Club run reports - 5th September

Category 6 ride led by Ian Bailey

A recent innovation on the cat 6 Slack channel has been for ride leaders to upload a gpx file for the coming ride so that participants can follow the route on their Garmin or similar devices.

For only my second lead ride, I took this idea a little further by planning a ride on Strava, uploading it, then (inspired by a discussion on another Slack channel) planning it again on Komoot, and using the Komoot version for the ride.

This wasn't an issue for the first part of the ride.  On the first day of good weather since around April, fourteen enthusiastic riders set off from Ware and braved a very hilly, slightly too stony and pretty narrow journey to Buntingford.  A very busy coffee shop prompted a split in the peloton, with some buying pork pies or even more healthy snacks at the nearby Sainsburys and the rest waiting for service at the cafe.

It was only after we set off from Buntingford and a long climb split us into a number of groups that we were following two different routes. Fortunately, my very slow lead up the hill ensured that I was just visible as I failed to take the right turn clearly marked on the devices of those following.

So the group just about held on to reunite by the church at Brent Pelham. After a lively debate on the route, the first riders set off down the hill before being called back as Davina was thrown from her bike by a flock of vicious guinea fowl ( I think that's what happened; I didn't actually see it so happy to be corrected by those who did).

After first aid and recovery time, we set off again, still using the Komoot version of the route.  Soon after a right turn, wiser members of the group pointed out that to continue as planned would lead to about a mile of cycling along a river bed, so we took a further alternative and visited another Pelham before finding the original route through Braughing. Perhaps I won't use Komoot next time.

The rest of the journey was uneventful.  The giant teddy outside Puckeridge was asleep, and no badgers attacked on the climb after Barwick Ford.

Category 3 ride led by Paul Henderson

What we didn’t get on our ride were punctures, mechanicals, lost riders (I’m getting better) or prompt service at The Snug in High Easter. 

What we did get was a fairly brisk pace at the top end of the cat 3 specified speed at 15.7 mph on my GPS, and I was the slowest, and loads of sunshine! We seem to have been under grey clouds for so long that being out on a bike in the sun was a very welcome and surprising treat.

10 riders set off, 4 ‘retired’ at The Snug, 3 to do an extra loop around Dunmow, and 1 to take the shorter route home to Bishops Stortford. The remaining 6 arrived back in Ware earlier than I thought after 56 miles. Welcome to Karl, who flew in from Malaysia especially for his first Wheelers ride.

Had time to sit in the garden enjoying the afternoon sun and a beer(s).