a large gap, then Stewart and me. There was hardly anyone out on the tow path, most people finding better places to be on this cold night. We were facing a headwind for most of the way in until we found shelter past the steel bridge. With everyone on mountain bikes we headed over the footbridge and towards the Giants Ring. Ronnie's chain was jumping all over the place and only seemed to want to work when in the big ring. Even my own bike was starting to complain when changing through the gears and on more than one occasion it was jamming between the middle and big ring.
BL's bike was still covered in mud from Tuesday night and he was swearing by the idea that the bikes should not be cleaned as they work better with the mud on them
Even with Ronnie's bike playing up it was Stewart and me who were trailing going around the Ring which was pretty mucky almost everywhere. Out the far end, along the road and then headed down 'nettle lane'. We didn't get far as there was a tree down blocking the lane. We squeezed past and kept going. Back into the forest, under Shaw's bridge. BL and Ronnie still way out ahead. In Belvoir for a quick, exhausting spin. Glad to get out and back onto the tow path. Nice quick zip to Stranmillis before turning and heading into Lagan Meadows. Nice run through the Meadows but Ronnie was still suffering bike problems and was not keen to put too much power down through the pedals in case the chain went snap. Back onto the tow path and headed for Shaw's bridge. With my bike giving me jip as well I was happy to give the climb up to the Malone House a skip. We pushed on as the night got colder. My toes were numb but the rest of me was warm. I was at the back of the group when we all came to a complete stop at the back of Malone golf course (where the fence is falling over). Up ahead, in the beam of our lights, were two horses on the path ahead. A mare and her foal. We turned off our lights so as not to spook them. I called the local police to inform them about the loose animals. It wouldn't have taken much to spook the horses into the Lagan itself. With no way around them and zero chance of them standing to one side to let us past we had to walk slowly forward. We had to walk a fair bit before there was a chance for the horses to cross a bridge on the left and go into a field. With the horses rounded up
we blasted on home. Stewart left us at Hilden. All back for just after 9. Not much chat afterwards. We all wanted to get home and get warm. BL. The following website might be useful
www.chainreactioncycles.com/Categories.aspx?CategoryID=260
;D
;D