Anyway, Terry left Holystone in the rain at 10.00am to meet John half way, at Hillheads Farm, Killingworth. He arrived a wee bit early, so he rode on, getting as far as the roundabout at Annitsford where he decided he might miss John if he went any further. Sure enough, around 10.25 he had to haul it back towards Burradon at the double, just getting close enough so that John could hear his pathetic screams and turn back again. Thank goodness, don't know if I could have done the very slight incline up to Burradon again so soon.

From the roundabout we headed west to the Backworth edge of Dudley, then dragged up the bank to Weetslade and off onto the bridleway. I was looking for some little take-off ramps and jumps for Johnny to practice scratching his lush new Kikapu DL but blow me if the council hadn't been and flattened the lot! Here's what it was like on a previous ride past:

Now it's as flat as...

So, we crossed the road again and rode up the hill to the new Dudley landmark as we had done a few months ago, only this time it was wet.

Double Kikapus! Alright, Darling?

Note the slightly soggy landscape in the background:

We rode gently down off the mound as the Gollum has no back mudguard any more and hates getting his arse damp. There's been a good bit of landscaping activity by the local authority on this old pit heap with tracks running everywhere, but nothing to get excited about. We squirted around a few of them then rode out to the old A1 at Wideopen and across it to continue on the bridleway which leads to ---- nowhere!

Here's John coming out behind me, wondering why we'd just ridden for ten minutes up a blind alley when I knew we'd have to backtrack!

Still, it wasn't fantastic weather and we did want to stay close to home, so we retraced our steps past Weetslade again, then continued on the bridleway to Burradon cutting through the village to the fields below the fringe of Killingworth. That's where we parted, John to the north, terry to the south. 17.5 miles on the clock at the Cave.

On the way back I saw this. If you didn't know already, Christmas is coming! >>>>

Have you Killed A BIKE THIEF TODAY?