Thursday, 09 August 2018
Edward writes: When fifteen cyclists met in Haslingfield this morning it was in vastly different weather conditions to last week and indeed the last three months. Of course it wasn't cold but a very much lower temperature and with the threat of rain, which it did, loads of it!
Last week's report tried to account for there being only six people on the ride, but this contained one glaring omission which needs to be corrected. It was said that Andy and Dr John were the only known cricket followers but this unaccountably overlooked John "Red Sox" who is without question our number one cricket fan. Possibly a founder member of the barmy army and a man who has followed England to all the leading test match countries. Well done, John!
The start at Haslingfield
Back to the ride, there were fifteen with Ian B as overall leader with assistance from Edmund in looking after a second group. Our ride today was Ashwell for coffee and Willington for lunch and this meant a start over Chapel Hill, so at least there wouldn't be any more serious climbs.
Tete de la course, Barrington
The peloton, Barrington
Shepreth and Meldreth followed and then the climb up to Kneesworth and Bassingbourn and instead of going via Abington Piggots Ian took the ride up to Shingay and Guildern Mordern before turning for Steeple Mordern to arrive in Ashwell just before 11 am. The villagers had coffee at Day's bakery and the city group of eleven, who arrived at the same time, had their coffee at the nearby Rhubarb and Mustard.
Flowers in Ashwell
Ashwell
After coffee the city group left Ian assembled his group, now fourteen, for the next session to lunch. Soon after we started the rain also started accompanied by a drop in temperature. For the first time in weeks the rain gear came out and for the rest of the day was a vital piece of equipment, luckily there was hardly any wind. We went through Hinxworth and crossed the AI accompanied by a very cross driver and followed this with the long downhill to Langford and Henlow. Now we were in the lovely Bedfordshire countryside passing through Clifton, Southill, Old Warden and Northill which was all very picturesque, despite the rain. From Northill we made the gentle climb up to Cople and after just a quarter of a mile on the A603 we came to the Blossom Cafe at Willington, arriving at 1pm, the city group had arrived a little earlier.
Rupert in the rain, Willington
Those with sandwiches sat outside on the patio and soon after the rain became near torrential rain, later turning to steady rain which was to accompany us all the way home. We started the homeward ride at 2pm going from Willington to Danish Camp and then down the former railway alignment to Sandy. Annoyingly, on leaving Sandy my back tyre punctured. After a while Mike came back and administered the finishing touches, like pumping the tyre up and putting the wheel back in! We weren't delayed many minutes and it was head down to Gamlingay, but the rain was making it difficult to see and some stops had to be made to clear glasses. With what little wind there was assisted us between Gamlingay through the Hatleys to the Croydon and Arrington turn. As we went through the Wimpole estate thoughts turned to home and a hot bath or shower as the temperature was now down to a miserly twelve degrees. After Orwell Barrington soon came with a few finishers going back over Chapel Hill and some returning home by the A10 cycle path. In all we covered 60 miles but a special thanks to Ian who must have thought he had drawn the shortest of short straws. Weeks of hot sunny weather and the prayed for rain arrived on a Thursday!
Edward Elmer
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GPS track (GPX).