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

Where : Druridge Bay North then South again.

When : Dec 12th 2010

How many and who: Ian A, Julie, Arthur, Gavin, Willie, Tom, Andy, Ian S and Izzy

How Far : 26miles

Time : Departed at 10.10am and returned to cars at 15.30pm
5 ½ hrs

Weather : Cold mainly dry with the odd shower

Route
Due to the snow and ice on our scheduled route the Druridge to Alnmouth ride was chosen as a safer bet for our first away trip for a few weeks.
Nothing really challenging just a nice ride through some lovely single-track in the dunes, there was occasions when the bridle were totally iced over with Stanners choosing to ignore the safer route on the grassy banks and would you believe it he fell off on more than one occasion.
• We met up with Andy at Low Hauxley and we retraced his route through the dunes to Amble, Andy had his chain snap on two occasions and promised himself to buy a new one prior to his next outing, little did he realise that a new chain at £20 would cost TWICE WHAT HE PAID FOR HIS BIKE
• The bridle to both Warkworth and Alnmouth was still extremely icy or had a couple of inches of snow which made for very hard work so as soon as a gap appeared in the hedge we hit the road all the way to the coffee shop
• After a substantial feed for some and a very cheap feed for others we headed back for home saying our goodbyes to Andy at the roundabout at Hipsburn
• Arrived back at the cars around 15.30 in the Dusky light and ready for the instant relief of the cars heater

It was nice to stretch the legs and with good company as usual
Cheers
Ian A