A reluctant start soon gave way to lively exploring around Hembury Fort. Then Zac suffered multiple punctures; even two fixes wouldn’t hold, so he pumped his way down to meet a lift while Ashley and Michael rode on to finish.

A new car-assisted run from Bonehill to Hamel Down began with a trapped sheep dramatically freed, then became a spirited climb to the Second World War aircrew memorial before a fast return. Time slipped, so the ridge will wait; the lads took the long downhill to Widecombe and a café finish.

With Zac tired, we kept it brief: up Green Lane, down the track towards Abham and home via Caddaford. A quiet evening spin, short but companionable.

Spring sunshine carried a relaxed ride up the Plym Valley cycleway and its viaducts. The memorable moment was joining watchers to glimpse a protected pair of peregrine falcons through powerful binoculars, before ending with pizza and the film Iron Man.

On a balmy evening that felt more like mid-summer, we took the old road to Ashburton, climbed to Belford Mill and dropped down the woodland track back into town. The quiet lanes and shaded descent gave the ride an easy, unhurried charm.

On a hot, lazy morning we took Zac for his first visit to Haldon Forest’s Play Trail, where the sculptures fascinated him. A wrong turn cut the Adventure trail short, but the Family trail included the surprise sight of a new high‑wire adventure course.

With the youngsters lacking energy, we opted for a short, unhurried explore of the tracks around Buckfastleigh, taking in the caves, quarries and parish church—small in distance but rich in interest.

On a return to Haldon forest tracks, the group sampled several trails and stepped up to the more demanding red route, with plenty of airtime over the jumps. The day ended on a high with hot pancakes from the mobile café in the car park.

After dithering between a beach ride and the Plym Valley cycleway, we chose the path and rode it to the end and back. A falcon watch team with telescopes added interest en route, and we rounded off the day at Pizza Hut in Plymouth.

A quiet games evening at Crofters was enlivened when Julian arrived unexpectedly, and we settled into a relaxed chat and some networked PC games.

A warm morning and the long pull up Wallaford Road set the tone, with new rider Jay pausing for a headache before we reached the moor. Sunshine brought a glorious sweep over open ground and a playful soak at Chalk Ford, before the stony drop to Scoriton carried us home.

Opting for a social rather than the evening ride, the group went to Vue in Plymouth for The Incredible Hulk, which did not disappoint—a simple, satisfying change from the saddle.