Tow path 12 Jan 2012

[manuel6b]

Tow path run on tonight. Another newcomer due to come along. Winds to die down again this afternoon. Who's out?

[manuel6b]

Super night on the tow path. Light winds, clear skies = no rain. Started of mild and got colder but not icy cold. The paths were virtually free of standing water although muddy in parts.
A good gathering as well, 9 of us. Gibson and John, Alan, Dennis and Stewart (practicing for the trail quest), Kyle, Ronan returned and a newcomer Mark.

With sorting out memberships etc we were a bit late getting away (7:10).

I was on the front with Alan setting good steady pace, keeping the group together. We held the front over the footbridge and up to Giants Ring. Not sure if there was a race across the Ring but I shot off the front to get across first. John was close behind.
All through the gate and instead of heading to nettle lane (some grumbling in the ranks) I suggested we take Ronan's route which he had talked about last week.
This didn't go quite to plan as the path had hazard tape across it. We took an alternative route and ended up on the path we had been on earlier. We exited to the road, turned right and cycled to Minnowburn that way.

Nice run to the trees. I hung at the back. Stewart and Dennis stopped at the crossroads to 'swap a battery!!'. The rest of us headed up and around the loop. We met another gang out lead by Dave. He tagged onto the back of our group. When we got to the crossroads Dennis and Stewart weren't there. They had set off early for vomit hill and were waiting for us in the car park.

The real race up Vomit Hill was won by John. Kyle and Gibson were close behind.

I lead the troops around the car park loop with Alan shouting at me to stop braking for the corners.

We regrouped at the top of the short rise where the gangs started getting mixed up. Head counting with so many bright lights was not useful. We did all manage to meet back at the car park.

Down the hill again and out to the path. We turned right and headed for the Meadows keeping a nice tight 2 line group. For the 'gate bypass' there were no falls as per last week but the grass was really slippery.

Good run through the dips with John S and I at the front. John passed me on the final exit hill. Definite candidate for S3.

When all had gathered back at the path John and I lead the group to Shaws. All up Cardiac Hill, John first, me second. Alan then lead us down through the trees (until he overshot the right hand turn).

Up past the running track some opted to skip the BMX jumps with its tricky exit. A lot of successful exits tonight.

John and I then kept a steady pace at the front all the way back to Drinker's bridge, much to the annoyance of Alan who was raring to charge. At the bridge John upped the pace but I blew. Gibson came through to take the win ahead of Dennis, John, Alan and I rolled in fifth.

Super night. Not as manic as last week as Pete was not there.

24 miles, back for 9:25.

[johns]

app.strava.com/rides/3291209