An afternoon ride to Avon Dam turned into a memorable, eerie return as the sun set and a full moon took over, the pace pushed in the dwindling light. A spooked horse had to back past the group on the climb, and earlier a wide tractor forced a retreat to a broader lane.

A convivial movie night settled on Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, a witty Aardman caper about a giant vegetable-munching menace, given full treatment in widescreen and surround sound. Interval highlight: Hallam ‘opened’ his Chocolate Orange by dropping it on the kitchen floor—every segment intact.

The day belonged to new rider Alex, who set a lively pace on the Totnes path and then powered up the long climbs without once walking, finishing fresh. A memorable moment at the weir—father and daughter tipped into the rapids under a heron’s gaze—provided the talking point.

A relaxed games evening of networked PC play kept everyone happily occupied, and served as a warm welcome for new members Scott and Ashley.

A big turnout, including new members, tackled showers and climbs to enjoy the sweep of Dr Blackall’s Drive, the day defined by youngsters pushing on and the jubilant final moorland descent. Ben’s missing helmet prompted a windswept pause above the Dart Valley; Scott fuelled up with a hot dog.

A sociable bowling night at Plympton’s Mega Bowl: Michael won the first game comfortably, but Ben took the second on the last ball by a single point. Zac insisted on finishing with pizza, and there was still time for Bomberman back home.

A sunny car‑assisted outing along the Exeter Ship Canal delivered the easy, scenic ride promised, lifted by youthful splashing and canal chat. Memorable for Pizza Hut running out of basics and a misbehaving ice‑cream machine, and for floodwater lapping the riverside path and soaking feet.

A low‑key games evening was lifted by the arrival of the new Battle for Middle Earth PC game, Rise of the Witch King, which quickly became the focus and kept everyone happy.

Gales and fallen branches turned the ride into an improvised outing, and the plan to reach North Huish was dropped. Ashley’s thorn puncture and a glue‑less repair kit saw Ben and Scott push the bike back, while the rest enjoyed the muddy track before ending with warm fires and good refreshments.

A lively first badminton evening at Torbay Leisure Centre saw our younger members make an impressive start while the older members enjoyed some good contests. The night’s comic turn came from the venue’s maze of corridors, with Glen sent to the gallery and reappearing seven minutes later on the far side.

Set for Dartmeet, we were stalled by Josh’s puncture and then overtaken by rain, turning back at Hembury as drizzle became a downpour. Determined not to lose the day, we explored Hembury Woods’ twisting tracks before drying out over a relaxed social at Crofters.

Our usual computer games evening was defined by the club’s first exploration of James Bond: Nightfire, which quickly took centre stage and delivered plenty of high‑quality entertainment.