Thursday 8th June 2006 and another gentle ride centred on Cramlington, with Jason, John and Terry in attendance on a beautiful clear night. We rode north and west from John's place and entered the farm roads to the south side of Plessey Woods at the Bassington roundabout where the A1068 meets the A192. We were just trolling along looking for a bridleway or road through to the woods in Stannington Vale. The first one we tried led us into someone's back garden and nowhere else, so we backtracked to one we'd ridden past and tried that. It lead to Plessey Hall Farm and the sound of several large dogs (yes, they sounded large) compelled us to turn back again. The third offshoot gave us a lovely freewheel blast  down a dual tarmac track for a couple of minutes but again stopped at "Bugger Off Strangers" signs, so out we came again. Got England's first hat trick!

We clambered out through a closed off old road onto the A192 and floated down the bank to Hartford Bridge. Just up the other side of the dip we stopped for a while to discuss that funny little sport we were once so fond of - can't even say it now! That discussion lasted a good while before we followed Jason down the bridleway into Plessey Woods Country Park.

Note*** in this pic how far Johnny's back wheel is off the deck!

 

 

 

 

  Eventually this led us to the north bank of the River Blyth which we followed as closely as we could - won't say too much about our actual route, I'll just claim we got lost, but it was great fun all the way out to the A1 at Stannington Bridge. We stopped there for a rest and a slurp, and to continue the discussion on "that" other sport, and whether or not we felt it worthwhile continuing with the prospective plan for a one-off match again this year. The conversation lasted 10 or more minutes but again was left open-ended. From here we continued on the cycle path south towards Seaton Burn, on the old A1.

 

Here's John avoiding cars on the A1 and crossing it

We were going up the incline at the New Kennels when deja vu set in - Jason got a flatty!

Crikey, it's been ages since his last puncture and the period when he seemed to get one every time out. I put this down to tyre abuse and probably a thorn on the riverside path. So we had the chance for another controversial discussion while he fixed that and again no decisions were reached. Here's John offering the use of his new tool - a gas cylinder.

Back aboard, we rode up to Shotton Grange and turned left to duck under the A1 and cross back over to the 1068 again. Then it was south to Arcot Hall where it seemed to get very dark under the trees. Over the railway crossing at Arcot and onto the A1171 past Cramlington High School back to John's around 10.15pm. That was around 15.5 nice, easy miles with hardly a hill in site. Not a million miles from us the Reivers would be returning from their midweek ride, but I'll bet it wasn't as flat or relaxing as ours was!

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