Post by mtec45 on Dec 5, 2009 10:57:15 GMT 1
After we all decided that Martin is a chicken ;D, five tough guys decided they would endure the sub zero temperatures tonight - Stewart, Dennis, Atomic, Jonathan and Davey.
We all headed off at the usual time with Dennis and me at the front and we immediately seen the sparkles of the frost that had started to show on the tow path. Dennis was well warmed up having already rode 12 miles before we’d even started so the pace was brisk to begin! No dramas with floods or birds like the last outing I’d had down the tow path (see Thursday 19th Nov write up) so I was glad I’d left the outboard motor behind this week
Down the (mucky) tow path through Drumbridge and over the Gilchrist bridge we took it easy on the turns as the frost was nipping hard. We all decided that it was time that Davy got his first “Giants Ring” run and reckoned that the frost would have hardened the muck a bit. This was not the case and we all slithered and slimed our way up towards the ring getting quite crossed up in the process. Momentum was definitely the key and when changing down in order to spin a bit more my gears missed and crunched and lost drive. It took about 10 feet of paddling, slipping and spinning to get going again, leaving me more busted than usual
Giants ring was a mucky mess and Davy stuck it out well hanging on behind Dennis, both showing the skills that make them good riders on motorbikes also. We all took the direct route across the ring and through the gate down onto nettle lane, we were surprised how white the car was with frost at end.
Down the road, onto Shaws Bridge and into Belvoir Forest with the climb never failing to raise my heartbeat! We cut short the usual forest run and turned back onto the towpath just before the climb to the car park and headed for Lagan Meadows.
The Meadows were in good shape and not too mucky allowing us to zip on a bit and enjoy the flow of it all. I held back towards the first descent, letting Dennis and Davey get some distance ahead before I went so they would get the gate open before I arrived, but I timed it wrong and got there a few seconds early so a had to slow up
. The last rough decent at the end suits my recently serviced forks and I really love to try and take it faster every week and enjoyed the run down tonight 
. All grouped back up again we headed for home through the park, again being very cautious as the frost glittered the path ahead.
Atomic, sorry, Alan decided that Barnetts was the route home, I was at the lead initially but more gear probs meant my I could not change down from the big ring and pulled over to let the racers through. Just ahead I caught a glimpse of Dennis trying to pass Alan on the grass about half way up, which no doubt pleased Alan no end!!
Easy pace towards the track and back to the path, missing out the jumps as there has been a few falls of late due to the narrow, slippery entrance and exit to it. We rode back down the mucky tow path heading home with Jonathan starting to tire about half way home as the layer of muck on the tow path took a little more out of our legs than usual.
No sprints home as we were all cold and a slippery path meant you could get wet very easily should it all go wrong
Great night again, 23 on the clock, 35 for Dennis, everyone busted. Job done.
Stewart
We all headed off at the usual time with Dennis and me at the front and we immediately seen the sparkles of the frost that had started to show on the tow path. Dennis was well warmed up having already rode 12 miles before we’d even started so the pace was brisk to begin! No dramas with floods or birds like the last outing I’d had down the tow path (see Thursday 19th Nov write up) so I was glad I’d left the outboard motor behind this week
Down the (mucky) tow path through Drumbridge and over the Gilchrist bridge we took it easy on the turns as the frost was nipping hard. We all decided that it was time that Davy got his first “Giants Ring” run and reckoned that the frost would have hardened the muck a bit. This was not the case and we all slithered and slimed our way up towards the ring getting quite crossed up in the process. Momentum was definitely the key and when changing down in order to spin a bit more my gears missed and crunched and lost drive. It took about 10 feet of paddling, slipping and spinning to get going again, leaving me more busted than usual
Giants ring was a mucky mess and Davy stuck it out well hanging on behind Dennis, both showing the skills that make them good riders on motorbikes also. We all took the direct route across the ring and through the gate down onto nettle lane, we were surprised how white the car was with frost at end.
Down the road, onto Shaws Bridge and into Belvoir Forest with the climb never failing to raise my heartbeat! We cut short the usual forest run and turned back onto the towpath just before the climb to the car park and headed for Lagan Meadows.
The Meadows were in good shape and not too mucky allowing us to zip on a bit and enjoy the flow of it all. I held back towards the first descent, letting Dennis and Davey get some distance ahead before I went so they would get the gate open before I arrived, but I timed it wrong and got there a few seconds early so a had to slow up
. The last rough decent at the end suits my recently serviced forks and I really love to try and take it faster every week and enjoyed the run down tonight 
. All grouped back up again we headed for home through the park, again being very cautious as the frost glittered the path ahead.Atomic, sorry, Alan decided that Barnetts was the route home, I was at the lead initially but more gear probs meant my I could not change down from the big ring and pulled over to let the racers through. Just ahead I caught a glimpse of Dennis trying to pass Alan on the grass about half way up
, which no doubt pleased Alan no end!! Easy pace towards the track and back to the path, missing out the jumps as there has been a few falls of late due to the narrow, slippery entrance and exit to it. We rode back down the mucky tow path heading home with Jonathan starting to tire about half way home as the layer of muck on the tow path took a little more out of our legs than usual.
No sprints home as we were all cold and a slippery path meant you could get wet very easily should it all go wrong
Great night again, 23 on the clock, 35 for Dennis, everyone busted. Job done.
Stewart