Speedian's List:

Ian A
Terry K
Matt
Jason
Jon
Arthur
Richy
Alan
Ian M2
Chris D
Steve W
Stewart
Justin
Ian B
Pixie
Peter

Another well-attended night ride with LED switch-on times steadily moving up with the little hand, although there were a few lit around 8:30pm. Ian B had that awesome Kona Stuff out with it's magnificent Fox 36s up front - a real beastie and just short of a back spring to make it into a bike. The 16 out tonight managed once again to become two parties with only ten minutes elapsed after we'd hit the Clousden Hill singletrack. The back shift popped out at Killingworth Village to find - nobody there! After a few minutes of head scratching, Arthur rang Speedy to see where he'd taken the race heads, looked like it was to be another quick ride tonight like the previous one.

We managed to reassemble at the Lakes but were already way off target as the river had been mooted as the quicker, safer route out to Throckley. Didn't seem do-able already. We got in line again behind Ian A as he pushed that big gear over to Weetslade, running through there but that was where Terry thought he'd lost one off the back, so he and Justin hovered at the east end of the hill while Richy charged to the front for a head count. Gollum 0, Team 1 - nobody missing at all!

We did the Scrapyard Squiggle through to Seaton Burn then dived into the woods for that superb singletrack romp under the trees. Up the hill and over the A1, but on the bridge Richy divulged that his helmet carcass had become detached from the inner! Bit tricky that, so he and Terry agreed to slow down a bit rather than end Richy's ride as strictly speaking his hat was now deemed to be non-compliant with NMBCs stringent safety regs. A quick Emergency Session was held to enable Richy to continue without penalty. Bu@@er, could have had more Miniature Heroes out of this!

As we sped towards the far end of Brunton Lane via Havannah fields and Big Waters it became apparent that Ian still had Throckley dene on his mind. I'm not sure if I was dreaming at the time but I'm pretty sure we passed a young lady up to her bra straps in the water! Bit cold for that, I would have thought. We didn't have time to stop just yet though. However, our bait stop in the clearing saw the plan revised and we targeted the pond opposite Wolsington some 4 miles closer than that as our turning point. First time we've stopped here in daylight for a very long time.

When we reached the pond, we took a rest halt while Terry disappeared into the scenery. He emerged ten minutes later and declared he'd found a "nice trail through the trees" behind us. You could see the faces drop all around. Anyway, like true troopers they all followed him as he tried to find the route through again, something very tricky for the taller lads, and always that niggling doubt about Richy's helmet. We got through yet another of the Gollum's "impenetrable forests" eventually for an insignificant loss of skin and bone, then Steven took revenge by leading Terry through a nettle field while most of the others stayed well clear!

The Speedian hauled us around the edge of the Golf Course up to Newbiggin Hall before hitting the ever-so-fast singletrack swoop all the way back down the hill to the metro crossing again. You can do any speed you like down here limited only by your helmet straps.

We retraced our steps back to Brunton Lane then down and under the A1 this time to GN Park before losing Speedy and Steven off the back at the traffic lights. That's where jason asked about Terry's new bike so they swapped for an arse-tingling few minutes until they both wanted off again. That singlespeed Trek may be an awesome beast visually but comfort wise it's like riding a barrel over corrugated iron. And didn't it's chain fall off after the Gollum's short blast on it!

We did the customary Bluebell Wood skirmish before disbanding at South Gosforth and retreating home in all directions. No mechanicals and no punctures but the extensions to our normal ride pattern and that split at the start cost us a little extra time, returning to the Cave around 2245!

Discussions about future rides taking place along the way - Lake District XC rides requested, so watch the calendar gents (and Ladies, of course).