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With Jason and Andy away on Trans Scotland duty John and Terry decided to go local today and save their energy for the following weekend's trip to Dalby Forest in North Yorkshire. That's because some people's energy isn't boundless, it's precious and should be spent in a measured, sensible fashion. Ha!

Anyway, the pair met at their usual rendezvous, Hillheads Farm at Killingworth at 9.30am. A very pleasant blue sky up yon and a light but at last warm breeze bode well for a nice little cruise around East Tyneside. We turned across the fields under the A19 then down the B1322 road into Seghill. Leaving the main road put us on the bridleway through Middle Farm as we headed for Holywell Dene and John's favourite stretch of racetrack where he unceremoniously burnt off the Gollum in a fearless display of "if there's anyone coming the other way, tough!". With visibility down to metres due to the high greenery overgrowing the sides of the trail it looked very brave from behind.

We finally emerged at Hartley West Farm with the intention of doing the coastal path past St Mary's Island. However, there was a sudden climate change here, with freezing fog and a very cold wind pouring in off the sea, so we decided to backtrack along the Beehive Road to get back into the sunshine again. Half way along there we risked life and limb by skating down off the bridge onto the old railway line below and headed south into Monkseaton, away from the fog now but still in a cold breeze. We stayed with the bridleway right to Monkseaton station then cut through the Marden Estate and onto the Broadway into Tynemouth. At the Priory we dropped onto the riverside and then followed the Tyne to North Shields Ferry where we had our bait stop around 12.00 ish. Lovely day again but the mouth of the Tyne looked menacing enveloped in the fog.

Dodgy cockle pickers Lunch stop watching the ferry leaving

We climbed the steep ramps and short staircase up from the Quayside and made our way around the new Marina into Royal Quays. We were just cruising through, admiring the female scenery the sun had magically produced, when something squeaked in Golly's pocket. Cor, what could it be? Only the GollyPhone™. John speculated it might be Jason with a report on his Trans Scotland adventure. The little screen on the GollyPhone™, however, said "Derek Reiver". Why would he be ringing us from the middle of his ride in the wilds of Northumberland, where we had refrained from joining him today as it sounded a naf ride?. Well, it transpired that he was after our whereabouts so he could join us! Now I know that Derek's a potent force on a pushbike, but  to complete a 22 miler with the Reivers 30 miles away and then try to join us here by 1.00pm sounded distinctly impossible. Half an hour later we met him at Backworth railway crossing. Gosh! Or Golly!

Here Derek and John discuss the Middle East Why's he winkin' at Golly?

Turns out that Derek had met Singlespeed Steve at his place at Fourstones, near Hexham this morning. From there, the pair had ridden to Allendale to meet the rest of the Reivers to start their ride. However, something had gone awry and made Derek change his mind about what he wanted to do today. For my money, he just couldn't face that initial climb out the back of Allendale so he took the easy way out to join us flatlanders. Actually, there may be a little more to it, but until I do the official recorded interview I'm saying nowt. Do you believe me?

You were right not to believe me. There'd been an exchange of words (allegedly), not exactly what Derek wanted to hear from one of his more outspoken clubmates. Taking exception to the obvious attitude coming at him (allegedly), and the inference that he was in the wrong place with the wrong people (allegedly), he decided not to spoil his day and headed back home. Seems that us MidAirCrisis morons were also involved in the short discussion (allegedly), though God and one other even more important personage (allegedly) only knows how or why, so I can only look forward to our next trip out with the Reivers with a certain amount of excitement and curiosity! Keep watching for news.

The aftermath of Derek's fall - I just missed it Allo, allo John!

Anyway, away from the crap and back to the ride - although John and Gollum had completed their scheduled outing, with a nice steady 22 miles gone by, it only seemed right that Derek's efforts to join us should not go unrewarded. We therefore promoted him to Ride Leader, coz  that's the system wot he's used to (still alien to us MidAirCrisis Equals, of course) and he proceeded to drag us backwards around part of our early morning route and then stick another 20 on for good measure. How dare the tw*t take out his venom on us!!! Half way around the extra bit Derek managed to wipe himself out on a steep climb in Holywell Dene, much to the amusement of a gaggle of local kids (John and Golly didn't laugh at all). Just like Arthur a few days earlier - yep, another Reiver out with the MidAir Misfits - guess what you're in for Arthur (allegedly) - it seems all our "guest" riders come a cropper on our rides. Maybe we're dangerous. As it happened we were all to discover even more off-road stuff than we knew about previously, as well as getting lost in the trees either side of Seaton Delaval (I kid you not, would I do that?). Our final little exploit was to negotiate the giant whoop-de-doos just east of Middle Farm, Seghill. Here's a poor 7MB .mpg vid to mark the event. It may also mark something a bit more memorable, but only time will tell...

Miracle escape for Gollum's new CrossMax wheel

In the bushes, something stirred ah, a Reiver

Gollum's Golden Gateway - almost home now - latest new bike update

We split up to return to our various abodes just after that, with John's bike PC reading 42 miles, as far as I remember. That would put me on about 48 in total, similar to the other two, back at the Gollum's cave. Bit tired, I am.

 Join us at Dalby Forest next Sunday - ALL welcome, lead the ride if you want.

Coming out for a ride? E-mail us bailout@midaircrisis.org.uk