Club run reports - 28th November

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

When we all turned up at Ware, the temperature was hovering at 1° C. The wind chill was probably -5° C.
We set off and rode past Fanhams Hall, tyre crunching underneath us and cycling rather gingerly. We went down a dip and that’s when I decided it was too dangerous to continue the ride. 
We all agreed this was the best course of action and did a short 10 miles. Peter W had a puncture and told us to ride off as he would fix it, despite us advising we would help him. 
Everyone got back safely and all was well. 
I’m sorry for ending the ride everyone, but, as a ride leader I have to take responsibility and the only responsible thing to do was to curtail it.

Category 4 ride led by Peter Bloomfield

What with the cold and wind (and a general lack of backbone among other members!) there were only two of us for the Cat 4 ride on Sunday  -  Ian Bembridge and me, although that did change, stick with me…

We were following a route planned by Denis Bassom, who was due to lead but had succumbed to Covid.  Denis's route was charmed, we hardly saw any ice and none of it was on the road proper, just a few small icy puddles at the side of the road plus maybe two small patches of slush to ride through but nothing to worry about.  So dry roads, sunny day, freezing cold and windy but Ian and I had a very pleasant ride.  On the way the route followed the southern perimeter road of Stansted Airport and luckily no planes came over while we were riding past the end of the runway or we might both have been deafened!

When we reached the excellent café (Bear & Eden in Stansted Mountfitchet) who should we meet but the intrepid Peter Walton who had fixed his Cat 6 puncture (see report above) and carried on to join us.  Now three of us set out for Ware but despite Peter having told me the best route through Bishop’s Stortford I got lost!  Ian was with me while Peter had gone the right way but one-way streets prevented us getting back to him.  We proceeded to get more and more muddled until Ian buttonholed a friendly mountain biker who guided us out of our misery and back to our route.

By this time Peter had understandably given up waiting for us and we only finally caught up with him just as the three of us arrived back at Allenbury’s.  So a group of two, then three, then two plus one, then three finally finished a very enjoyable ride in the (cold) sunshine  -  45 miles and all’s well.