After being absent for most of the year I must say it was great to be back riding with the Moos on Wednesday night. And what a night to come back, the ride being led by Jimmy McAnus proved to be a cracker!

I did feel a bit like the first day at a new school with everyone calling me ‘new boy’ even more so when Owgie said “Just shut your mouth and concentrate on your riding I’ll introduce you to the boys later”!!!!

With myself and Ryan The Steam riding it was probably the first time this year that the Captain and Vice Captain had been out the same time, in total there were 18 riders out including someone who has been promoted from the unofficial ‘Minging Moos’ cycling club, so a warm welcome to the Moos to Jonathan Johns or Johnsy as he is known. Although Johnsy has ridden a few times with us, it was last night that he was firmly welcomed into the herd, although when Marty asked what Johnsy’s full name was so that he could put him on the website, he cast aspersions on his parents ability to name their son by blurting out “Jonathan  Johns?? Bloody hell that’s original, bet they took a long time thinking of that one”!!!

On the subject of Marty he did win the rider of the month award for July for his massive improvement which has also coincided with him losing a stone and a half, watch out Beaker another month and he will be keeping up with you!

Scrippsy kept up tradition by winning t**t of the month, he earned this by turning down the opportunity of  directions from Johnny Morgan of the Goons, to find their HQ when we visited them last month, with the result being that it took us 55 mins to find them. All in all it hasn’t been a good summer for our elder statesman, he was missing for a few weeks as he had to go to America, he did tell everyone that it was due to work commitments, but the real reason is that Scrippsy has started to get worried lately that his pitiful existence is drawing to a close, so in a desperate attempt to find immortality he went to the states to sign up for a cryogenics programme, this being the process where a body is frozen with the hope that when and if medical science allows, it can be brought back to life at a later date. Although this is very expensive, Scrippsy was lucky that he only has to pay half because his wife said that he has been frozen from the waist down for the last 20 years!!!

Even though we had 18 riders there were still a few absentees, Tom couldn’t make it because he has come up with his annual excuse that he is going to concentrate on his rugby and get back in the 1st team, we all just humour him and look forward to welcoming him back about the middle of September!! Chrissie has gone off to Sicily to recuperate and rest after his traumatic open toe surgery a few weeks back, Bernaard is still recovering from his knee ligament surgery, although he was spotted in the Machen show recently with his more than ample rear being hired out as a bouncy backside! Dai Shop had a nasty accident which resulted in his collar bone going bust, now he is concentrated on not letting the same thing happen to his business! Jock was missing because he had taken Dez late night shopping to buy him some new slip on shoes, as Dez still hasn’t learned to tie his laces yet, although some good news, after a year of reading his dictionary Dez has now reached his favourite ‘Balloon’ and is pushing on so that he can reach ‘Cabbage’ by Christmas! Well done Dez!!

Also on behalf of the Moos I would like to wish Mr Jamie Jones from New Inn Pontypool a speedy recovery after he ‘came a cropper’ last Saturday on one of our descents and badly dislocated his elbow, although everyone is welcome to use our tracks they do come with a health warning, but Beaker Wherlock is running a class for inexperienced riders to get them up to the riding ability of the Moos!!!!! 

It is also the visit of the Goons on Wednesday 16th August so it would be good if we could have a full house to return the hospitality shown to us last month by Johnny and the boys!!!!

See you soon

The Vice Cap