Blood and sweat, but no tears.........

What with having a week off, and the weather so good, it seemed rude not to get out for a ride this week. After Bics little scrape with a wall, we had to bin our planned trip to The Long Mynd and Cannock Chase, so I decided to have a blast on the Mynd on my own........

 At Shrewsbury station, a nice lass with a nice bike came up, clearly waiting for the same train. We got talking on the train, and it turned out she was heading up there as well, and suggested we ride together. I had no problem with having company, so agreed, and found out her name was Lou.

We settled on climbing "the Pig" a route on which I did my final descent on my last visit, and it was still a fair climb, but nowhere near as bad as Carding Mill. At the top, we stopped and agreed a plan, Lou had never done Minton Batch and I was planning to do it again with the new helmet camera, so that was sorted, then back through the forestry, across the top to Pole Bank and descend finally down Carding Mill Valley.

After some nice riding across the top, we stopped at the top of Minton Batch for a breather. I was now drenched in sweat, it was a gorgeous day. A fair few walkers around, but nowhere near as bad as last time I was up here. And so we set off, camera rolling, me in front, but it wasnt long before Lou went belting past me, for a wee lass she rides bloody well!! Everything went off nicely at the top bar a quick pause for a chain-off, but about halfway down, I somehow lost grip on a muddy patch, and the bike went right and I went left. I picked myself up, a few grazes on shoulder, arm and leg, plus a bruised ego, but I was fine so I cracked on. A little further down I caught a rut - a sign of Minton Batches popularity - and came off again, but not badly. And just to add to the disgrace, almost at the bottom, there were two girls sunning themselves on the bank of the stream, rude not to have a look, and I lost my line completely and the bike headed over the grassy bank.I skipped off it rather gracefully, and ploughed on again. At the bottom, Lou was waiting, probably for ages, and had a good giggle about the last off! But it was then I realised I hadn't lowered my seat, so my centre of gravity was all wrong all the way down, and all those offs bar the last, probably could have been avoided.



Then onwards, and a lung busting climb up through the forestry, not very steep, but oh so long. Last time, I walked  most of it. This time, I cleared it! I think Lou being there helped - I mean, you cant let a girlie beat you twice in one day! Across the top again, and finally a blast down Carding Mill and back to Church Stretton - at least it was a blast for me, poor Lou got a puncture right at the top. I waited ages halfway down, started to worry and legged it back up, left the bike, to see if she was ok, I really thought she had had an off. But round a few corners and here she came, pushing, and cursing her luck. At least she was ok.

So we walked back to Church Stretton together, and stopped for a much needed pint. Back on the train, and at Shrewsbury, we parted company having exchanged numbers and agreeing to try and get out together again. Thanks Lou for your company, it made a good day even better!