Friday, 22 October 2021
Simon writes: There has recently been a down-turn in the weather, both cooler, windier, and wetter. So, no great surprise that this week's 12 ride places didn't get snapped up early on. But, to start a sentence with a conjunction, in no way did it dissuade Phil N, Liz, Rachel, Summer, Jeff, Ian W, John J, and relatively new member Chris H from signing up.It had rained heavily in the night, and still while we assembled at Brookside it drizzled on-and-off for the first 20 minutes. However, thereafter we were treated to an unbroken dazzling sun for the whole day, which bathed us and the countryside in an endorphin-packed outlook, and those brave enough to see past the early rain were rewarded for their confidence in bucket loads of sunshine.
Among other aspects of life, lockdown had me being more involved with ride planning, adopting the task in turns alternately when there were only two of us in a permitted micro group. This also allowed more flexibility with a scope for more creativity.
Hence today I fancied retracing a little loop round the recreational boating waterways areas of Godmanchester, as the culmination of our out-bound ride, before a coffee stop. The network is a busy series of backwater cuts and flood plains surrounding the Great Ouse backwater junction and its canalised section. We rode a third of the way round Portholme Meadow, being home to some cows and some sheep, each being so consistently black and white respectively, you could have played chess with them. Sorry, I was raised in the farmless suburbs of St.Albans, with a developed eye for all things mechanical, so I need remedial lessons on animal breed knowledge.
My chosen café for today was also a first for our club, the Grand Piano Cafe in Godmanchester.
The Grand Piano, on Cambridge St, is a stone's throw from the recreational attractions of Godmanchester. Not previously mentioned on our club website list of tried and trusted cafes, it warranted an investigative courtesy email to them to find out if they like to accommodate cycling groups. Donna was pleased to say that they do, and was interested to get an idea of when she might expect to see us. So I outlined our timetable for today's schedule and set about advertising the ride to our members Google group.
Liz did suffer a puncture just this side of Gravely. Through force of decades of habit, I wanted to delve in and help with the repair. It was a tiny but sharp little critter, virtually too small to see (well, with my 56yr old eyes anyway) and had to be detected by feel, followed by a difficult but successful extraction with a pair of John J's tweezers. Liz later rewarded me by paying my bill at the Grand Piano. Thank you, Liz!
John didn't really feel the need to tour the river and said he would go straight to the café, with Ian, who also doubled the ride with an additional motive. That worked well because he was able to tell Donna that the remaining 7 of us would arrive in about 15 minutes, which we did.
They were very well prepared for us, with a table already allocated; no queueing or waiting needed.
I think beyond the efficient service and good value they gave us, what made the outstanding difference is that they were so enthusiastic and pleased to see us that made it a memorable visit.
After speaking to Ray on the runs committee this evening, to give him an early ride report, he has duly added the Grand Piano to our web list. So, I would encourage you to drop them a line if you'd like to venture that way as part of your group's ride plans.