Sunday, 03 February 2019
David S writes: Seven of us set off from Brookside for an afternoon ride to Cambourne in glorious sunshine and with a blue sky throughout: Adrian, Mike CC, Simon, Phil, Lalli, Mark and I. Following an excellent route sent by Rupert, we discovered (some of us for the first time) the route from Storeys Way to Eddington called The Ridgeway. This is much better than going via the Coton Footpath. Thank you Rupert!
With only one wrong turn in Eddington (thank you for showing us the way Adrian) we cycled through Girton, when the leader's Garmin started telling us to do a u-turn - and would not. Giving up on technology we reverted to a page torn out of an AA road atlas and local knowledge (thank you Mike CC) to construct a new, shorter route to Cambourne via Boxworth rather than via Fenstanton.
Mike left us to go home and we crossed the A14 via the complicated roundabout system where we managed to lose two more of our number (sorry Mark and Lalli). Younger eyes (thank you Phil) spotted them waiting on top of the A14 bridge and the leader was dispatched to rescue them.
Pushing our bikes over frozen snow and ice from the Broadway, we arrived at Green's Cafe at 3.05pm. Adrian, whom we had lost somewhere en route (sorry Adrian) and Ian (who had waited for us in Fenstanton - sorry Ian) were waiting for us.
After tea and cake in this rather uninspiring venue (we left a big tip nevertheless) we changed the route again, with Simon, David, Lalli and Mark heading back to Cambridge via the old St Neots road and the Coton footpath and Phil and Ian returning via Bourn (to escape the shambles? Sorry Phil and Ian). Adrian again managed to leave after us, but after half and hour we saw him in the distance ahead of us!
The ride showed how supportive club members are when the leader has not prepared adequately for the ride and how blue sky and sunshine creates a mood of forgiveness!
David S
Verdict - Weather 10/10; leadership - room for improvement! (You want photos too?)
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GPS track (GPX).