Club run reports 27th June

Category 3 ride led by Graham Knight

The occasional appearance of summer in recent days had inspired a wish to visit the sunny uplands of Dunstable downs and enjoy the glorious views across the Bedfordshire plane. Sadly, perhaps predictably, the weather did not cooperate and wall to wall cloud was the order of the day. The Chilterns Gateway Centre went one better by actually being in the cloud so that visibility was restricted to about 20 m.

Despite the gloomy forecast 12 Wheelers set off from Hertford for a brisk ride out through Kimpton and Markyate. A relatively early lunch was taken with 6 braving the chilly outdoor tables so as to guard their bikes which might otherwise have slipped away into the mists. Peter ate indoors and his new bike took revenge for his negligence by sneakily deflating its front tyre while he was away. 

Once that was fixed it was time for a quick tour of the surrounding hills; past the zoo, down (hurrah!) Bison Hill then up Beacon Hill - with the Whipsnade Lion dimly visible across the valley. We then enjoyed the long descents to Nettleden and, after the nasty climb through Bridens Camp, to Redbourn. After that we headed towards Welwyn and rejoined out outward route along the B1000. 

We got pretty strung out on some of the climbs but everyone seemed happy to re-group at the tops. It was an enjoyable, challenging ride which it would be nice to repeat in better weather!

Category 6 ride led by Ian Bailey

Just four clean-living and sober cat 6 cyclists were in a fit state to tackle the arduous trip, against the wind, to Hatfield Heath tea rooms, following a novice ride leader using a dodgy gpx file of a route he vaguely remembered from 2019.

It all worked out very well.  There were no punctures or casualties, we only lost Davina once, the company was good and the cafe was excellent.  The route back, skirting Harlow, was varied and interesting but we all agreed that it would have been better to by-pass the racing traffic on the road from Jack's Hatch to Roydon.

Category 2 ride led by Chris Boulton

A great alternative route to Blackmore Tea Rooms with some new roads.

The route was a very last minute change of plan as the predicted weather and conditions were not favourable and the group was smaller than usual.

We were lucky again to make it home without getting wet.