club run reports

Category 6 ride led by Carolyn Kelleway and Tony Dos Santos

Seven riders turned up at Hertford and they waited and waited for the lead rider who, erm, was literally hanging in the gutter on the way to Hertford from Enfield. 

Luckily there was a back up plan for this eventuality. Carolyn had already agreed to plan the route. So the lead rider advised everyone to ride off and he would catch them up. Ok ok, I’ll come clean it was me who was hanging didn’t feel very well. 

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

The forecast advised it was going to be a wet one. So everyone turned up short sleeved and raring to go. Well one of us rode up and didn’t drive because they were literally hanging in the gutter; I’m not going to mention their name, but he (so it’s not a lady rider) rode up from Enfield and he looked well rough! I turned up at 9am (got to Allenburys early just in case) and the Cat 3’s were all raring to go, had a chat with them and then they left.

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

We all knew today was going to be a hot one, hitting a heady 30°C that was predicted. So I decided to meet Hanif at his house and he said “let’s go round the lanes”! 16 miles later and lots of hills, we arrived late! 

Everybody was waiting tapping their feet. Sorry I was late all. 

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

Category 3 ride led by Graham Knight

The occasional appearance of summer in recent days had inspired a wish to visit the sunny uplands of Dunstable downs and enjoy the glorious views across the Bedfordshire plane. Sadly, perhaps predictably, the weather did not cooperate and wall to wall cloud was the order of the day. The Chilterns Gateway Centre went one better by actually being in the cloud so that visibility was restricted to about 20 m.

Category 3 ride led by Graham Knight

On Wednesday the forecast was for thunder showers, on Friday it was for constant rain, on Saturday it was for cloud but dry. With this improving trend could we hope for bright sunshine on Sunday? No - but it was dry throughout, so the pessimists who had disinterred their winter bikes and water-proofs were confounded. 

Category 2 ride led by Chris Boulton

Great ride today on a tweaked version of the HW Centenary Ride.

It was an earlier start than usual in an effort to beat the heat that was forecast – the Garmin recorded temperatures from 15c to 45c.
The ride was steady, with a drink stop at Saffron Walden, a lunch stop at Finchingfield and a pub stop at Stanstead Abbotts.
 
Apart from a rubbing disc and two punctures there were no other mechanical issues.

Centenary ride involving other categories

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

Category 2 ride led by Chris Boulton

Great ride today to a new café for the Cat 2s. El Cafecito, was not planned, but it had plenty of space, was bike friendly and is 5 minutes from Shepreth.

Category 3 ride led by Paul Henderson

A loss of three, a gain of one and a crash. Not my recent investment record, but the number of Wheelers on the category 3 ride to The Hay Barn on Sunday.

Category 6 ride led by Kate D’Arcy

Category 3 ride led by Graham Knight

A good turn-out on what promised to be a damp day. Several arrived fully equipped with mudguards, bullet-proof tyres, waterproof clothing and snorkels. In the event we rode on completely dry roads until we were nearly home and felt not one drop of rain. The café stop at Flint Cross was enjoyed in unbroken sunshine in the company of both the Cat 2 and Cat 4 groups.

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

Category 3 ride led by Graham Knight

Only four at the start! Still, it's quality not quantity that you want in a ride, so it was good to welcome Barry back after a long absence. Despite declaring a lack of long-distance rides he outlasted us all. The others were Richard, who did sterling work pulling us along between challenging himself on all the hills and Denis, who finally enjoyed a ride devoid of mechanical misfortunes.

Category 6 ride led by Lisa Ridoutt

I thought it was about time I stepped up and lead my first Cat 6 club run.

Having studied a few of the previous leaders in action, I knew what was required of me.
I had to find the quietest of lanes (Mike), I had to continuously float effortlessly from the back to the front of the ride (Danny), whilst chatting and laughing as I climbed every steep hill (Tony DS).

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

Eldon does it AGAIN! 

Category 3 ride led by Graham Knight

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos