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Post by manuel6b on Feb 6, 2014 12:18:26 GMT 1
Meeting as usual behind the Civic Centre in Lisburn.
6:45 for 7pm start.
Looks like a nice evening.
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Post by Graham B on Feb 6, 2014 14:52:06 GMT 1
Yep, I should be there.
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Post by manuel6b on Feb 7, 2014 21:30:04 GMT 1
Thursday was a bright sunny day with blue skies and no clouds, therefore no cloud cover. Come night fall and the temperature dropped. When I left the house there was a cold fog all around. Headed down the tow path. Kyle and Graham joined me. Dennis and son Jonathan showed up to pay membership. Had a nice catch up yarn which meant we didn't set off until 7:10. Off into the cold evening. Not too many about on the tow path. Graham and I were on the front setting a good pace. Over the footbridge and Kyle took over the lead with Graham chasing and me following a bit back after stopping to clean the glasses. No let up as we headed up and around the Ring. We lined up for the sprint as usual. Kyle called 'go' I didn't even get to the end of the slope before I realised that my front tyre was completely flat. And I had hoped to avoid punctures this evening!! Crossed over the Ring on the flat and changed it in the car park. No thorn found so that delayed us a bit. I used one of my gas cannisters to inflate the tyre to save time. We set off again now cold from standing around. Down Ronan's way to Minnowburn and then along the embankment and into the trees. I got quickly shelled out the back on the climbs again, but caught up on the descent (all those biscuits paying off!!) and shot ahead of Kyle and Graham. I pushed on taking advantage of my lead and made it up Old Oak hill first  I stopped again to clean my glasses as the other two rode on. They were already half way up Vomit Hill before I got to the bottom. Graham was powering away again. I managed to catch up to Kyle's rear wheel but no closer. A quick run around the loop with me leading (until we hit the climbs and then Graham powered past again!). Back to the car park and then down the hill and back to the tow path. No hanging about we headed back to Shaw's. Up the climb at Cardiac Hill. I got away first but Graham went past. Just before pain tree I changed down to granny ring and got chain suck. Had to push the bike up the rest of the hill. Remounted and set off past the shadow men. I then lead the way around the trails determined to say ahead of the others. At the bottom of the red route (down the stones steps) I was just reaching the bottom when my bike light swivelled back and blinded me. I had to stop. Graham hit the anchors too but he lost balance and had to throw out a foot into a puddle to right himself. (Sorry Graham!). We pushed on around the rest of the trail and back to Mary Peter's. On through the muddy short cut and along the road to Lady Dixons. Through there and back to the tow path. Kyle and I were at the front pushing hard to get home. My feet were like blocks of ice at this time. Kyle dropped back, he was struggling with the pace. We eased off and took it steady for the rest of the ride home. Back for 9:20. No sprint. Animal count - low. I only seen the 3 swans. Graham did see 2 rabbits but I missed them. Even the animals knew it was too damned cold to be out!!!! Great run though. No rain and hardly a breathe of wind. Roll on next Thursday. |
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I stopped again to clean my glasses as the other two rode on. They were already half way up Vomit Hill before I got to the bottom. Graham was powering away again. I managed to catch up to Kyle's rear wheel but no closer. A quick run around the loop with me leading (until we hit the climbs and then Graham powered past again!). Back to the car park and then down the hill and back to the tow path. No hanging about we headed back to Shaw's. Up the climb at Cardiac Hill. I got away first but Graham went past. Just before pain tree I changed down to granny ring and got chain suck. Had to push the bike up the rest of the hill. Remounted and set off past the shadow men. I then lead the way around the trails determined to say ahead of the others. At the bottom of the red route (down the stones steps) I was just reaching the bottom when my bike light swivelled back and blinded me. I had to stop. Graham hit the anchors too but he lost balance and had to throw out a foot into a puddle to right himself. (Sorry Graham!). We pushed on around the rest of the trail and back to Mary Peter's. On through the muddy short cut and along the road to Lady Dixons. Through there and back to the tow path. Kyle and I were at the front pushing hard to get home. My feet were like blocks of ice at this time. Kyle dropped back, he was struggling with the pace. We eased off and took it steady for the rest of the ride home. Back for 9:20. No sprint.