A few of the southern coker riders of the Uk got together today for a little
ride in the New Forest - its quite an old forest now but it was new some 500
years ago. The tracks under wheeel were remarkably dry and firm considering just
how much rain we’ve had in the last month, and we found a nice pub for lunch.
Heading off from Acres Down we rode about 18 miles, mainly on tracks with a a
bit of quiet road riding. early on we passed a large party of ramblers sitting
like santas elves in a christmas tree patch having a picnic, they burst into a
round of applause as we passed them, nice. Paul had to bail off to avoid
squashing a dim dog, that couldn’t decide which way to wobble. While Isabelle
had the only puncture of the ride, on her mountain bike.
We met some New Forest ponies, and they didn’t eat us, lots of dogs including
a squat little pug that yapped and yapped but avoided the wheels. Loads of
ramblers, some with inteligent questions " is that fun" being my favourite (
Jerrys answer was " yes" ) The killer hill turned out to be Ok really, or
maybe we were on the wrong hill, as we got a tad lost soon after and whilst
Simon demonstrated that a coker is a good aid to crossing a stream, Paul,
Jerry and myself rode round the long way. We didn’t have waterproof socks on
like Simon did.
Lunch at the New Forest Inn was top, a good pint was most welcome . This time
we managed to chain up four cokers and an MTB outside a pub, have sunday lunch
and come out side to find them all still where we had left them ( I was a mite
worried after the sunday dinner at The Good Dr pub, when four … old story) .
After lunch we split up, Simon and Isabelle taking the road route back to Acre
Down and Jerry, Paul and I taking an off road route . Jerry’s abject failure
to free mount after one of the gates can not be atributed to the beer as he
hadn’t had any.
Back at the start we met up, tired, full, happy coker heads, must do it again in
the new year. Simon says he’ll recce another route and pub.
sarah