Smaller turnout than of late with 12 out tonight and the target Plessey Woods, so the pace had to be reasonable. For once, Ian A, the Speedian, didn't bolt away along the Great Lime Road which allowed Terry to turn everyone in behind the Metro Station and hit the field trails over to Killingworth Village.

Back onto the usual singletrack through the woods up Cramlington Waggonway before crossing the road at Hillheads and charging straight down through the fields to Seghill on a very dry, very bouncy and dare I say it, dusty set of paths. Jeff took off up front from there after Ian pointed the way through to the Annitsford Cut with Jon at his heels and we gathered under the A19 for a very short breather.

Everyone missed the turn down to the Spoon except the two at the back with the Walkie Talkies - Ian and Terry! So they had the dubious pleasure of leading down and over the stream without being clouted from behind. We grouped for the posey shots at the Spoon for those who hadn't seen it before, and one of the monkeys climbed it.

Time to zoom again through the Disco Underpass but the lights were off, shame! We toured through the Crammy bike paths and popped over one of the Metro bridges with Jon pulling Terry and the rest through towards the Garden Centre at a fair old rate of singlespeed knots. Ian then led over the road onto the MS&D secret trail but fouled up allowing Terry to hit the front and lead to its end where a somewhat longer rest was taken.

Either Jeff or Jon took us down yet another very bumpy field into the edge of the Woods and out onto Hartford Bridge where we entered the park but kept going along the riverside trail until we reached the swimming pool for nosh. We remained there lapping up the sensational evening weather and watching the fish snap up flies from the surface of the pond. That's where the calm ended.

Time to get real and blast what Terry firmly believes is the downward slope along this brilliant singletrack, but it's actually running upstream with the river! Sure seems like a harder ride coming over from Stannington though, what do you think? There were the usual amounts of dings and dongs, the worst being when Ian followed Terry into a nasty gully, both coming off but Ian suffering most when finding his path blocked by a goon. He continued with just a bike adjustment necessary and no real physical damage, while Terry waited ahead to apologise for causing the stoppage. NEVER let your front wheel go somewhere you can't see yet!!! (especially under water).

That was the final incident and we regrouped at the A1 to cross and head into the Kennels in search of further enjoyment. We could have found it but would have had to ride past the farmhouse windows with a distinctive "No Cycling" marker at the gate, so we decided not to push our luck. Up the tarmac not too quickly saw us hit the Holiday Inn with just about enough time to do Gosforth Park and get back for a reasonable finish. But that was before Terry got his eye on a so-far untouched field behind the industrial estate, so we did that avoiding old house bricks and tyres and it got us to the far end of our regular slalom behind Seaton Burn. terry led that one backwards (no, the wrong way round) and then Jon and Jeff again led through the next bit looking for a possible anticlockwise loop. Emerging from there we'd normally cross the road into Weetslade or ride up to the park. This time though, it was left to Alan to pursue Terry up the long, fast fenceline bridleway into the back of Wideopen, inducing pulmonary hypertension in the ancient one.

Up the road through the lights we hit the jump spot in Gossy to find most of the downside-up kids' hard work destroyed, probably bulldozed. Thinking back to how steep and high some of the ramps were, it was probably Newcastle's Chief Medical Officer who ordered their destruction. Time for the fun to start with Ian taking us up onto the top trail a slightly different way this time before swooping down over Tim's Bridge with Alan behind him. With the pace suddenly upped for the charge up the hill it was the Hitman (Terry's bike, in case you're wondering) who struck at the half way point to just make the summit in the lead, not too far from heart failure.

A fairly cool first section of twisties past the Jockey's Hostel gave us a chance to get ready for the manic thrash with Ian as usual providing fantastic entertainment but going so fast he split the party completely in two, and caught them up after doing a second lap! Needing a bit more recovery time he urged the youngsters into the darkness and settled for a somewhat leisurely (for him at least) troll through behind them. That left the last section atop the Golf Course which was slightly delayed when Steve waited kindly for Terry emerging from the trees after which they both managed to go the wrong way. When they caught up with the party there was only the last straightish section to do which produced another race to the park drive.

The townies and Pixie departed here and headed down past Findus, half the others crossed the road for the end of the Great Lime Road and four followed Steve for a very unexpected treat following a very late call! And this little trail through to the railway crossing proved probably the most difficult of the night with a couple of completely hidden traps lurking in the deep grass. Caught last man out more than once (too embarrassed to tell you who that was).

Then to cap it all (who needs bed anyway?) Steve led Ian, Mark, Jeff and Terry thorough that infamous lakeside Cyclo Cross track where the Hitman suffered a punc.., no, a soft rear tyre. Stopping to repair it terry discovered it was just squirting that precious Stan's fluid out in a fountain. Now empty, he used his emergency refill bottle and applied two more shots of gas. It was OK standing still but let go after riding a few metres. He was then under severe pressure to pop one of those prehistoric tube thingies in there, but refused, and rang GollyRescue instead while the other headed home for probably our latest ever finish, close to eleven o'clock! Grand ride though.