Returning to Haldon Forest Park, we found the revamped trails made the red route a quicker, more enjoyable loop. The day’s rhythm was set by twin pinch punctures at the same spot and a café pause where Callum O’B guarded his chips fiercely.

An evening bowling trip was framed by a tense drive: a black car that undertook them near Ivybridge later caused a pile‑up at Plympton. With no family deals after 7pm, Michael declined the pricey game; the rest played, Ash winning, before heading home.

A planned run to Venford Reservoir became a gentler Holne outing when Lawrence, recovering from a virus, struggled and was left behind after waiting at Scoriton. Consolation came with time in the park and a welcome stop at the Holne café, before Tao and Ash circled the Hembury Woods fort.

With Lawrence unwell, an hour of chat and games gave way to a lively music quiz led by Ash and Jerry, spanning pop, TV and film themes. Jerry’s know-how told, but after a run of close rounds only two points split the teams—an effective draw—and no one wanted the night to end.

After a short spell of games, the evening shifted to Inception—a layered dream‑heist thriller—on Blu‑ray with surround sound; three settled in the lounge for most of it and thoroughly enjoyed the immersive set‑up.

With Tao late, we swapped Exeter for a local loop to the Gatcombe tracks, only to be waylaid by a snapped chain and a farcical puncture featuring a sellotaped tube. A punishing climb sapped spirits—Lawrence walked it—but the day ended warmly with jumps at Littlehempston and apple crumble over Inception.

An easygoing evening that began with a bounce on the trampoline before Charades took centre stage, proving popular though not quite up to last week’s music quiz. In the end the pull of computer games won out, with everyone switching back for the final hour.

A simple morning ride over Hembury woods to River Dart Country Park became memorable when we arrived to find the place packed with families and BBC staff filming Live and Dangerous Days Out. Earlier, a minor spat over the muddy lower track briefly flared before we took the drier climb.

With funds too short for the cinema, we improvised: Tesco food around a slow‑starting bonfire at Crofters that eventually blazed, rounded off with a handful of donated Asda fireworks.

Callum’s transformation shaped the day: fast, upbeat and even leading at times on the moderate off-road to Avon Dam, his first visit. Belgian buns at South Brent and muddy moorland on the Abbots Way framed fine views and photo stops on the dam, rounding off his best ride for ages.

A sociable badminton evening in Paignton delivered plenty of lively games and showed just how capable Callum O’B is in the 2v1 match-ups. Despite a leaking roof that left towels on one court, spirits stayed high and the session proved a fun change of pace.

A puncture-delayed ride to Fermoy’s became memorable when we helped free a farmer’s Land Rover and trailer of six bullocks from a muddy field. Lunch added humour as a ‘small roast’ led to chips no one could finish, and muddy off-road plans were sensibly shelved.