Five of us out on a glorious evening tonight: Nigel the Skills, Russ the Pliers, Pickering Dave, Elliot, and me. We met at the Forge pub car park in Ayton and headed uphill towards the outside track around Wykeham. First problem was Elliot's front brake. He'd ridden all the way out from Scarborough with it pretty much jammed on. It wouldn't centre either. Eventually it was traced by Pickering Dave, who has the same Avid Juicy brakes, to incorrectly seated pads. (Dave will be doing the session on 'Avid brakes' at the evening maintenance sessions. ) 

After that we bowled along through the various tracks of Wykeham. Some of them had a lot of deadfall, others a surprising amount of black mud. I'd forgotten what mud was like after the past couple of months. It comes back quickly doesn't it? 

We tacked all over the place in the forest, sometimes going back on ourselves, but getting a good ride. Elliot hadn't been out since last November and was flagging a bit at the end, but will no doubt regain his fitness in about three rides, being young.

We finished back at the Forge for a pint. I nearly knocked myself out on the carpark signpost (walking IN to the pub, not out). Maybe should have kept my helmet on!