Last Sunday I went across the newly reopened bridge across the head of Batings Dam above Ripponden heading in the direction of Pike End and Oldham.
The road, all the way from the dam to the turn up Pike End had been top dressed.
"Take care here Sackers old boy" I say to myself. The road is very steep and twisty and can catch you out at the best of times,but with a loose surface, well. beware!
Well, within maybe 300 yards of starting the descent, I gingerly come around a corner and see a young fellow on the deck with nasty elbow grazings but in the care of two other roadies who were already calling for assistance for him. A taxi or ambulance I`m not sure.
I pull up along side offer some sympathy but quickly see that everything is under control and set off again.
Stone me, but 200 yards later at Parrock Nook Chapel I find his mate on the deck now!! Having failed to negotiate a sharp and steep right hander he had gone up a banking
and come a cropper. "You OK mate?" I inquires. He was fine, probably just his pride and youthful exuberance which was battered "Is that your mate back there on the deck?"
Explaining what I have come across I decide to press on, after pointing out that the road has just been rendered dangerous by the act of top dressing.
I stopped short of telling him to take more care!
So ,a lovely ride ensues and on getting back home and downloading my ride decide to look at the flyby and see the whole scenario played out.
The initial tumble,me stopping briefly then carrying on then the second tumble and me stopping again.
The second rider going back to his injured mate,who seems to have been put in a car(along with bike,Garmin not switched off)
The car heads back towards Batings Dam , up onto Rochdale road and towards The Whitehouse and down to Littleboro`
With the injured riders device not switched off the flyby showed the cars destination....Oldham Royal Infirmary....Casualty I should imagine.
According to the ride description the poor lad had a broken finger to go along with the gravel rash
And to add insult to injury his ride has been flagged! Well ,he was doing 60mph at one point!!