Yes, Our Derek's back, thank goodness. Great to see him out again although he's taking it easy to start with by riding his singlespeed to keep his moving weight low. Every little helps, and this Cannondale weapon is very little. Could take him a while to get back his ride fitness, but he can always natter with me at the back for a while!

Thursday 20th December 2007 is the night ride that Gollum forgot. So I'll probably struggle with detail as I write this on 16th January.  There were nine of us and the Gollum attempted once more to put a slightly different slant on at least some of the ride. With both groups meeting at the Clousden Hill in the middle of the Great Lime Road, Speedian took the reins and led us through the top of Forest Hall's quiet residential area to the top of Station Road where we entered the Rising Sun Country Park. No great change there. We continued to follow Ian through his young evergreen slalom course at the foot of The Hill before he stopped for an adjustment and Terry took over to get us across to the bridleway between the top and the back of Hadrian Lodge Estate. Great watching these two close-up slinging it between the trunks and sliding over the roots in the dark

Those present: Derek, Tim, Ian A, Keith, Brian F, Craig, Terry H, Steve B and Golly.

Craig then led us down the fast slope as he attempted to bed in his new Hayes HFX9 hydraulics with some fast stops, then it was time for the Gollum to provide his deviation(?). I mean diversion, I think. So he and Terry scooted away to pick up the bridleway that dissects Battle Hill only to discover the others weren't following! Actually they were, but the pair had bolted too quickly for them to realise what was happening. Once they'd caught up we headed along behind The Dog turning down towards battle Hill Drive and crossing the A1056 via the treacherously surfaced underpass. Golly's had loads of near misses on this and one nasty fall. No surprise.

Emerging on the south bank of the Coast Road, it was time for a subtle change. There followed a very tricky blast down the western edge of Wallsend Dene where no man has ever set wheel, at least until a few weeks ago when the recce was conducted in daylight during the holidays. This very thin ribbon of singletrack looks like it was created with a tablespoon being dragged through the field, so narrow is the cut in it. Of course it caused mayhem tonight, but just to make everyone feel better, I'm sure it would have done the same in daytime. Once more Gollum and Terry shot away from the others, and the night air was filled with screams and shouts as we got further in towards Rosehill. It wasn't filled with light beams, however, and it was some time before the whole group was back together on the bridleway. Plenty of tales of "fü@<!Ŋς hexx" circulating at this point as everyone had their own mishap to relate.

A smooth drop into the side of Richardson Dees Park was followed by a mad mass sprint up the horrible but thankfully short Crow Bank after which we wended our way through the streets of Wallsend down to the riverside and Hadrian's Cycleway. A bracing cruise up the riverside saw us stop for a snack break at St Peter's Marina where there was a discussion on competition entry, and particularly the Wild Boar 24 hour event at Grizedale, Cumbria in May. There seemed to be a lot of interest, so much so that it seemed we would be able to enter not one, but two four-man teams! Impressive, maybe.

We continued up the riverside towards the bridges and turned right under Byker Bridge for the steep ascent to Byker, then into Heaton Park for another short relief stop. Time now to tackle Keith's favourite steps, but he wasn't going to risk popping any more spokes, an affliction his Stumpy is currently plagued with, so he carried down them. We quickly decided it was too late to drop to the riverside here and turned east instead, heading up onto Armstrong Bridge and keeping straight ahead to our destination at the foot of Freeman Road. From there it was Coxlodge Waggonway back across to the East Coast main line, up the side of NUFC's practice pitches end the Old Coast Road again. Some went left, some went right and we finished the ride around ten.

Keep watching and if you fancy a ride out with us, drop us a line here: bailout@midaircrisis.org.uk