3rd October 2024: Plassey (mod+)

 Maggies was today’s meet venue and a popular one it was too. I lost count at 17 heads, as everybody kept moving- Lol.

I had a route to Staples cafe at Plassey, which appealed to Roy, Allan ( ‘the mugger’, more about that later) and Fiona / Elwyn, back from their  hols.

This meant we were the smallest group for a change, assuming there was just a fast group and easy rider group. Surprisingly, my ride to Maggies was, initially, a chilly 3!Degrees on my Garmin, but got to 6 on arrival. However, our departure from Maggies was a much warmer 8 degrees- Lol.

I have to admit to being a tad anxious, as our last departure from Maggies saw us reverse direction twice within 200 mtrs- Lol. Suffice it to say, I took some stick on that day. So, I was determined to make sure my Garmin did not throw another wobbly. 

I have since noticed that if you plot a route for a remote location, but select yes to plot a route to said location, it sometimes causes Garmin to flip out when you stop and restart after the cafe.

My remedy this time was to keep the screen active and Bob’s your uncle, we had no trouble- Lol

Garmin, now compliant, we were off, but not so quickly over the Dee bridge, due to even longer traffic lights than the norm ( more road works)

The promised light southerly winds were just that, as we progressed south along the Shocklach road. 

The flooded patches I had seen a few days before had drained sufficiently to provide a dry line and a clear run through to Threapwood.

 

Once over Wych brook we had a lovely little climb up to the top of Mulsford lane, where you find some of the best views across to the Welsh hills, with Overton below us, out of site,  in the distance is Ruabon at 90 degrees to our left and Wrexham at 20 degrees-ish to our front left.

Now well into a gentle descent, for approximately a mile+ on a lovely bit of lane, I couldn’t help notice the clouds starting to build, which made me wonder If my ambitions of an outside lunch venue was a bit ambitious- Lol.

No sooner up, we were down and rapidly approaching the crossroads of Whitchurch Road, with  Overton beyond. We bypass Overton via a very nice smooth lane that lead us to a very fast descent to yet another crossing of the River Dee at the Cross Foxes pub, where we turn left to Erbistock.

 

After another brief regroup we head up slightly toward the fabulous Boat Inn, but we turn right before the descent to the pub for our only bit of serious climbing for the day. 

A couple of short climbs that deliver us to the top of this small ridge, setting us up for a few nice easy miles down into Plassey, except for the nasty little climb up the driveway to the cafe - Lol. 

Staples cafe is within the caravan park, next to the pub, for those who have not been there. It’s a quaint cosy cafe, that always has some fantastic cakes.

I was for staying outside, but a certain individual who had foolishly removed his outer jacket, several miles back, immediately shouted “ inside!”- Lol. Not one for dropping names, but he did have a moustache that was straight out of the 2nd world war- Lol Lol.

So, now inside and orders made, the usual catch up conversations ensued. I think it was Wing Cmdr Biggles (Roy to those in the know- Lol)  who recalled visiting the caravan park many times as a lad with his family, to which Allan then piped up with similar memories.

Meanwhile I was catching up with F&E about their recent cruise of the Med and few lovely stop offs, which inevitable got us on to the subject of restaurants and some choices for a future trip we were planning. 

After a brief chat about whether F& E would stay with the group or not, I suggested they decide on the fly and got us all going again, after a good lunch with potato and leek soup being the popular choice for Roy and I.

Roy’s shout for “inside” was the right option, as it was well cosy in there.

We were soon down the road and turning left on Overton road, which lead us up to our right turn to Bedwell and Cross Lanes beyond. As usual the traffic lights stopped us. However, this allowed time for a quick conversation about our left turn towards Pentre and the quiet lanes beyond. F& E therefore decided to go straight on and take the easy, fast shortcut to Holt, as Fiona was feeling the pace, after 3 weeks of cruising the Med- Lol.

 

Now only 3 us, we found ourselves tapping out a steady rhythm, with Roy leading the way and meandering around Wrexham industrial estate, which you would never know was there on these little lanes and high hedgerows. 

After a few miles we are passing Clays golf club and I shout out that we take the pathway to the right, at the dual carriageway. This allows us to cross the carriageway at the round about and turn back on ourselves, up past Francis lane and on to the now infamous spot where the Flying Bombaliny (Steve T) once took a little tumble, which I still argue was not my fault- Lol.

We were heading for a loop through Marford, in order to get our mileage up to 40 and give us a couple of little of extra inclines- Lol. 

It didn’t take us long to tick off this 4 mile loop, which brought us back to Borras and the fast downhill towards Holt, our pace was still good, but I for one was beginning to feel the legs.

So it was a complete surprise, at the junction of Rossett road, to get ‘mugged’ by Allan, from behind, where he had been for the whole ride, I might add.

It took us a moment or two to collect ourselves at the sight of this Cavendish/ Elwyn like blur getting smaller, as he pulled away. 

However, once Roy realised I was on his wheel, he took off after ‘the mugger’, with a turn of speed that smacked of determination- Lol.

He was not going to let the upstart get to Maggies without us. However, my legs were almost cooked and I still had another 10 miles to get home, so I sat up, but not before we caught him ( job done- Lol) leaving Roy to claim the spoils at Maggies.

I rolled in and before I could put ‘the mugger’ in his place, Roy was already doing the honours- Lol, Lol. Allan’s response was “that’s what the pro’s do, when near the finish”. “We’re not pro’s & you don’t ‘mug’ the ride leader, having sat on the back for the whole ride”- it’s not cricket or is that cycling- Lol, Lol. 

 

Roy and Allan then decided on another coffee, but I didn’t fancy cafe legs again, so I continued on home, after thanking the boys for an enjoyable ride, even the chase - Lol 

 

The ride route was 40 miles with about 500 mtrs of assent.

I got home, after an easy wind down and a total of 59 miles.

Thanks to the group for a great day out, including ‘ the mugger’, bless him- Lol, Lol, Lol.

I assume F&E got home without event.

 

Cheers all, till next time- Lol.

Neil.