Club Run Reports - 30th October

Cat 6 led by Danny Hood

I thought the pea souper I woke up to would put a few people off today, no such luck!. 15 waifs and strays turned up like bad pennies. No doubt lured by the intention of grabbing the last points on offer towards this season's total. The ride had been advertised as 30 miles on the club schedule, and as I was repeatedly informed by various wheelers as we approached the airfield with 21 miles on the clock, it was going to take a minor miracle to get us back to base in just 9 miles. Could I do it? did I have a cunning plan? did I hell. No chance. Two of the party had abandoned ship on the outward route and another had to jump ship and make a swift exit home from the café.
So it was that 12 athletes at the peak of physical fitness refueled their highly toned bodies with a specially prepared, metabolically balanced diet of sausage, bacon and mushroom. Bruno was even willing to wait 10 minutes while another carbohydrate rich protein holder was baked (Full-size baguette). Franco had nabbed the last one just a minute before. He also informed us about wives leaving a box of OMO washing powder on the window sill to inform their bit on the side that the Old Man's Out. Just as well we use Persil in my house! Check your cupboards guys, that's all I'm saying.
21 miles and quite a few hills on the return leg meant that the peloton split; the kind, thoughtful, caring ones waiting for the backmarkers, the mean, selfish, me me me's scarpering off home. Only kidding guys...........
No mechanicals, mild weather, the usual good company and learning to look out for OMO in windows. It was PERFIK.....

Cat 3 led by Barry Page

Ten riders set off into the mist, some wishing they had fitted lights. Their leader riding his spare 'real steel ' bike struggled to keep up and was the first to puncture! A rest soon followed as rider two changed a tube. Our route out through Cromer and Wallington to Baldock was rewarded with a short glimpse of the sun.
We returned back into the mist via Weston, Halls Green and Ardeley. 45m

Cat 8 Led by John F

A compact group of 4 wheelers plus one guest set out through the fog via Poles Lane, Thundridge old church, Barwick Ford, Gunpowder Wood, Latchford, Much Hadham, Sidehill Wood, Nether Street, Green Tye, Hadham ford, Standon Lodge farm, Standon to Something Lovely cafe Puckeridge.
After being promptly fed and watered there had to be a double meeting of the puncture sub-committee before progress could be resumed. Return through Colliers End, Old Hall Green, Potters Green where a further meeting of the puncture sub-committee had to be convened. Soon on our way again through Sacombe Green, Sacombe Park, Stonyhills, Rickneys Quarry, Bengeo, Ware Park and back to Ware. 34 miles.