The day didn't end up as challenging as I thought, but was a little longer
It was an early start, up at 7 to get ready and ride to Cornwood to meet Damian at 0815; we rode through Lee Moor and turned down towards Newnham and Plympton and I met the first thing that wanted to hit me, a suicide sheep, who was happily eating away on a bank as I approached but once I got close decided to jump of said bank right into my path, slammed the brakes on and just missed him (sorry Damian know you were close behind).
We got to Geoff's at 0845 and set off for Bickleigh by 0900 and the first lane was the easy and short 201-052 then 201-047, next was 201-084, then down to Meavy fordand 201-090 where after the downpours of the day before we thought maybe fairly fast flowing but all was peaceful.
Then Burrator and 202-040, with plenty of people already about we decided not to bother with any other lanes around the reservoir as we had a long day ahead so we crossed the Yelverton to Princetown road and headed to the short rocky climb of 201-039 up to the church and then what I had really come for today to try and ride 201-040 for the first time in seven years as it has been blocked since 2007. A few weeks ago myself, the Wackmeister and Pops cleared its entire length, but leaving the gate and a few branches beyond the gate and at that time there was a steady stream of water coming down , when we got there all signs of any running water had gone apart from the gulley we were having to ride in with a few step ups formed to add to the fun, after a bit of man handling and helping each other we got to the top and managed to open the gate and cut the last few remaining branches down, exit through the farmyard
Then off to Horrabridge and Grenofen;201-038 downhill, then down into Tavy for fuel and a few chocolate bars, Geoff was eating sandwiches already.
Then off to take a look at 201-078 which the overlays said had dropped out of use, here's a few pics, it's well overgrown.
Had to put the wet weather gear on here
On through Peter Tavy to 201-055, a nice little lane with lots of rocks, then down through Mary Tavy and201-056, then Brent Tor and the very easy 201-088 and 201-054, a nice lane with stone and broken tarmac on the steepish west side of the river and some old railway bridges, beautiful spot.
Time for a selfie
Then a bit of road work up to Lydford and 201-099 and 201-006, then a nice string of flowing lanes, 201-060, 191-100 and 191-061, then up to our most Northerly point of the route, Sourton and 191-050.
Then a long road section to take us down to the easy 201-067, then 201-002, then next 201-007 Angel steps where Geoff went up first, then Damian and I met Damian halfway up, off the bike with his seat on the floor and managed to miss him and the seat and met Geoff at the top, we went back to lend a hand.
Then 201-008, then the dead end lane 201-012 which I rode whilst Geoff and Damian went exploring a track down to the right at the entrance to 201-012.
Next we went up 201-091, then down 201-092, back up 201-092 and up 201-011 which by the time we got to the end, Geoff had picked up a rear puncture, at least by now the rain was a distant memory and all we saw for the rest of the day was sunshine as there is only one thing worse than fixing a puncture on a ride and that's trying to fix it in the rain, we found a small metal spike in the tyre, patched the tube in two separate places and were on our way after about forty minutes.Next was 201-010, a great long lane, first part very narrow and rutted with a few crossings, then opens up and a gate, then turning ninety degrees to the left with a hedge one side and fenced off from the field the other and ending up in a farmyard with an old blacksmith's forge, then 201-014, very nice lane, then 201-061, 201-062, then 201-016; after this we decided to cut our route as we were behind time because of the puncture and were running low on fuel so we missed the planned lanes 201-017, C187, 201-069, 020, 024, 025 and 029 and went on to a great little lane, 201-019. Next was 201-027 where we met lots of cowsand were following hedges and then across the open field, then it was back down into Tavy on fumes for a second petrol stop and a very late lunch.
Once our stomachs were full again our first lane was 201-030, then 201-033, then 210-035 downhill, then 201-034 uphill into the pub car park, next was 201-037 where I went wrong and went straight on and went down it instead ofturning left and riding around to go up it, but great lane either way, then the all tarmac 201-075 (deleted overlays) then across the road and the long and wide201-063, next 201-041, 201-042 and then 201-043 from where we got a glimpse of a fantastic view down to the Tamar bridge before dropping down into Bere Ferrers where as soon as we saw the amount of water in the river we all knew some tosser had got the tide times ALL WRONG!!! We tried 201-070, but had to turn around after only a few hundred metres; we then went on to 201-044 leading to Lopwell Dam and WHOOPS, it was high spring tides, couldn't even see the granite pathway and the water looked halfway up the weir. SORRY GUYS LOOKS LIKE IT?S THE LONG WAY HOME think I looked at high water not low, what a tosser!! So back up 201-044, up to Bere Alston and across to Denham Bridge and road work, back to Geoff's missing out the few lanes we were meant to do. Once across Lopwell, we said our goodbyes to Geoff and rode back to the square at Cornwood where I said farewell to Damian and made my way home 12 hours after I left.
View down to Plymouth sound
Twelve hours riding, 140 miles, over fifty lanes and not one badger, well not that I saw, oh and nearly one mangled CRF and a L200 pick up (sorry again Damian for a second time it was too close for comfort) not sure how the driver thought it was my fault anyway a great day as always guys, thanks very much hope it wasn't too much road work for you?
Awesome, awesome, AWESOME. Great Day's laning (puncture aside, but hey ho, that's the way it go's sometimes ) Indeed it was a long day and to get almost home and be confronted with about 9' of water, meaning we had to ride all the way round was a little disappointing ................ but only cos I wanted to ride the dam!!!!
201-040 ......... what a great find! Cracking lane More challenging if rode from West to East as we did due to the uphill exit out of the gulley into the farmyard.
Guess you overlooked it in your report Russ but I think I spotted Damien having a wee badger towards the top of Angels Steps (when you nearly rode over his seat ) He almost saved it but having rode slightly up the bank at the side, when he went to put his inside foot down the ground wasn't there so he had a little lay down
The track that I explored to the right of the entrance to 201-012 would be a nice, technical lane ............ even if it was a dead end lane. Entry at the top was a bit of a drop-ff onto bedrock slab with water running down it. The further it went in, and down, it opened up and the soil under foot was soft and loamy and undisturbed by tyres, footsteps or animal imprints or cattle hoofs etc.... Heading downwards further towards the bottom it got wider still before it reached an old gate that had mucho barbed wire tangled in it, around it and over it. NOT easily removed! It looked like the track went off to the right after the gate but having reviewed the OS map on Russ's phone once I'd trudged back to the top it seemed as if it went to the left after the gate then bared right again for another few hundred yards before the lane/path (as evident on the OS map) terminated just before reaching the road. Worth further investigation????
) Indeed it was a long day and to get almost home and be confronted with about 9' of water, meaning we had to ride all the way round was a little disappointing ................ but only cos I wanted to ride the dam!!!! 
) He almost saved it but having rode slightly up the bank at the side, when he went to put his inside foot down the ground wasn't there so he had a little lay down 
