Club ride reports - 6th August

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

“Haway the lads - Toon Army, Toon Army“ was the cry I heard at 7:30, as I met Arron in Waltham Cross. He was excited to say the least with his new “skinny” tyres. On route, we were meeting up with Davina and then Leigh. Leigh and I were somewhat hanging as we’d been out the day before with Mike Spicer, enjoying a few beers, to say the least. 

We picked up Davina and then got to Hoddesdon, where we had a caffeine drink. Davina decided on a coffee. We weren’t even at the start and needed energy. 

No one had NITS this week as Chris and David weren’t on the ride. We arrived in Ware at a quarter to nine and no one was there. Then riders started coming in. Mark, Graham and then, with two minutes to go, Daniel. I know, it’s a shock seeing him at this time in the morning. Ian didn’t show as, obviously, he was still in bed :-).  We chatted with Peter Bloomfield who was out doing the competition with Brian Hill. David was in Wales, so, he couldn’t make it; I don’t know why! 

We rode off at 9:08, well late, eh, with Arron shouting “Haway the lads” again and again. Eight minutes over the scheduled time was a travesty. I’m going to have to have a word with the ride leader! 

We knew it was a I circuitous (whoah, that’s a big big word for me and took me about ten minutes to get the correct spelling, even after googling) route and was going to be hilly especially with Robins Nest Hill. All these hills were before the golf club. Five in total, so, I knew I was going to struggle with a hang over. What I didn’t know was that Daniel was having trouble with the hills and they were taking their toll on him. 

Along the route Mark had a puncture, which he changed in record time. All sorted and raring to go again, we were five miles from the cafe. We got to Panshanger and then, my front wheel just completely locked up going uphill. Still clipped in, I was panicking, but luckily I managed to clip out in time. Looking at my locked front wheel, I was perplexed (see, another big word), as I thought the bearings had exploded. Then, I moved the wheel backwards and, what I can only describe a boulder came out. It had lodged itself in between the forks and wheel. I mean it was so big, you couldn’t lift it up! 

We arrived at about 11:15 and who were there but Lisa and Elio, the “foot brigade”! Both had suffered injuries to their feet, obviously coming out in sympathy with each other, lol. I kept away from the two of them, just in case it was catching! We had a riot at the table and laughed like drains at the cafe stop. The food was good and the company exceptional. 

On the way back, everyone was scratching their heads as how it was sixteen miles back, when we weren’t that far away from Hertford/Ware. This is when I announced it was a circuitous route and everyone was in awe of me, firstly because Daniel said “What the flip does that mean”, and secondly because I pronounced it correctly without Carolyn or David being present. 

The next few miles flew passed and before we knew it, we were heading towards Broxbourne, where Leigh and Davina said their goodbyes. We were down to five. The miles kept on flying by, until Graham said he was shooting off to Hertford. Silly me, I completely forgot the circuitous route took us through Hertford. 

Anyway, we rode on and at Hertford, Daniel said he was shattered. Then, he shot off and we never saw him again, well, when I say never, until the car park in Ware. Arron asked if I fancied going down the Crooked Mile on the way home. Me, being me, said to Arron “Thank you kind sir, but today, I shall have to decline your offer” or words very close to that :-). We got to Ware and the ride was over for another week. 

Daniel was safely in his car, well, when I say safely, his legs were screaming, and his body was telling him to shut down. But Daniel being Daniel, jumped out the car and wanted to ride another thirty miles. OK, I may have made the last bit up. Only one puncture plus the boulder stopping my bike. Apart from that, no mechanicals! 

Obviously, written on the throne. Love and kisses, over and out, and "Haway the lads" to the Bonnie Lad.