In the end we became the Magnificent Seven!
There was me,
@Davvee,
@DaveDog,
@weiran,
@Sparkomatic +1 (James), and
@johnc (myapes changed his username). Good bunch of blokes, we had some laughs.
The weather was dry and stayed dry. Despite the volume of rain this month, the trails were just damp and grippy. I can't speak for the red and blue trails as a whole because we only rode bits of them, but almost everywhere else was almost perfect.
Here are the Special Six early on:
sparkomatic, James, DaveDog, Weiran, johnC, Davvee (I'm hiding behind the camera).
At that point we were about to leave Pines and enter the National Coal Board area. Think of centuries old colliery waste with a layer of soil dumped over it and then pines trees planted and then left for a lonnng time. Later on, the 4x4 and the scrambler bikes made it their home for a while and still visit from time to time. Forest England (with permission from the NCB) use it to host the British Army, who believe it or not actually use mountain bikes. But on the last occasion was purely for recreational purposes.
The following shots are of a large and deep puddle that has never once dried out for many years, it is rumoured that there is a Land Rover in there somewhere!
The first one captures Weiran falling at the first hurdle. He didn't get wet or muddy, but DaveDog races to the rescue.
Back on his bike Weiran shows off. DaveDog wonders what he has just stepped in and johnC and Davvee await their turn.
That "puddle" is not only much longer than this photo implies, but wider and deeper too. Everybody took extra care not to fall in.
Much later, we left the NCB area and dropped down an embankment onto the old railway track bed before descending 20 feet into the Pines area.
Here is James (sparkomatic's +1) attacking the drop.
Followed by the rest of the Special Six.
johnC
sparkomatic
Weiran
Davvee
and finally, DaveDog
The last time I photographed DaveDog descending here, his broken collar bone (it'll be right!) gave way and he fell on me!.
Proof here.
And here is johnC rushing to the rescue!
I cannot end the reporrt without remarking upon Davvee's mechanical. Right at the end with only a few hundred yards to go, his right crank arm fell off! It looks like it got loose and then wore away the spines before falling off.
The Special Six resting beneath the GoApe feature.
(There was a woman changing her baby on that table behind, but fortunately, Weiran was just wide enough to hide the spectacle!
