CTC Cambridge

Thursday 1 June 2023 

It's Never Been Done Before...

'Huzzah' came the cry, writes Greg, as Andy hove into view. This was either borrowing the term from Greg's email missive and ride route reminder or, more likely, some attention-gaining behaviour because Andy and Sarah were making their grand entrance. We will let the reader decide.

However, they were not the only people to make their presence felt with Belinda, Sharon and Sheila making a stylishly tardy triumvirate – though as ever the wait for them was worthwhile. Eva too landed in just the nick of time – her final stint from Grantchester being done at circa 32kph. 20 mph. Ed, Richard and Tony sweeping up sedately was something of an anti-climax in comparison. (Sorry Carol to describe Tony's arrival as an anticlimax). Oh and we shouldn't forget Ian who was looking at the gash in his 3-week-old tyre and hoping the gunk would seal same (reader: it did).

At Halingfield waiting to start

So that was the merry band of victims that Greg led out from Haslingfield, all eager to start if, for no other reason, that now June was upon us the sun had departed and we were, frankly, COLD!

Taking the usual route to LJs involved going through Harlton, past Bourn golf club and stopping at the top of the hill for a regroup. This is a regular club pause point and invariably the one car per day using the track emerges whilst we are all standing around. Today was the exception. Despite anxiously looking around no such vehicle emerged so we set off unprompted.

The left turn to Caxton was sporting a "Road Closed" sign and, as is another club tradition, we ignored it. Cyclists can always get through, right? Well the absence of any works or obstruction meant that our progress was completely unimpeded: indeed we made good time with a bit of wind astern and arrived en masse at LJs some ten minutes before 11 am.

However, we were not the first cyclists there! Another cycling group was occupying our outside seats but in the spirit of sharing nicely, as we were all instructed to do many years ago, we left them in situ and took over the back room – which was also warmer! In there were two pleasing sights (neither of which has ever been so described before!) to wit Adrian and David.

Adrian was demonstrating that Gaia, the Earth system, will not long be out of its usual equilibrium. Last week's rather discombobulating sight of ADRIAN IN A BLUE TOP, which caused vast amounts of angst and concern to all who witnessed this brief sartorial aberration has now ended. Normal service is resumed, Gaia is once more in balance and Adrian was back in a red/orange top. Phew!, or, as someone once said, just rejoice at that news!

Eva, Andy and Tony left us at LJs and the rest of the crew were happy to set off since standing around was making us cold. However, after less than a mile disaster struck! On looking back, Greg noticed that Sharon and Sheila were nowhere to be seen. Belinda had also made the same observation and so with the group stopped these two headed back to find out what was amiss. It transpired that Sharon had shed her radar. Sounds alarming! Sheila had nearly come a cropper too taking avoiding action. They had both stopped to literally pick up the pieces and so they were once again underway when their rescuers hove into view. All well, the ride resumed.

Indeed resumed on pastures new. A couple of the, er, old hands (sorry) noted that no one had ever gone from LJs to Buntingford. Was it possible? Was it desirable? Both these questions can now be answered in the affirmative. Some lovely lanes, quiet and scenic, bore us the 37 km or so 23 odd miles to Buntingford. Effusive praise for the routing was offered by many. (Hhmmm, calm down Greg, less self-adulation please: Ed)

Anyway, back on Planet Humble we were now in Buntingford and arrayed across park benches in the sunshine eating our lunch. Yes, the sun had finally broken through to warm us.

Making an exit out the back of the park we headed towards Wyddial and onwards to Nuthamstead. These are familiar and favourite lanes – the sun was bright and pleasant now although the persistant North Easterly as a head wind was less desirable – especially as we faced some 32 km 20 miles broadly into it (I put that down to bad route planning. Ha, got you back there: Ed)

So it came to pass that just by Barley, Sarah headed off from the group whilst the rest of us were Fowlmere-bound. After negotiating the "505" for a final time we were soon through Thriplow and breaking up in Newton to find our respective ways back home.

96km, 750m of climbing 60 odd miles, 2500ft of climbing, a few random incidents and observations and a route that's never been done before – well, it has now! Greg