Thusday 1 October 2009

The full (hopefully) extent of the damage from Thursday night:
Snapped chain, bent rear derailleur, bent mech hanger, bent QR skewer from rear wheel, all the above require replacement! Not to mention the numerous nicks, scratches and gouges taken out of the previously lovely green swingarm.

“Tonight Mathew I will be riding………….the Giant”. Could be a little hairy going back to a hardtail with 80mm front travel from my matched 140mm front and back! My arse is not looking forward to it!!

Anyhow back to Thursday, those out were:- Me, Blox, Carbon Paul, Dave, Dee and xmassy. In Steppingley (Centre Parcs) woods the group was split 50/50 as half took the sandy gulley whilst the other 3 opted for the soft option (no names).
It was just after we reformed to climb up through to the back of the woods when catastrophe struck, chain snapped, initial response (stick a gold link in and carry on) actual response on investigation (f**k, walking home) and Dee went off to catch up with the others and tell them I’d meet them in the pub.

I cobbled together a single speed and decided to carry on through the woods and then back on the road from Steppingley, however upon reaching the road, my bike now on auto pilot headed off towards Eversholt with a few shortcuts/detours I met up with the others between Eversholt and Tingrith and came back from there with them, completing the ‘Bog’ and the ‘Field’ up to the ‘Big House’ without a foot down.

The boys kindly stopped pedalling along the road back from Steppingley and in the slipstreaming in the ‘Lotus’ position I was able to stay with them until Blox took advantage of the slow pace and made a break for the bypass, don’t know if anyone caught him, as Dave and I battled up the bypass and Station Road, me with one gear and burning legs and Dave wit a flat tyre.

Refreshments in the E&T as usual Dave, Carbon and xmassy, your pints will be repaid Monday! Thank you! see you then.