club run reports

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.

Lots out today on a day that good weather never materialised.  The rain was very fine and for most it didn't really register until they were very wet.  The NE wind was warmish and soon dried everyone but the sun didn't get into gear.  With 13 on the easy and 14 on the med, both groups had fairly trouble-freeish rides.  A few more took on the med\fast although there were a few non-appearances possibly due to Father's Day and or the previous nights footie.

A very pleasant afternoon for the Evans and Rider families led by JRVP from Allenburys to Braughing and back, 6 of us on 5 bikes.

A glorious day, sunny with a light breeze and no rain.  And did we take advantage.  Thirteen set off with Graham to do the Audax 160 route.  Many of this group had never ridden 100 miles before and this showed in the triumphant scenes on the return.  Meanwhile a further twentytwo took part in the easy ride as some were saving themselves for next Sunday's Audaxes.  Expect many of them to do the 100km next week.  At 63ish miles it's only a tad further than the 50milers that they've been doing recently.  Seven rode the med\fast and haven't yet heard from the fast boys\girls.

Well over 40 out on a lovely day with a few on the fast, a few on the med\fast and most spread over the two led rides.  The easies were 20 whilst the meds were 17.  The easies ground to a halt not far from the start as the Buckle Bros had problems.  This led to the group splitting with JohnF leading the main bunch onwards whilst Mike stayed to help the leftovers.  The meds had a good journey to and from Royston with only one puncture between them.

Well poor old Pat was dropped in it today.  With over 20 riders to manage and the obstinacy of many to accept that it's the leader task to navigate as there is always more than one route to a destination, the large group managed to disintegrate into several smaller ones.  On the other hand this was a bonus as over 20 arriving together at Clavering Lakes would have caused a hissy fit!  It seems that there was a similar situation with the easies who added another 50 miler to their repertoire, but not as one group.  However it was a pleasant day for everyone to get lost in with about 40 taking

With several of us in France, it was left to our illustrious meds to get themselves sorted.  And they managed perfectly - so what use are we?  I got one report of the day so that will have to do for now!

The 2nd Come and Try It ride of the year attracted just 2 members and 1 prospect on the warmest Sunday afternoon of the year so far. I imagine the morning riders had had a fine day also, but their cooler breezes had dropped by 2.30 pm for us.