club run reports

Another year done.  Our "new year" starts next week.  With about ten audaxing there were still nearly thirty out on the club rides.  Two braved the med\fast and seven attempted to scale various mountains under Barry's tutulage, leaving another nineteen to take the easy path.  Two of these mistimed the trains to the start but soon caught up, Franco provided an early bath but otherwise it wasn't too eventful!

A bright & sunny, but coldish day saw many riders out on the lanes.  The morning journeys were largely uneventful apart from punctures - an occupational hazard when there are nearly forty out.  Fifteen took off with the easies whilst twenty-two made up the meds.  The only really cold place was at Ashlyn's - not their fault but we chose (or were told to choose) to sit outside.  This left us at the mercy of the wind which by now was picking up speed.  The return journey into this wind was made more difficult by the fact that it was gusting up to and above 30mph.

Well it finally had to happen.  Mike punctured.  S'pect he'll return the tyre to the shop as it's only done about a million miles.  Then Bob punctured in sympathy.  Who'd have thought?

Cool start turning into a glorious October day and the HW juggernaut slowly ground itself into action.  With six rides to choose from, different start locations and a varying selection of venues to aim for about forty riders took to two wheels and a chance to ride on a fairly wind-free, sunny day.  One intrepid bunch began their ride at Puckeridge and headed northwards into the wilds of Cambs.  Another went east from Ware to Essex.  The med\fasts looped around Herts & Essex while the MTBers did the ups and downs between Ware & Puckeridge.  The C&Ters did a gentler journey Braugh

There weren't none cos of the Road Race!

An almost record turnout today.  The two easies amassed 21 riders and the medium accounted for a further 11.  The med\fast was well attended and at least 1 did the fast.  With a further 7 off down to Herne Hill for a spot of track race tuition (although most will never do the real thing!) it meant that over 40 took part in club related events.  A good autumn morning, sunny with a light breeze, obviously encouraged everyone to make an effort.

With twelve club members involved in the Hill Climb, it was thought that numbers may be restricted in the club rides.  Not so.  Alex took a party of ten to Ickleton.  Only two punctures.  Wendy took a group of sixteen to Scrumptious at Dunmow where they were royally welcomed and penned into a separate room (for smellies?!?).  The easies covered just over 50 miles whilst the meds took in just under 60.  Good weather.  A headwind on the outward bound but comparatively easy on the return.

Over twenty turned up for the easy.  As per usual this group had to be split so half went with Bob and half with Mike, both groups taking different routes.  But all got to Vanstone's without too many problems.  With Barry unable to fulfill his ride leader's duties, it was left to the eleven others to sort out the route.  However we eventually got to Wandon End without mishap - and then, lo & behold, the sun came out.  With two others joining Bruno on the "Come & Try", we therefore managed to involve well over thirty riders today.

So who didn't go on a club ride on this bright & sunny day?  Can't be many judging by the numbers out.  I was pleasantly surprised with leading sixteen on a lumpy, bumpy trip to Shenley - some hills, or what?.  Yet this was surpassed by twentyfour on the easies.  Needless to say this large group had to be split with about half drafting Bruno, and the rest with Bob.  Us meds used the hills to split us apart with us all getting back together again at the summits when we stopped for recovery.  The return was fairly flattish giving plenty of scope for daydreaming as we passed some of the mo

Five went on the Barry Marathon to Maldon and ended up doing about 100 miles.  Fifteen took to the roads for fifty miles on the easy, including a few guests.  Of the seven who braved the med\fast, all wore club kit.  A fairly stiff westerly wind made the return journeys a bit more arduous than they needed to be but it remained bright, warm and sunny most of the time.

Demanding, or what?  And that's just the easy ride.  Some awful conditions, and a crash, and a puncture, and a broken chain, and a split tyre.  And not all the same person.  Hope CB's hand repairs itself soon.  Was painful just to look at it.

Despite the worst efforts of the weather, ten riders still braved the elements.  With four on the medium and six on the easy this was quite an impressive tour de force!

President JRVP leads some guests on a pleasant ride to the delights of Braughing village hall teas.

A calamitous start.  No JohnF and when the news broke late on Saturday evening many dropped out of the meds to go with the easies.  Due to John's chronic last minute back issue, the meds took to the road rudderless.  Then Peter stepped into the breach.  So it was still rudderless.  On a glorious morning three started in Hertford at 07:15 picking up a further two at Wadesmill and yet another one at Much Hadham.  All arrived at Thaxted at 09:00 to be greeted by four more.  Not knowing JF's proposed route another one was improvised on the road.  With a strong sou'westerlyish breeze good time w

Lots out.  Lovely day.  Cathy took a crew to Clavering Lakes & Lee made his maiden voyage as an easy leader (with Wendy The Navigator).  As both John Mac & Lee would agree, all you have to do is supply an idea - and then find someone else who knows the way!  Easy, or what?  The easies consisted of eleven, the meds accounted for seventeen (in two groups?!?), the RouteA's were three and seven flew like the wind on the fast.

Lots out, spread over several rides.  Apart from the fast trip from Hertford, all others met at Ware.  This led to a rather large group taking up a lot of space in the car park.  This large group soon split into its component parts with John's led med taking fourteen to Melbourne and Bruno's easy taking seven to Puckeridge.  A few took on the delights of RouteC and the dozen that were left set out on the Women-Only 100 km Rapha ride.  On a glorious day few encountered any mishaps and John didn't get us lost!  This should encourage others to step forward to the plate and offer to be a leader

Three on the fast, two on the med\fast, eight on the med and twelve on the easy.  The med was supposed to go to the end of the world but was aborted due to the seriously foul weather that never arrived.  So it met up with the easies at Whitwell.  Some riders swapped rides.

The Old Skool TT put the kybosh on the fast & med\fast trips today.  The easies kept away and went to Ardeley with Chris.  The two med rides led to one being taken by Ian to Hatfield Broadoak whilst Peter led out the Apres TT's to Whitwell.  The famous five took off to the Fens for the day under John's tutulage.

The numbers are still high despite that it's summer and there are many other bike events\sportives etc going on.  Mind you, who could resist following Barry to the aptly named Comfort Cafe at Fourwentways - except that it had sunk without trace.  Still, everyone enjoyed the ride although the only alternative was McDonalds.  Others took Mike's easy option to The Blue Egg, Gt Bardfield.  This was a 50 miler that split, then split again.  However the weather was OK and with another eight on the med\fast we had over thirty out this morning.

Lovely day, lots out.  A large group met at Ware and ten formed Ian's group to Bps Stortford, eleven easies went off to Hatfield Heath and about a dozen braved the fast\med.  Ian took his group to Cafe Mocha, a cafe we haven't visited for a couple of years and Danny took a different (from usual) route to HH and found it to be surprisingly empty.  The weather was warm and sunny, a great day for a ride.