Ken and Dave M were just out for coffee, so that left Steve Hu, Alan, Shane, Ray and myself to join Ivan on his last ride of the year. The weather prediction was mixed with some certainty of a rain shower at some time during the ride. I’d not bothered to wash my bike following a somewhat muddy ride on Tuesday with Nick; it was the correct decision!
Ivan’s ride was to "The George" in Sandbach, a reliable Wetherspoon’s establishment in the centre of the town. So we set off down familiar lanes to Bunbury and out to Nantwich. Everthing was going well with a brisk pace and everyone keeping together as we should do. We dodge around Shavington and Basford - lanes that Ivan knows very well after living around this general area for many years.
In Weston the first road closure of the day manifests itself, so on the fly Ivan steers us on a bit of a loop and back on track via Engelsea Brook Lane. The White Lion inn appears in Barthomley looking very sorry for itself - it had been a popular lunch venue for us for many years, mainly because of it’s large plates of in-house cooked meat pies.
At the junction with Radway Green Road it is very clear that we can’t go the planned direction via Radway Green into the outskirts of Alsager due to probable repair work on the railway level crossing. Ivan’s railway experience tells him we won’t be let through, so turning right, Ivan assures us all that if we head down and take the first left then left again, we shall enter Alsager from the south.
Whereas this is certainly true, negotiating the massive and exceptionally busy roundabout under the M6 Junction was not planned at all! We enjoy a mile plus uphill drag along the busy A500 dual carriageway towards Stoke. I’ve driven this route many times and it's a lorry-infested racetrack! We turn left and off the A500 into a peaceful road eventually falling into the back of Alsager.
We are soon back on track but menacing black clouds herald a steady and persistent period of light rain. We hurry on through Hassall Green and Malkins Bank and at last into the warm dry arms of the very busy George pub after 37 miles. The diversion along the A500 had cost us about 30 mins, which would have probably meant we would have missed the pre-lunch celestial bike-washing activity!
The pub was heaving with punters but we secure the last two tables and order up off the extensive menu. Pizza and curries were the order of the day. Time to go into the rain again so some of us wander over to the cobbled market square for a photo courtesy of Alan. Ivan was assisting Shane with his front mudguard mis-function and they missed the photo shoot. You can read all about Sandbach here.
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| They regularly wash the streets in Sandbach! |
Shane peals off after Duddon as we all end up at Walk Mill again. Alan and Steve head for their car as Ray, Ivan and myself head back to Chester. The only significant event was Ivan’s slow rear-wheel puncture outside of Waverton itself which, after some re-inflation, he thankfully managed to nurse through the few miles home.
Ivan’s advertised route was 53 miles; with a diversion at Weston, and the loop up the A500 pushing it up to 60 miles all round. So quite respectable for mid-November. So thanks to Ivan for the route, Alan for the photos, and all for their company today. I managed just under 80 wet miles so you can guess what today’s job is!
See route map and/or gpx file download
CA
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