Post by manuel6b2 on Jan 7, 2011 3:27:43 GMT 1
First run out of the new year. Cold conditions again. 0oC to start with. Only 5 out. Kyle, Dennis, Stewart, Adrian and me. All set off from Lisburn at 7:05. Steady ride down the path with me and Kyle leading the pack, Adrian in the middle and Stewart and Dennis at the back. Stopped for a quick rest at the usual spot. I took a moment to warm up the tips of my fingers. Brrrrrr. Kyle providing excellent advice on how to keep fingers warm while cycling.
Dennis and Stewart then lead us off. I stayed at the back with Adrian. Adrian and I dropped off the other three which left Dennis and Stewart making the decision to skip crossing of the footbridge
We pushed on for Shaw's and then onto Stranmillis. The plan was to head to the Waterfront but Adrian's front tyre was getting soft so we pulled in near the rowing club under a street light. This was Adrian's first puncture. He was a puncture virgin.
He produced a tube but didn't have a pump or tyre irons. Not a great start. The tube he produced was a Schrader one. Stewart tried to pump it up on his 'big' pump but the double head was allowing the air to come out the other hole. Dennis and I then tried converting our pumps over to Schrader, both having never done this before. Mine failed to inflate the tube but thankfully Dennis's pump came to the rescue. Actually we weren't really stuck as the rest of us were carrying tubes with Presta valves in them but we felt determined to get this one sorted.
Finally Adrian was turning the bike the right way up. As we had used up a fair bit of time we turned for home. Dennis and Stewart cunningly avoided the Meadows and cycled back to the tow path. I was beginning to think this was going to be the cleanest "off-road" cycle ever. We set a brisk pace back to Shaw's. Thankfully Dennis did give in to my tutting and we all headed up to Malone House. Staved of off-road action I decided to climb the hill on the grass. I was going ok up to the "pain" tree and decided to return to the tarmac for the rest of the climb. Much panting ensued. Adrian was the last up struggling with the gears on his bike.
We headed off through the trees, I was leading the band up to the track. We gathered again to head back to the tow path with Dennis and Stewart avoiding the BMX run. Kyle then me then Adrian all made successful exits through the dip. Dennis and Stewart then lead us back to Lisburn at quick pace. It was getting very cold. Adrian and I were flagging. Stewart left at Hilden again. The remaining four made it back for 8:55. Kyle's new garmin said we did around 19 miles.
Great night out. Looking forward to the next one.
Dennis and Stewart then lead us off. I stayed at the back with Adrian. Adrian and I dropped off the other three which left Dennis and Stewart making the decision to skip crossing of the footbridge
We pushed on for Shaw's and then onto Stranmillis. The plan was to head to the Waterfront but Adrian's front tyre was getting soft so we pulled in near the rowing club under a street light. This was Adrian's first puncture. He was a puncture virgin.
He produced a tube but didn't have a pump or tyre irons. Not a great start. The tube he produced was a Schrader one. Stewart tried to pump it up on his 'big' pump but the double head was allowing the air to come out the other hole. Dennis and I then tried converting our pumps over to Schrader, both having never done this before. Mine failed to inflate the tube but thankfully Dennis's pump came to the rescue. Actually we weren't really stuck as the rest of us were carrying tubes with Presta valves in them but we felt determined to get this one sorted.
Finally Adrian was turning the bike the right way up. As we had used up a fair bit of time we turned for home. Dennis and Stewart cunningly avoided the Meadows and cycled back to the tow path. I was beginning to think this was going to be the cleanest "off-road" cycle ever. We set a brisk pace back to Shaw's. Thankfully Dennis did give in to my tutting and we all headed up to Malone House. Staved of off-road action I decided to climb the hill on the grass. I was going ok up to the "pain" tree and decided to return to the tarmac for the rest of the climb. Much panting ensued. Adrian was the last up struggling with the gears on his bike.
We headed off through the trees, I was leading the band up to the track. We gathered again to head back to the tow path with Dennis and Stewart avoiding the BMX run. Kyle then me then Adrian all made successful exits through the dip. Dennis and Stewart then lead us back to Lisburn at quick pace. It was getting very cold. Adrian and I were flagging. Stewart left at Hilden again. The remaining four made it back for 8:55. Kyle's new garmin said we did around 19 miles.
Great night out. Looking forward to the next one.