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Pete M Rick and Pete T set off on a very cold morning ( 4 layers required) from Piddlehinton, with MTB’s. North to Buckland Newton and Dentist, Glanvilles Wootton and the the road through Boys Hill. We crossed the A352 and headed to Chetnole, from Chetnole it was due west and across the A37 ; this first 14 miles was on road, but things were about to change!
We headed on the Bridle way east past Melbury Osmond and followed it to Evershot. It was a pleasant trip except for a tough up hill pull on a loose gravel surface track towards the end. It was back on road then from Evershot to the top of Batcombe hill, and then onto the Wessex ridgeway- which was really muddy for the first half mile- Tom would have been in his element if he had been with us- we did reflect on this ( a couple of times!) . A 15 minute stop for a well earned snack and then we decided it was a pretty simple 6 mile trip back to Ricks house. Hear none of it, we headed off on the bridle way south and west towards Up Cerne, we lost a lot of altitude on the downhill section, and right at the bottom, Rick got a front wheel puncture!. My iPhone tells me we took 14 minutes to change inner tubes and we were off again. We hit the A352 for 200 yards and then uphill through Mintern Parva, then an unbelievable climb up the escarpment. It was tough, even pushing a bike. Pete M whilst pushing, ran over a flint that punctured his front tyre( see photo)!! So there we were, mid field, 25 degree slope, changing another inner tube.( here we thought of Tom again!) this change took 16 minutes!. After this it was onwards and upwards onto the B road along the ridge and down the track back to Ricks house.
A very tough 29 miles
so here we have it , best time for a puncture repair is now held by Rick at 14 minutes.
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