Club run reports - 7th July

mailto:

Category 6 ride led by Mike East

There was an end of term feel to this week’s category 6 excursion , with riders talking about their plans to visit more exotic locations - Devon, Cornwall, the Pyrenees, Tanzania, Cleethorpes.... Facing a profusion of ride options, an eightsome chose the shortest route option to Mill End Plants in the nomansland of Rushden - how would you describe where it is?  Not as many as usual, but “Multum in Parvo” as they say in Rutland. Or something like that.... We set off up the old A10, where we encountered constant buzzing from the category ? group. (If the ride category now has to be a keyboard symbol, it was agreed category 6 should become category @ (pronounced cat-at)). It was then on to Buntingford and Mill End, where the food and service once again matched expectations. The route back took in Cromer, Ardeley, Haultwick (pronounced Artic?) and White Hill. We were on for a one o’clock finish until a late puncture for Bruno on Pest House Lane interrupted our speedy progress. Ironic that Bruno has just enjoyed cycling hundreds of puncture free miles in France in the past week. Thirty four miles, great company today, but the likelihood is that we will all only gather together again, as bronzed beauties, in September. Until then, bonnes vacances, and looking forward to seeing the holiday snaps.

Category 5 ride led by Ian Smith

A trio of riders started out on the well worn route to Sawbridgeworth, then Matching Tye and Green, Little Laver, Fyfield, Pigstye Green, and Norton Heath to Blackmore Tea Rooms where we had fortunately booked a table as the place was buzzing with Essex and North London clubmen. Return by a similar route but with a loop from Willingale through Birds Green, Beauchamp and Abbess Roding, and from Matching Green up to Matching Church. Our good deed for the day was to help a couple of very polite young lads stranded with a loosening square taper crank bolt just after Norton Heath. Otherwise an incident free, pleasant and fastish 62 mile ride in favourable weather conditions. 

Cat (?) ride led by Peter Walton

Got to the start with a minute to spare - not enough time to take stock with all the riders there.  Got going and soon got entangled with Cat 6 again and again.  Eventually I stopped to do a count up and was surprised to find that there were eight others with me.  So I rang the Teacake at Shepreth and they said just turn up - so we did.  A brisk pace via Levens Green, Buntingford, Sandon & Odsey saw us arrive at Shepreth at about 11:45.  Sitting in the garden chatting & listening was idyllic but soon we set out for the return.  With my knee giving me some gyp due to the "400" I'd done in the previous 24 hours, we had a variable pace return back down the B1368 with some wishing to ride faster than others.  However everyone got back having done the 55 miles at an average of between 15 & 16mph.  Plenty of encouraging feedback to suggest that these rides are a successful extra to the schedule!