We were reduced to four again tonight, Thursday 26th July 2007, with work and holiday commitments hitting hard. Terry scuttled along to George Stephenson's Cottage on the Great Lime Road to meet Keith and Ian, and the trio cut up between Killingworth's lakes to meet Derek on the Backworth Waggonway as usual for 7.00pm.

Once again we tossed a coin and Newcastle came up, so we descended the nearest bridleway back to the Holystone pub, and straight on through Scaffold Hill Farm to the Rising Sun Country Park. The Gollum insisted on hitting the heights before moving on, so we crested the summit of The Hill from yet more of Ian's secret trails behind Asda. After bombing down the steepest drop, and over the nasty, tricky little bridge, we crossed above Hadrian Lodge and up to Newcastle United's training grounds at Benton.

Turning west from the Powder Monkey bridge put us on the bridleways behind Haydon Grange estate, and it was there, while trying to slalom through the motorbike stoppers, that Gollums rear tyre almost rolled off the DDG more than once. So he decided to stop and give it a much needed air injection. However, with the bike downside up, he screwed off more than just the valve cap. Not much of a story? Nah, unless you're running tubeless valves and you've just spat the valve core out onto the grass! What a prat. After much kidding from the other three, the tiny little projectile was spotted a foot away by Eagle Eye, alias Keith. So we were back on our wheels in minutes and heading up the old Tram Track behind the Ministry complex to South Gosforth.

We now had two bods who've ridden the next set of trails a few times - Ian and Keith - so they had a slight advantage as we twisted and skidded our way around Jesmond Dene's jungle in the gloom. Although we weren't really pushing it tonight, the pace was still more than steady and the Gollum made intimate friends with several oaks and beeches on the way through here. We criss-crossed the Ouse Burn and emerged at Pet's Corner. We climbed onto Armstrong Bridge and dropped into Armstrong Park, through Jesmond Vale and into Heaton Park. It was here that Derek almost felt the temptation strong enough to defrock a trying-to-be-clever Chava (have I spelled that right?) but we managed to ease him away from the decrepit morons before he dismounted.

Super Sunset spoiled by Crappy Cameraman  -see below

We were now at Shielfield and after a short rest for Golly to snatch a drink, we backtracked again into the Dene, more-or-less the way we'd come but more directly. We emerged onto the road at Freeman Road, South Gosforth, and Keith took over at the front to get us behind Bluebell Woods and headed up to Meldon Park. Reaching the Great North Road, we rode up into Gosforth Park and did the first section of Speedian's trails before the rain started to pitter-patter. This was the signal to get out the waterproofs but it sure was warm inside them, and the stupid rain eased off as quickly as it had arrived. We kept it simple through the Park, now fairly dark inside, and Derek departed to head up to Cramlington at the end of Sandy Lane.

The remaining three cut through to the Great Lime Road once again and that left Gollum to do the last mile alone. His bike PC said 23.5 miles in 2hrs 28 mins, average 9.4mph, max 26.8. Another excellent little ride, and further proof if any were needed that you can find loads of stuff without falling off the edge.

Have you Killed A BIKE THIEF TODAY?