After several days of torrential rain and high winds, it was a pleasure to wake up on Thursday morning to bright sunshine and a forecast for a dry and less windy day. Turning up early at Maggie’s at Holt, I was soon joined by a good crowd of CER members. As usual some were not riding - Dave M having just had a new pacemaker fitted; and some were doing their own thing - Dave P and Liz on the tandem, Trevor getting home early and Ivan doing his own thing.
That left a mixed group of brisk and mod+ folk, comprising
of Nick, young Chris, Ray S, Steve Hu, Elwyn, Fiona, Keith and me for a ride I’d
planned down to The Dickin Arms at Loppington. We set off through Farndon,
Tilston, Chorlton and Tallarn Green, with the north-westerly wind behind us
helping to push us on at a good speed. As we crossed the A495 approaching Fenn’s
Bank, we paused to phone the pub to ensure that they could accommodate us for
lunch. ‘No problem’, they said, so we pressed on, arriving in Loppington about
two hours after leaving Holt.
Service was a bit slow, but the food was excellent when it
arrived with the group variously enjoying halloumi, fish and chips, scampi and spring
onion, leak and potato chowder. Prices have gone up (again) since our last
visit, but that’s normal these days.
After a group photo (thanks, Steve), we set off for English
Frankton, the wind now in our faces. Steve Hu kindly went to the front to take
a wind off me, but I was so focussed on his back wheel that I missed a turning
and we ended up in Cockshutt, rather than English Frankton. My Wahoo computer
is usually very good at re-routing in these circumstances, but it seemed to
keep wanting to send us back the way we’d come. Looking at the map now, I can
see that this was because there isn’t a convenient alternative route!
Eventually back on track we pressed on, although the road
surface in some places was quite poor. Between Welshampton and Penley the lanes
are through some woods and the road/track surface was awful, prompting
complaints from the peleton behind me. ‘When you get home, delete this route’
said Fiona.
Things improved when we reached Penley and we took the usual
route back through Worthenbury and Schocklach. Again, Steve Hu took the wind
for a while until the brisk boys took off to stretch their legs. After all, the
ride so far been like a recovery ride to them!
At Schocklach, Nick left for home; at Wetreins, Steve Hu and
Chris speared off in pursuit of a 100 miler for the day. Approaching Farndon,
Keith and Ray S headed for Churton and points north as they set off
respectively for the car and home. That left me alone heading back to Holt
until Elwyn and Fiona appeared next to me at the bridge over the Dee, them
having called at the chemist in Farndon to pick up a prescription.
So, 50 miles covered on a dry, cool but sunny day. As usual
a really enjoyable day out with a great bunch. Thanks to all for their support
and especially to Steve and Keith for taking the wind as we headed home.
ST
No comments:
Post a Comment