Rider List: (thanks once more, Ian!)

• Ian M
• Ian B
• Chris D
• Richy
• Ian A
• Tim
• Jay
• Steven Wa
  
• Jon
  
• Jeff
• Chris K
• Alex
• Tony
• Stewart
• Ainis
• Alan
• Paul
• Matt
• Terry K

Thursday 22nd October 2009 wasn't a particularly nice evening for a bike ride. At least at 1900 it wasn't, but that didn't stop nnnnnineteen riders appearing at Holystone for a possible hosing. As it turned out, the weather steadily improved to end with a lovely night, maybe a bit too warm for heavy exertion!

We kicked off by following the Gollum over the A19 from the Cave and into Cobalt Business Park the pretty way, picking up a bit of unexpected singletrack before crossing to the Sundial and climbing up via the gentle, circular route to the top, with yet more unused grassy singletrack thrown in. A short regrouping at the top was followed by SpeedIan's surprise descent of the imposing Sundial Steps, and looking back up from the bottom produced a fantastic display of LED lights charging and dancing down in the darkness, brilliant!

Golly took the lead again but not until a couple of tip-offs had occurred behind him, with Chris D taking an unscheduled dismount on a tricky left hander. A bit more grassy off-roading took us out onto the Waggonway and we headed south behind Matt and Stewart in search of more.

That came at the next steps behind the Stephenson Railway Museum where Matt slid around the corner impressively before hauling himself up to the start of our path through to our adopted Freeride Park, built by local kids but commandeered by us after dark. We did a couple of circulations here before disaster struck one of our younger members (can't say any more than that) which cost us a certain amount of time (can't say how much). We were underway again after (can't sa....). Oh, almost forgot - Big Steven (Wa) managed to topple sideways off his bike just as we rejoined the Waggonway, with suitable MidAirMocking chorus ringing out.

The next bit was easy as we just followed the Waggonway again all the way down to Percy Main, where we managed to dissuade the thousand-strong local Chav bunch to keep their distance by having a fearsome Gollum riding shotgun.

We hit Royal Quays next with our usual loop around the Marina. Speedy took the helm entering North Shields Town Centre and calamity soon followed at the Woodyard Roundabout when Richy failed to spot a second raised kerb line and the Stumpy slid along it at high speed forcing its rider to half-bail, half-scoot alongside until he scooted into a steel workmen's fence. That gave his left knee a very bad twist as he attempted to stay aboard a bike on it's way to Carlisle without him, and the resulting crash was heard half way up the street at the Pawn Shop, causing us all to return to the scene.

It took about five minutes (I can say that about the Elders) for Richy to compose himself (what a talent) and for the others to swoop down on the Stumpy to get it working again. Then we gradually remounted and headed off through the town. At the back, Tim, Richy and Golly didn't get very far before deciding to try and ease the semi-permanent front braking on the damaged Specialized. That, coupled with the knee injury, was making the bike a pig to pedal. While they were busy, the others vanished a mile up the road!

Anyway, back at the Pawn Shop (this avoids dodgy web site blockers - it isn't REALLY a pawn shop, its the other kind that sells rubber goods and batteries) Golly discovered by swapping wheels that Richy's front forks weren't twisted as we'd suspected, and Tim found a slight bend in the quick release skewer which visibly twisted Golly's forks when the wheel was installed. A bit of manhandling had the wheel at least turning better on the Stumpy and we were off to rejoin the Party in the Park - Northumberland Park, to be precise, where we chased another squad of Chavs into the trees.

Next was the short hop through to King Edward Road but we didn't reach it until Richy was forced to stop again. This time it was Alex to the rescue, testing the flexibility of Richy's chain which had snapped, probably initiated during the previous fall. This became Incident Number Three for the Big Man and now Richy has to bring a box of chox for the lads on our next ride!

Onward, ever onward as Ian M and Ian B led us up the Broadway to Marden Quarry and on the way an amazing thing happened - a bus driver STOPPED AND WAVED US OVER THE ROAD!!! Queer place this. When the SpeedIan, the Gollum and the cruising Richy arrived inside the park gates the massed bands of MidAirCrisis had already turned down towards the lake, the wrong way of course, so the three took advantage to pile down onto the wooded trail under the trees. This would be spectacular if it wasn't Gone in Sixty Seconds!

Ian B, out for his first ride on his new Trek Fuel EX-8 (one of three of exactly the same model in our ranks now) took us across to Monkseaton Metro crossing before t'other Ian (M) blasted ahead for probably the fastest group sprint we've ever done up via Churchill Fields, non-stop to the eastern end of Hollywell Dene. Loads of puffs and loads of pants.

Once again Alex attacked Richy's front wheel and brake caliper while the rest of us gorged on food and drink in the lamplight. That last section sure produced a warm glow inside Golly's clothing. Pheeuw! Four incidents means Richy has to bring chox AND alcopops next ride.

After five or ten, an impatient Matt was again straining at the leash and was first to disappear into the Dene, headed down towards Mick's Madness. The rest of us followed some distance behind after Jeff had phoned from the far side, being one of a breakaway trio we hadn't even missed!

Out of the other end they were all good enough to await the arrival of last man, and again Matt eased away up towards Earsdon Pit when the dulcet tones of a Gollum rang out in the darkness "Woaah! Wrong way!" and not for the first time tonight.

Golly took up the reins once more, leading up the bank into Hollywell Village before that lovely little riverside singletrack below the concrete steps wore the legs off him, with Ian M pushing very hard all the way through.

When we emerged from the Dene the Gollum just had to pull over to break, er I mean catch some wind, and in doing so, made just not quite enough room for two to pass. The two were Chris D and Ian M and they'd just cleared the old fool when they clattered into each other, with Ian falling heavily on the derailleur side of Chris' Giant Trance's rear wheel.

That caused another slight delay as the gears were mucked around with enough to allow Chris to continue. Two to go for yet another box of Celebrations!

We managed to limp the rest of the way out behind Backworth into Shiremoor and the finishing straight to the Cave for just after 2200. Quite an entertaining ride packed with incident and that terrifying sprint in the middle. It finished as yet another MidAirCrisis Miracle , a beautiful, mild, dry Thursday night.

Oh, and CONGRATULATIONS to Chris D and partner Karen who got engaged last week and will tie the knot in March (during a Thursday Nighter, of course!) - Suggestions for Maddest MidAirMatrimonial venue to the Forum please!