Now it is officially autumn with leaves falling along with temperatures the CRM 250 came out to play relegating the mountain bike to the shed now it is no longer stupid hot and now officially not too hot to trail ride. Mike (Crumbles) was the only taker despite 10 days notice for the run and like me he ducked into 202-050 the first green tunnel of many.
We zig zagged along 202-048 as a buzzard soared overhead. The narrow green tunnel of 202-047 sees more dog walkers than vehicles. We went down 202-027 and barely raised a splash crossing the stream then bobbled over the hard backed yellow seam of clay which will revert to a wallow with the change of seasons. Ducking down 202-026, literally, it's hedges meet in places, led us next up the rock and tree branch strewn bowl shaped gulley that is 202-004 before hopping down the drainage ledges of 202-005. To avoid the busy main road we turned left at the bottom and followed the dirt along a lane never noticed by the compilers of the overlays before NERC rendered it extinguished. The off camber slippery character of 202-003 will reassert itself about the same time the sticky muddy patch comes back with a bit more rain, which will continue to enhance the potholed 202-389 which is deteriorating nicely since DCC kindly stopped maintaining it. A large pick-up and trailer blocked 202-025 defying attempts to squeeze by
So Mike made friends with the dog while I chatted amicably with the farmer who paused from loading his lorry to apologize.
We u-turned and missed out 202-024 on our way through the town before climbing over 202-045. Looping around into 202-044 solid shafts of dust filled golden light angled across the lane givinng way to dappled speckles.
Straight across at the junction gave us a safe road crossing into 202-043 and we crossed our recent path again as we headed up into Dartmoor. The gorse bushes have made following the correct line on 202-042 a prickly affair. The CRM encourages 3rd gear and a tight grip going up 202-041. Limbo practice on 200-001
I sat on the the new bench on 191-096 and enjoyed the splendid views over the wooded valleys beyond from from the SSSI.
While we enjoyed our first break from riding and Mike wondered what manner of Honda my steed is, like many before him.
The dog didn't bark as we opened the gate at the bottom of 191-093 and we dodged and swung in under and around the overhanging greenery up the rocky lane. Two further gates awaited us as a few cows and calves filled the last part of the lane, but Daisy wasn't quick enough and we thwarted her every escape attempt.
The dog was asleep in the sun on the lawn at the bottom of 191-086 and we wound up through the trees over the boulder field then hopped the telegraph pole which stops the lambs squeezing under the gate. The path meandering up the steep rocky slope on the ancient Lych way that is 191-085 is getting hard to pick out beneath the long grass. Six miles of ultra scenic Dartmoor took us past two ancient clapper bridges before the shallow ford next the stepping stones on 191-082
The most scenic lane on Dartmoor followed and we paused before lunch to admire the miles of purple heather topped hills sporting slopes of golden gorse.
I stalled the CRM in a deep gulley descending the far side of the hill and a badger lay in wait for Mike forcing him to lay the big orange beastie on it's side as I blocked his way
I enjoyed my cheeseburger with Earl grey tea while PG and a veggie pasty fortified Mike at the cafe shed in the car park. The broken tarmac lip on the slope up to the gate on 191-083 is getting more intimidating but no snakebite puncture there today as I half lifted the front wheel on the way uphill. We squeezed by the encroaching gorse on 191-073 before swinging around up and over the many rocky rooty obstacles that make 191-068 so memorable before gliding down the other side of the long narrow sinuous Byway with it's narrow width warnings to 4x4 drivers either end. Barely a splash and no fish in the ford on 191-069 which forms the heavy goods vehicle route into the nearby village for traffic too wide for the long old bridge upstream.
Technically tarmac the roads from there to 191-080 may be but most have more grass in the middle than bitumen either side. The view at the top of 191-080 gave us an excuse to pause and help lost ramblers regain their bearings. We laughed at the organic furniture created out of the stumps of two large tree below the top gate then shared the descent to the bridge on 191-075 with two mountain bikers.
Dodging the many loose rocks littering 191-076 took us to the inviting ramps created on the climb up 191-077 and we snatched glances at the view rolling down 191-081. The brief and little ridden 191-131 was our last lane of the day and we said our goodbyes after a few dozen of Dartmoor's finest lanes and sixty or so miles.
Must get out more often
-- Edited by Pete on Monday 10th of September 2018 11:56:54 PM
