Club run reports - 15th August

Category 6 ride led by Carolyn Kelleway and Tony Dos Santos

Seven riders turned up at Hertford and they waited and waited for the lead rider who, erm, was literally hanging in the gutter on the way to Hertford from Enfield. 

Luckily there was a back up plan for this eventuality. Carolyn had already agreed to plan the route. So the lead rider advised everyone to ride off and he would catch them up. Ok ok, I’ll come clean it was me who was hanging didn’t feel very well. 

Before I go into the ride report, Brickenden Lane is fully closed, with no way through. I learnt that today as I endeavoured to go down there and so had to come all the back up. 

Ok onto the first part of the ride: Sorry I can’t comment as I wasn’t there. 

Second part: I turned up at Vanstones and the motley crew was there and they started having digs at me about being lead rider who can’t turn up to lead; I can only say one thing, I’m so so sorry one and all and it won’t happen again. 

We all had a nice chat at Vanstones, sorry I can’t remember much about the ride. So I’ll turn this report over to Carolyn who stepped up to the plate and lead everyone very well. Thank you. 

Over to Carolyn: 

Thanks Tony

Sorry I’m not witty but here goes.

We set off at a good pace ,with Daniel on his posh new bike, up out of Hertford via the quiet roads to Sacombe Road. All went well - we didn’t lose anyone and all managed to avoid some nasty gravel at the end of Coltsfoot Lane. Not expected at this time of year. 

Lots of ups and downs and a BIG up to Ayot St Lawrence caught everyone out! But without Tony there was no moaning! Everyone went for it.

Route onwards to Vanstones was very pleasant and we arrived just in time for the last orders for cooked breakfast. Phew. 

Tony then arrived and after a nice long stop we headed home. 

Great ride everyone. 

Carolyn 

Category 3 ride led by Alex Powell

A super six set off from Hertford in drizzle towards soon sunny Wheathampstead on a very uneventful ride. Having had to change the original planned route after two scouting visits this came as quite a relief. A gamble to go through the side-suburbs of WGC paid off, with exceptionally quiet roads. So uneventful a ride that Barry's twin shrub visits 5 minutes after the start and post-Wheathampstead restart (I think he is on one of those a Cycling UK type challenges to avoid all public toilets within Hertfordshire that are accessible  - you should ask him about it) and Graham literally losing his bottle on the descent down the Hill Climb to Disgwell, stand out. The first half consisted of going up, down, up, down a little bit of flat before going up, down, up and down; getting within 5 miles of Wheathampstead before circling the town going up, down, up, down. At Wheathampstead we split forces between Charlies and the Bakery (John and Barry having seconds because of taste and ease of purchase). John was required to splutter through a lot of his pastries as he fielded the usual queue of questions about his velomobile. I tried to help whilst his mouth was full, but made a faux pas of calling his motor assist an engine. Unsurprisingly, the return started by going up, down up and down with a little flat. I briefed John about a hidden, gravelly turn on the descent from St Paul’s Walden and my usual clear communication, his irrepressible enthusiasm and not noticing his Garmin saying off route, meant he sped past me and we did not see him again. The stags were out in force in Knebworth Park, as we fine beasts carried on going up, down, up, down back to Hertford. 56 miles at 13.98 to 14.1 mph.