Yes, seven of us in anti-social group: Steve Hopper, Hackness Mike, Nigel the skills, Plumber Dave, Brother Paul, No longer Langdale Richard, and me. Two of us (Nigel and me) managed to find the dog eggs. I'm glad I had a Crudguard, which did its job - literally.  We went up intro Raincliffe and along the top track.

Steve set a cracking pace along the top, with Hackness Mike and me on his wheel. Ish. Nigel muttered something about fitness, and either Dave or Paul said he was fine, just had to go back and pick up the lung he'd coughed up. Richard wasn't on his new neon pink 29er so had an excuse. 

We left Raincliffe near the mere, then went through Scalby and up that bridleway that goes up the side of Hay Brow to and through a farm. I got my puncture at Coomboots. The replacement tube's valve was bent (probably in transit, possibly from the minipump – just in case I'll be carrying my Topeak Morph in future, which can't 'saw' back and forth on top of the valve because of the way it connects) and was slowly leaking air. I finished with about 10-15psi in my back tyre. 

That wait gave the midges ample time to settle on us, especially my legs. Could have done with Rich Waller's watch strap as a decoy! As it was, my front tyre was strangely attractive to them… (Luckily, puncture was the back tyre!)

We did that nice woody bit of singletrack near Suffield, then cut across the top to Scalby Nabs. Overgrown? We had to hunch over and drag our bikes under the foliage at one point. Muddy? Yep. 10-15psi was bang on for grip.

We found plenty of bulls, but when it was obvious they weren't going to trample Steve to death, we all rode across safely. Steve hit a big rock embedded in long grass at one point and went over - the only fall of the night, I think, though a lot of us picked up the pink rash you get from nettles whipping past your legs.    

Finally we went back up a looong climb - Mike nearly wheelied off the side of it  – to ride part of the top track in Raincliffe again, in the other direction, and back to the pub.

Another good evening ride. That's to Steve for leading. I've got a turbo trainer for sale if anyone wants to do a bit of speed training.