Sunday, 26 February 2012
Ian Driver writes: Todays afternoon ride was to the every popular Waresley Park (Perk J) Garden centre. I was a little unsure what the turnout would be due to a conflict of the two national obsessions.
Obsession 1: The weather. Glorious for a February day. Sunny skies and light winds.
Obsession 2 (more arguably): Liverpool Vs. Cardiff in a cup final shown on terrestrial TV, kick off 4PM.
I seems that national obsession 1 won through as there were 10 other riders a Brookside for the 13:30 start (two with distinctly Liverpool accents). A warm welcome to you all.
At this time of year, I was never going to plan an epic ride with many of us down on miles over the past weeks, who wants to slog you guts out on one of the first really good Sundays we get in quite a while. Nice villages and fine views were the order of the day.
We set off on the familiar path to Barton. Instead of taking the right hand direct route, we carried on and hung a left to take us to Haslingfield. This is followed by a right onto the Harlton Road. The road here gives a gently undulating ride up to the Everstons through pretty villages and countryside beginning to turn green again. Snowdrops lined the route in a good few places.
We continued straight across the A603, onto Great Eversdon and then Tinkers Lane to take us through to Kingston. Here the group split with 5 deciding an off road jaunt was in order. The other 6 of us happily left them to it on our slick tyres.
Left onto the B1064 then a right saw us soon at the Ford in Bourn. Not a lot of water going through given the time of year. Cycled through quite happily myself without getting my feet wet.
You are soon past the Windmill and onto the Gransden Road for tea at Waresley, which was the usual high standard. Riders were now coming out of the woodwork from Cambridge CTC. I counted 30 at one point.
After tea, 6 riders returned with me via Gamlingay and Longstowe. The light was fading very quickly on the way home, a reminder to bring lights still.
I arrived home at about 18:30 with
48.24 very pleasurable miles on the clock. I hope to see the new and old faces on a ride soon.
Ian DriverView this GPS track on a larger map