Thursday, 25 January 2018
Edward writes: A marked change in the weather certainly brought out the crowds with a whopping fourteen in the city, with Mike P their leader, and out in the country another fourteen where Edmund was leading. After the miserable Sunday and a pretty dreadful day yesterday so many must have been champing at the bit to get out on their bikes.
We left Haslingfield in two groups into Harlton, the Eversdens, Kingston and Bourn. It was a little breezy but not enough to be uncomfortable, and being from the south-west there was the expectation that it would make for an easy ride home.
Harlton
Harlton
Kingston
After Bourn the official route was Caxton and Great Gransden then via Little Gransden, over the hill into Gamlingay followed by the rather busy B1040 to Potton and the Boundary Cafe. Stopping to take pictures left Adrian, Mike C and me, someway behind so we took the somewhat quieter route via Waresley and we only arrived a few minutes after the leaders.
It was as well that there were no other customers as, with the independent riders, we completely filled the room and the two young women serving had to work very hard, which they did admirably and with good humour. What was especially pleasant about this gathering was to see Richard M (riding over from Bedford) back with us after a lengthy spell out of the saddle.
Coffee at Potton
After coffee a number of groups set off but I'm not sure in which direction, but Edmund led a fairly large group up to Willington whilst a smaller group went via Great Barford and joined the former railway, now a cycleway, into Sandy. This brought us all to Gunn's Cafe for lunch and once again we rather took over, but the staff did pretty well. This being Burns Night they brought round some samples of haggis which at least one person was tempted to buy for his supper tonight - just needs a good malt to go with it, John!
Alex's treacle sponge at Gunn's Cafe, Sandy (Photo: John Seton)
We left Sandy just before 2pm in a number of groups, and with the benefit of the following breeze we made good progress up to Gamlingay and then the five miles through the Hatleys, Croydon and Arrington.
Tempsford Crossing
A muddy Wimpole Hall followed and then Orwell and Barrington. Those going back over the hill to Haslingfield would have finished their ride by 3.30pm and would have completed at least 52 miles.
Joining the cycleway to Sandy
Thanks to both leaders for an excellent day out - the weather doesn't half help! I can't follow
Greg's poetry, and this is probably not prose, but at least it's a bit of a blog.
Edward Elmer
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GPS track (GPX).