Club run reports - 24th February

Category 6 ride led by Danny Hood

Once again the sun came out to join us on our Sunday ride and who could blame him. He knows what a charming bunch of dapper gents and sophisticated ladies make up the cat sixers. Today these cool cats were fourteen in number, at least until one of us decided that she'd like to find out what it's like to ride with the ruffians for a change and jumped ship. Being bad can be good sometimes!
The only moment of worry for yours truly came at Much Hadham, when a count up of riders seemed to show that we were not OK and I had somehow managed to lose three riders. But not this week, sunshine - the trio had gone on ahead and luckily were waiting around the corner for the peloton to arrive. Standing around on street corners in lycra with your legs on show is usually the staple of your ladies of the night. These three would be lucky to get a bag of chips and a can of coke. 
The café was as is usual for them,  excellent in providing good food for a good price. The only spanner in the works of our well oiled machine was a certain member (clue to who it was.... it’s hard to get a word out of him!) surprising us for the return ride home. 
Half of the group split at Widford and decided to shorten the ride slightly, while those with that inner athlete decided to follow the leader, knowing that no pain means no gain. 
We entered the hurt locker and lived to tell the tale. 
That's February over for Sunday rides; we march into the next month hopefully with our new member Mr Sol joining us again.
Great company and fine weather is all I could wish for...... until that happens I'll put up with what I've got on Sundays.

Category 5 led by John Farnham

Is it still winter, or is it now spring, or even summer? The assembled masses of Wheelers at Glaxo's couldn't seem to decide. Some were still in full winter regalia, some in shorts and short sleeves, others part way in between including a curious combination of long sleeves, shorts and overshoes. Hopefully everybody found a suitable degree of comfort for their ride. The Cat 5ers trundled out through Barwick, Dane End, Great Munden, Buntingford and then took the winding road up to Sandon where we got tangled up in the 'Baldock Beast' half marathon. It must have been a hard route because some of the runners where already walking at the 7 mile point and various others who were sporting headphones whilst running down the middle of the road proved to be completely immune to ringing bells and warning shouts. Fortunately our arrival at Mill End Plants coincided with the departure of some other cycling groups so there was plenty of room for us. Return via Cromer windmill, Ardeley, Wood End, Great Munden, Colliers End, Barwick back to Ware. 44 miles. No punctures or tumbles and only 1 minor mechanical to sort out.

Category 3 ride led by Barry Page

It seemed a good idea at the time to just ride to the top of Essendon Hill and cheer Gareth up the last hill of the North Road Hardriders 25m, then take ourselves off to Whitwell for tea and cakes.
However after giving in to the suggestion that we had plenty of time and could go the long way via Hoddesdon, we found ourselves in a chase to reach the hill in time which took in a section of the race course (in reverse). 
In doing so we saw Gareth, in full flight, going the other way.
We eventually reached Essendon, only to find the race had been shortened and the hill was not raced up.

A chat with Gareth, then on to Whitwell.