A sunny start to an enjoyable and fun-packed day. Arriving at Avonwick at around 11.30am, Michael Jones remarked that it was going to rain, and that made everybody really pleased.

After going up and down through the South Hams, we then climbed the last killer of a hill which took us to the start of the mineral track. We stopped for lunch in a disused quarry at the beginning of the track, sitting there until the cold wind pierced our skin, so we had to make a move.

Colin, Jean and Kevin returned home on the road whilst we struggled up towards Petres Cross. A few miles ahead I had a blow out (good thing I had a spare folding tyre). By now the cloud was rolling in and it was getting cold, so they were prompting me to hurry up!

Pushing our bikes up across the moor was hard work, the small bogs and damp ground making it even worse. Nearly falling over the destination, we could see Avon Dam and many other parts of the moor.

Dropping down from the cross we decided to ride our bikes: this was fun because of deep bogs, large tufts of grass and water. I endeavoured to cross one small bog, then Andy – we both made it. John then attempted it in a different way, his front wheel went in and poor old John went flying! When he picked himself up out of the bog, dripping wet, he had also landed in a cow-pat. Someone commented that he deserved a pat on the back!

We carried on, having more thrills and spills on the way across the moor. That day, nearly everyone came a cropper, but it was great fun. It didn’t rain after all, so to make a good day even better, Michael invited us to tea.

(Richard Wiseman)

[We have been unable to find attendance records for this period, so the attendance list for this event is incomplete]