THE MUDDY BUMS (aka "the Clarty Ars#ses") MOUNTAIN BIKING IN NORTHUMBERLAND AND BEYOND

Where
Gosforth Park, Newcastle

How many and who - 6 - Ian A, Arthur, Izzy, Terry, Steve G and Andy

How Far - 34 miles

Time - Departed at 10.10am and returned to cars at 15.00pm - 4 hrs 50 mins

Weather - Dry and still but wet under tread

Route

• Gosforth Park –Weetslade-Havanna-Woolsington-Throckley Dene-Newburn-Millennium Bridge-Shield field Stadium-Heaton-South Gosforth

Ins and outs

• The forecast for the weekend was pretty poor so the intended destination of Hamsterley was cancelled and the urban ride hastily brought forward a week, as expected a small turnout of mainly local riders with Andy being the exception

• Early hiccup 100 meters into the wood as Ian A stopped for what he thought was a puncture only to find that the chain stay had snapped, could have happened at plenty of worse places, so they hobbled back to his garage to swap bikes and set off ½ hour late

• Lots of trees and roots today and the mud was kept to a minimum

• Izzy lost a contact in Havana which made some of the descents even more challenging

• Lunch was taken outside the Big Lamp Brewery in Newburn with hot tea and coffee the pick me up we needed before the gentle ride back to Newcastle

• Terry headed for the coast from the quayside as the remainder headed through the local parks Armstrong, Heaton then Jesmond Dene where Izzy left for home and a welcome bath to warm those frozen toes

Definitely an appropriate ride for the conditions and a definite contrast to the hills

Enjoyed by all, I hope

Cheers Ian A