Poor Glen Johnson! He had arranged to meet our Marldon group as they came through Newton Abbot, but the first group he saw was Torbay Section heading for Chudleigh. He wondered why they didn't stop, but thought they must be the right group and did his best to stay with them all the way to the pick-up. Finally, when he was eventually informed of his mistake, it was too late to get to Gappah even if someone had shown him the way, so he made his way home on his own. The real Marldon group, meanwhile, were more than a little confused when Glen wasn't waiting at the arranged point.

From the pick-up we proceeded up to the forest for lunch, being delayed only by a puncture from Mark L (it had been brother Paul causing the trouble earlier in the day for the Marldon group!) We then took the left-turn link lane across to the A38 and onward along the ridge to Lawrence Castle.

Some thought that the track through the forest was 'interesting' enough, but it was nothing compared with the steep track near the forest centre. Malcolm (yes, Malcolm Sheldon, not seen for a year before today's ride) managed to skid a hole through his tyre, keeping his friends occupied for quite a while as they effected repairs.

It was after the descent through Chudleigh that Mark Williams overtook Richard Burge. They somehow became entangled and both came off in a spectacular crash. Both were grazed, but Mark was later found to have also broken a chunk of bone off his elbow. In all my ten years of club cycling I cannot recall anyone sustaining a broken bone, and I hope that we never have a similar incident again. Richard escorted him to Bovey hospital and left him in their capable hands, but tea at the Brookside Tearooms was not quite as lively an occasion as it might have been.

Malcolm's tyre needed further treatment before he could ride back to Ashburton, so by the time we all got home it was a good deal later than it should have been. Mark is now making a good recovery, and we are pleased to report that he is looking forward to returning to his bike.