Showers with intermittent riding

Not been proper nightriding for a few weeks but Johnnie was reportedly ove rhis flu and Si was back from his big crash. Speaking of which this is a pic of the drop he jumped/fell off, pretty big huh? Either this guy is a hobbit or the drop was over 5'. Anyway I wasn't in the mood for technical just wanted to get a few miles in, the guys were in agreement. Barrow bridge climb was hard work, think I've lost a load of fitness, wildeswood has changed, the bit through the trees has been seriously cut up with loads of water channels through the earth and the 3" layer of leaves, there's loads of little islands of leaves and you've no idea if they are just leaves or concealing big rocks so have to pick your way between them. Met Si and we waited for Johnnie, a cyclist appeared just down the road, we weren't sure if it was him, cyclist then stopped turned his bike over, removed a wheel and started fettling "yep that's him" We steadily climbed up to Georges lane, Johnnie nearly hurled so retired early obviously not quite over his flu. Me and Si continued, georges lane, winter hill rd, Holdens farm scout rd, smithills then back up Barrow bridge walker fold down hole in't wall and wildeswood. Nice, easy (well non-technical, winter hill rd and barrow bridge was bloody hard) mud free route, weather was cold and windy but rain held off and it was not too bad a night all in all, lot better than I expected after the last couple of weeks. As we got to the rivi school access road I tried to cross the chasm of a ditch to reach the tarmac. I lazily just tried to compress the forks and wheely over from the rebound but the leaves disguised the extent of the ditch and front wheel just went down, front wheel hit the tarmac and I went OTB, stupid bugger. I spun home on the road properly tired, hope we get a few more rides like that.