Club run reports - 26th September

Category 6 ride led by Alex Powell

Twelve set off. The leader was very pleased as he wanted to show, at least to a few newer club riders, some new roads in the remaining eastern edge of the Chilterns . He was not thinking "12 is a lot, why couldn't some of them have gone on the last minute category 4 ride starting from the same place and going roughly in the same direction. By "some" he meant Tony (only joking!)". Luckily, the turn to autumn wet and wind was not booked until Monday onwards, but the leader was a bit worried that the mist was thickening all the way through Bramfield, Woolmer Green and Codicote. So it was with relief that the Sun started to come out just before the longish climb up to Tea Green (not the cafe stop, as some could be thought wishing as they gasped for breath). The increased visibility vindicated the plan to get high (on endorphins) before taking in the view just before descending quickly from Cockernhoe. The first four letters of the previous village name could be heard as this just meant having to climb up the other side of the valley to reach the heights of Great Offley, and shortly the Offley Coffee Barn. Arriving just after another cycling group meant a longish wait but at least it was in bright sunshine. The next door cafe offering a menu of crows feet with cherry andioma for pudding was luckily shut. As most of us stood ready to leave, two decided to perform in an ironic art installation about contemporary gender stereotypes by going missing shopping in the garden centre. The strategy for the way back was to go down smaller high hedged lanes through Ley Green, Preston and Hitch Wood, to mitigate the strengthening headwind. The side effect was a few ups and downs towards Langley. At one point the cat 4 riders could be seen ahead and then a strange slow motion process of part overtaking and merging meant we were at 17 before we went different ways. Well, for about a mile as the process was completed again as routes converged. The cat 4 back marker reached the next turn before the cat 6 back marker, so 17 became 12 again for the rest of the ride back though Woolmer Green, Burnham Green, Tewin and then either B1000 or loop back round to Bramfield before Hertford. No speed records this week. One lost chain (found by the bottom bracket) and some passing bramble tattoos for one were the only "exciting incidents" that I was aware of. 39 miles at somewhere between 11-13 mph.