George’s birthday ride on the Plym Valley delivered a pleasant surprise: the tricky final stretch to Clearbrook is now a gentle tarmac ascent on Drake’s Trail. A cool tunnel and chocolate cake at Crofters gave the day its character.

An unhurried evening ride along the Lower Hembury Track became a meander, scented by the track’s earthy aroma and a pause for Frisbee in Holne’s play park, before a debated detour via Cross Furzes brought us home late.

Drizzle turned to rain on the climb from Shipley Bridge, so we settled for a roadside view of Avon Dam before heading back at pace. John peeled off after a quick photo taken by a passing visitor, and later Phil caught up with Dillan and Michael by car on the return via Nurston.

Rain turned the planned evening ride into a relaxed social: an hour of badminton at Ashmoor, with lively singles and doubles, followed by computer games at Crofters. A simple switch of plans that kept the group together and competitive off the bikes.

With Tom back, we took an easy spin towards Dartington, turning at the main road and looping back via the track to Hole Farm and Caddaford. Michael stole the limelight by catching a Butterfree and hatching an Exeggcute on Pokémon Go, before we rounded off with games at Crofters.

A café ride turned into a search for somewhere open: in warm sunshine we dropped Fermoys for Landscove, only to find it shut and even a driver with passengers turning away. We carried on to the new antiques café at Dart Bridge—good food, but a little steep.

With Michael recovering from a cold caught on our tour, we skipped the morning ride and spent a quiet day at Crofters instead, reliving the trip through video clips and settling a few contests over the chessboard.

Buoyed by Tom’s strong pace, we diverted onto Skerraton Down, battling an overgrown track and gorse before reaching the ridge for a glowing sunset and distant lights of Teignmouth and Totnes. A snapped brake cable slowed the run to Cross Furzes, but we still ended with hot drinks and quizzes at Crofters.

Showery weather left only two of us out. We turned the ride into a social and played badminton at Ashmoor instead.

Dillan’s birthday ride took us through Hembury Woods to Hembury Fort, where we called the National Trust’s tree felling sacrilege, before a cautious slalom descent in the dark back to Crofters.

We set out for a gentle farewell ride to Holne Café for chef Simon, only to find he'd left days earlier; volunteers kept the soup excellent. A resident’s thorn warning on the way to Michelcombe proved apt when a puncture struck, fixed swiftly before a quick loop at Hembury Fort.