Wednesday 15th July Ride Report......
Top sprocket
Ride review - July 15 2009
Threatening clouds and boggy ground made the balmy weather of a couple of weeks ago and lounging in the sunshine outside the Riser look like a distant dream. Yup, it was like winter all over.
Nothing like new kit to lift the mood though, my new Orange Five getting much admiration and even Jeremy keen to show off a new stem for his Kona. Sadly he seemed to have got his order wrong somewhere along the line and Wiggle seemed to have delivered the tiller off a narrowboat instead. So impressive was its length young women blushed at the sight of it. Cold weather or not there was no need of excuses.
The rag tag convoy, comprising Karl, Jeremy, Lloydy, Richard, myself, Steve and Paul headed out through Berko, my Hope hub clattering like a bloody football rattle as we made our way along the high street, up the hill and to Shootersway. A bit of a road hack ensued, the big tyres and flat pedals I'd unwisely left on the Orange cooling my boots somewhat as Lloydy and Karl headed the peloton along lane and tracks toward Wigginton.
Our destination? Jumps it would seem, and opportunity to film the next instalment of 'Dan's Tricks' apparently. No pressure.
Eventually we reached our secret stunt location, somewhere beside the Ridgeway. Ever the diva I muttered something about a lack of 'lips' and the need to 'build a couple of booters', the response being blank stares and a look of expectation regardless. A run was scoped, whole centimetres of air appeared twixt tyre and terra firma and I even managed a mega bar tweak for the camera. Skills. All swiftly overshadowed by Karl artfully reconstructing my 'jump like a chump' crash of the previous week. Good chap, it looked very realistic and thankfully the camera was running this time.
It was about quarter to beer at this point so handlebars were pointed toward The Riser and all available speed was made along surprisingly boggy trails to an RV with ale, cider and overpriced German lager. Yes, Tom even made it along to halve the whip with the purchase of a single pint and once Will had finished ogling the bunch of scantily clad jailbait who'd unexpectedly livened up the proceedings he even brought us bowls of spuds. Result!
Next? Destination Surrey…
Dan