I’ve actually been out twice since I last wrote but this real life crap really does keep getting in the way!
Tuesday night rolled round like it always does and a few posts on the Bad Brains forum later fellow rider Chip decided he would be joining the Morley Master-class. Turning up at my gaff at 7 all three of us got ready to go. Roachy and I rolled over to Chip’s car waiting to set off. “I’ve not put my lamps on tonight there still charging in my garage, am I gonna need them?†Chip asked. “You’ll be reet†Roachy replied.
So with everyone suited, booted and with Chip riding with just a Petzl head torch and a commuter light we set off proper into the rainy night. We set off with a good pace and hit the first climb, the short steep cobbles past the chippy (Mmmm fish and chips….) and with a certain amount of glee I flew up the hill this time without losing my chain!
Back onto the road Chip and Roachy got further into the distance as I got cut up at a roundabout, catching up I flew past them waiting for me and we whizzed on to the off road cut off point. Off the tarmac we followed the gentle climb upwards looking over the night view of Morley keeping up the good pace as we went.
Across the duel carriage way and onto the field to Thorpe we actually took the right path this time and slogged through the deep mud. Following the deep tyre tractor tracks across the fields Chip tried to transfer from the left to the right rut and fell off spectacularly into Roachy’s back wheel loosening most of the spokes. The only way I could possibly describe it is that it looked like someone had nailed chips wheels to the floor and then pushed him sideways! I couldn’t help but giggle.
Everybody recovered we rode onwards and down Thorpe lane, cutting off left dodging the burnt out cars and broken glass that is the scenic joy of lower Middleton. The tracks here, while not singletrack nirvana, do roll quite nicely and in our giddy pedalling we nearly missed the turn off. We turned round at cruised down the track to meet the road and I shouted that I needed 5. (Well I did. I was knackered. This whole reasonably quick pace thing was fecking me good and proper). During the gossiping we noticed that Chip’s right hand shifter pod had been nicely split in half and his bell (!) destroyed by Roachy’s rear wheel. Again I couldn’t help but giggle.
Setting off again we cruised round the White Rose centre roads the wrong way round freaking out all who saw 3 grown men head to toe in mud with very bright lights. We cut up onto the footpath known as the gravel stream. I’ve spoke about the “gravel stream†in another post before now and suffice to say it’s not very nice to ride downhill. So when we did it uphill…….. fecking hell and I didn’t manage to finish it without pushing is all I will say on the matter. Off the gravel stream and onto the path parallel to railway track my rear tyre turned to s slick with all the mud and for all my trying I couldn’t get my bloody left foot clipped in. So… that bit was not fun. But on the plus side the crossing boards over the railway track have been finished.
With a just a small amount of glee, we were ascending the last climb of the night, with gritted teeth, much swearing and burning legs and lungs I made it too the top. Despite the fact it was pissing it down we stood there for a while gossiping like old women and setting the world to rights. When the cold crept it’s way back in to our muscles we decided to make our way back home.
Good Ride
Fat Lad