WWB - Westside story.
Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2018 3:10 pm
I say westside because those of us riding from the west never actually made contact with those coming over from the east - I'm sure we'll discover what happened to them later 
Eight foolhardy souls set off straight into some of the worst weather I can recall riding in. Obviously, the Kerry Ridgeway gets battered on all sides by the wind and it didn't let us down. Throw in some freezing rain and sleet and you've got the makings of a great day out.
Our merry band of eight was cut down to four as those with some sense decided to backtrack after a few miles and make alternate plans for the weekend.
By the time the remaining four reached Bishops Castle it was just about dark. A brew from the Spar was most welcome but not as welcome as the pub across the road. We made ourselves at home and settled in. The thought of continuing along the proposed route was dismissed by all present so we had steak pie (NO, a pie has a bottom AND a top man) and another drink.
Bishops Castle is down, the Ridgeway is up. That in itself is potentially bad enough but we now had a 50mph headwind to contend with too. I'd spotted a potential overnight spot earlier and although only ten miles or so from the pub, to me it felt like the longest ten miles I've ever ridden.
With the spot located we set about setting up. It had gone eleven by now but I still felt duty bound to put my tree and lights up.
A very restful night before a cold but dry spin back across the Ridgeway and home ... fortunately, most of the devious and deceptive black ice of yesterday had largely thawed
Thanks for the company all and I apologise to Winter Bivviers the country over for not picking last weekend
Eight foolhardy souls set off straight into some of the worst weather I can recall riding in. Obviously, the Kerry Ridgeway gets battered on all sides by the wind and it didn't let us down. Throw in some freezing rain and sleet and you've got the makings of a great day out.
Our merry band of eight was cut down to four as those with some sense decided to backtrack after a few miles and make alternate plans for the weekend.
By the time the remaining four reached Bishops Castle it was just about dark. A brew from the Spar was most welcome but not as welcome as the pub across the road. We made ourselves at home and settled in. The thought of continuing along the proposed route was dismissed by all present so we had steak pie (NO, a pie has a bottom AND a top man) and another drink.
Bishops Castle is down, the Ridgeway is up. That in itself is potentially bad enough but we now had a 50mph headwind to contend with too. I'd spotted a potential overnight spot earlier and although only ten miles or so from the pub, to me it felt like the longest ten miles I've ever ridden.
With the spot located we set about setting up. It had gone eleven by now but I still felt duty bound to put my tree and lights up.
A very restful night before a cold but dry spin back across the Ridgeway and home ... fortunately, most of the devious and deceptive black ice of yesterday had largely thawed
Thanks for the company all and I apologise to Winter Bivviers the country over for not picking last weekend
