club run reports

Category 6 ride led by Ian Bailey

Six cycles and seven cyclists set off on a fine summer day from the accidentally chosen start point in Much Hadham. We welcomed Alex on his first ride with the Wheelers. 

The ride was pleasant and relaxed, the chat good and the lunch excellent (though perhaps a little pricey). The hills on return seemed less steep than the profile suggested. 

Overall, then, a nice ride with no punctures and no unexpected incidents. 

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

The platinum jubilee celebrations were in full swing. The night of the celebrations, the category 3 ride was cancelled “due to weather and possible street closures”; Graham intervened and put it straight - Phew. Then the category 5 was cancelled “due to anticipated rain”!! 

It was the day after the celebrations and only four Wheelers turned up for the category 6, and only a handful for the 3’s and 4’s. I couldn’t believe it! 

Category 6 ride led by Mike East

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

Summer has come! Yes, it’s here. Blistering heat (well 26°C) and 10 riders were ready at Allenbury’s. 

Before we set off, I was busy helping Claire with her posh Garmin. It was slow and laggy and then she said she had never updated it! User error then! 

Chris advised he was somewhat hanging as the night before he’d downed about 8 bottles of wine. Claire did interject and advised they also had a bottle of beer as well! This is what I like, honed athletes turning up at the start! 

Category 6 ride led by Daniel Horn

Today I was expecting 3 on the ride as it was me leading and starting from Much Hadham. Surprisingly 13 turned up. However, the fun had already started long before the start as Stuart had reported a puncture from a newbie co-rider (Hannah) on the ride up-to the start. Needless to say, 15 minutes late we set off for Saffron Walden. 

A few hills and wrong turns by those trusted guides up front too busy yapping, not naming anyone here Tony, dictated that I should lead the route I had planned and from the front.

Category 6 ride led by Carolyn Kelleway

Well it was a beautiful sunny spring morning when myself, Pete and Rebecca arrived from Ware to find a few Cat 6 riders already there ready to go. Slowly the numbers increased to eventually a cracking 16 eager riders. A big warm welcome to Julian and Amanda. Also nice to see Martin there - haven’t seen him for a while. And Grace and Matt on his new bike and recently completed PhD - congratulations.

So on time we set off up Bramfield Road.

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

So this was going to be a tough day. The day before Rebecca decided to have her first crash and smashed into some stinging nettles! Well when I say “smashed”, it was more of a gentle fall over into them. Her pride bruised and only two people saw it. I must admit, it was quite funny. 

Category 6a ride led by Danny Hood

With ten minutes to the off it was looking like being a rather small group. Ten minutes later we had 15 eager beavers ready for the ride out to Bishops Stortford.

A quick conversation about splitting the group into a more manageable 8 and 7 was deemed favourable.

Category 4 ride led by Ian Bembridge

It was great to see three new Wheelers for today’s ride to Tapps Garden centre in Baldock with Will Bowen, Karl Desouza and Nicolette Bosch joining the cat 4s for the first time. A cold start, but the forecast was dry and sunny, so Elio Domenicano took the brave decision to put the rest of the team to shame and don the shorts!

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

Everyone was excited as this is our favourite venue at the moment. 

I knew it was going to be cold, but 1°C in the beginning of April is just ridiculous (note to self, write a stern letter to the Met office). 

I would just like to give a warm welcome to Nicolette, yes, she came last week, but I wasn’t there, so hello and welcome. 

Category 6 ride led by Carolyn Kelleway

Having received a call from Tony on Saturday saying his poor son was ill, I happily agreed to lead the ride to Thremhall Park 

Twelve riders set off promptly from Allenbury’s with two new prospective riders, Pete and Nicolette. Everyone had remembered to put their clocks back! The ride to Thremhall was very sociable and uneventful. We picked up Daniel at Much Hadham, where he was playing the role of bridge keeper

Category 6 ride led by Mike East

Category 4 ride led by Lisa Ridoutt

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

I decided to start at 9 so we could get some Bakewell tart at Mill End. Only four turned up, plus me. That made it the famous 5! There was Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timothy! Well, actually there was no one with that name today. Nice to see Martin Phillips coming out again. Boozing Bailey turned up a tad worse for wear after a Saturday on the lash. 

Category 3 ride led by Graham Knight

Category 4 ride led by Enzo, Elio and Ian

Despite the very real threat of rain in the air, the usual gaggle of Cat 4 riders left Ware, and a bunch of chatty Cat 6’ers, for a Sunday trek to Thremhall Park cafe.

With the scheduled ride leader indisposed , it was down to the intrepid trio of Ian Bembridge, Enzo and Elio to guide the riders through Herts and Essex.  Fortunately, Dennis Bassom had supplied the GPX file, and the three Wheelers had managed to get the route loaded up onto their GPS computers.  

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

The morning weather forecast advised 2°C. We all got there and it was cold, but luckily no heavy frost and no ice. Hanif turned up on his mountain bike, with 20 PSI in his tyre - he’s nuts isn’t he!  It was lovely to see Martin Buckle. 

So we set off At 9.31 and went like the clappers. Usual banter with Richard “Kev” Hann; obviously it was in the gutter. We didn’t have a single mechanical along route. 

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

Category 6 ride led by Carolyn Kelleway

There was a good turn out of determined Cat 6ers ready and prompt at Much Hadham on a very foggy cold January morning.