Sunday, 04 February 2018
Greg writes:
It was the best of rides, it was the worst of rides…..
I am just stepping out – I may be some time
Five of us foolishly assembled at Brookside! I had wondered if I would be let off leader duties as I was fairly sure no one else would be mad enough to come out on such a grim afternoon. The temperature had been a balmy (!) 4.9C when I left home but as I rode through a brief hailstorm it dropped to 2.5C. Enough for me to question the wisdom of this venture…
However, at 1pm there we were – myself plus Phil, two Daves and a John. An all male crew – proving once again that the fairer sex is also the wiser one – though maybe I am not allowed to pass such observations nowadays….
Mad dogs and Englishmen
As we left Brookside and headed over Lammas Land and towards Newnham the sun started to make a weak attempt to assist…. We cycled on the Grantchester Road and swept through the village – proof that this was a stay-at-home day was amply supplied by the lack of traffic and copious parking available in Grantchester – unheard of for a Sunday afternoon.
On leaving Granchester we took a sharp right at the lane to Byrons Pool and cycled across Trumpington Meadows – now with the N Easterly wind on our backs and the sun out we all (briefly) felt we had made the right call after all and things were looking up! Sun shining, following wind and temperature rising above 5C – life was good and we were outside and getting some fresh air and exercise…
Hubris before nemesis!
We crossed the motorway via the farm bridge and exited the meadows to ride along beside the A10. Squeezing past a slower couple of cyclists on the narrow part of the path we then hit the new cycle lane through Harston.
Wider yet and wider shall her paths be set...
Given the considerable traffic disruption and local angst these works have generated it seemed a good idea for CTC to use the cycle path on the first weekend of its opening – flying the flag for cyclists. Whether anyone noticed our efforts I do not know – but we did our bit!
We then took Station Road at the end of Harston and headed up our first hill of the day – and into Newton. As we left Newton the plaintive cry of 'Puncture' was heard and David stopped to examine his now flat rear tyre. With the wisdom of experience, on removing the inner tube he took care not to change the alignment of the tyre so that when he inflated the tube and found where the leak was he could then check that part of the tyre carefully – and he duly found the guilty party! A classic 'Flint Flat' – and he removed the offending sharp stone and cast it into the bushes!
Out, out damned rock!
The process of reassembly was somewhat delayed as he had to interrupt hub gear reconnection to move the bits out of the driveway as the houseowner returned … bad timing!
We were back underway and we headed down towards Thriplow. Plentiful snowdrops could be seen – they were enjoying the low temperatures at least!
Snowdrops enjoying the weather
We pressed on and cycled through Fowlmere. John RS left us at this point and we were now down to a hardy quartet as we crossed the A505 and entered Hertfordshire – briefly.
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers
Here the roads had at least been patch repaired – unlike in Cambridgeshire where the rot is simply allowed to continue….
Cambridge living
We headed across country – staying parallel to the 505 and avoiding the left turn to Ickleton that cuts out the hills – instead we pressed on to summit the Hertfordshire Alps – including a somewhat heady 13% bit of climbing. Phil duly moaned ….
However, on cresting the brow of the hill we entered Essex – clearly signed by the change of road surface – where this road had been properly relaid and maintained. Happy days!
We then turned North back onto Cambridgeshire roads (boo!) as we came up the back of Coploe Hill. This was into the teeth of a rising gale – and now it started to rain… or worse - as Dave described it – 'It's rain with bits in!' The hailstorm was unpleasant – and cold! The temperature had now plummeted again – down to a fairly bracing 1C.
Turned out fine again
It was now cold and grim – and a quick discussion at the top of Coploe Hill (view 3 counties from here on a clear day….but not today!) led us to change plans. It was agreed that it was unlikely that the River Barns Café would be open (no other fools would be out and about in this!) and we could avoid a needless 2 mile trudge to prove this point if instead we headed directly to the John Barleycorn in Duxford. Decision duly made we all set off – into the Nor Easterly.
The pub was a welcome sight when we arrived – and we gratefully took up a place in the corner for a coffee (or beer) and a thaw out.
The John Barleycorn
After 20 minutes Greg announced that it was time to depart – he could sense that there was a real danger that everyone would get too settled and we would never leave!
After some more moaning we duly togged up and headed off – daylight was starting to fade but we would definitely get back before dark – a bonus as we get into mid February.
At Shelford there was a parting of the ways as the Cambridge crew headed to the DNA path and the village people went their own way (!)
The full route was some 35 miles in total. Greg has promised that the next time he leads a ride he will make more effort and actually get to the advertised coffee stop – twice in 2 rides now that a contingency has had to be used. (Apologies also for the creative use of pictures – a technical issue with my kit meant the actual ride photos had to be improvised)
Ah well,
No ride plan survives contact with the elements - as someone almost said!
Sorry also for all the mangled quotes but they amused me!
Greg Tucker
Download
planned route (GPX).