Bolsover & District Cycling Club

Despite Simons careful calculations to make sure that this week’s ride was to start from the Black Horse at Whaley, to take advantage of the free chips on offer after their pool tournament, i managed to balls this up by announcing it was to start from the Horse & Groom.

Simon was obviously disappointed, and shared this several times with the other riders that turned up, Bob Smith, Scott Ellis, John Wardle and Craig Devonshire.

The evening was incredibly mild, and the trails were very fast as a result, especially as i was feeling particularly good that evening, and as always if the ride leader is feeling brisk then the actual ride is likely to be brisk. The sharp pace through Roseland wood and Langwith wood caught those that take a little longer to warm up by surprise. Langwith wood had some greasy trails that made even the flat sections fun as the bike fishtailed around.

Scott missed a bend on the fast single-track down to Langwith junction, but didn’t hurt anything other than his pride.

At the entrance to Boon Hills wood , most chickened out over the "bamboo" bridge and then we played hop the log and dodge the puddle till we arrived at church Warsop. This game then turned into dodge the dog egg, and im sure that everyone managed to win this little game.

For some strange reason at the head of the trail from Sookholme up to Shirebrook, a debate started attempting to identify what that spot just inside your elbow is called? I’ve now Googled it and I still don’t know !

After then seeing two other MTB riders on 6" travel DH rigs and full face helmets, we wondered what we might have been missing so we took some time out to explore what looks like a quarry near north lodge farm on the outskirts of Mansfield Woodhouse, we did find a "den" with what must have been 250kg of drinks cans just begging to be recycled, but didn’t find the quarry, although everything looked promising! Instead we will return in daytime.

Back to the pub via a fast loop behind Pleasley Vale, through Pleasley Pit and back to Scarcliffe and we were soon enjoying some nice pints, some crisps & pork scratchings and the open fire of the Horse & Groom.

I opened a conversation up on "leg shaving" something that cyclists have debated the merits of for years. Scott decided to divulge his own personal shaving habits at this point, much to the astoundment of all the riders there. Simon "fingers" Gaddes sat there, looking on and laughing as he realised his crown was slipping and that there was a new guy on the block able to be the one taking all my sarcastic comments. Indeed Scott provided many more snippets of ammunition, and we ended up telling him to stop as he was in mid flow, and we really only wanted one bit at a time....

Great ride, great trails and a great bunch of guys to ride with...

Greendale Oak next week and another blast around Clumber