What a wonderful day. Everything about the rides was first class: the route, the weather and the organisation. We left Waverton right on cue at 9am with about 20 hardy souls in for the 100 mile option. The group split into two fairly quickly with the racing snakes tearing off into the distance although we did see them again briefly at the coffee and lunch stops. After the coffee stop we were an even more select group of four: Graham & I on the tandem and Janet Gregory and Alan Mort on their formula one singles. We managed to strike some sort of balance with them dropping us for dead on the climbs and us pulling them along the flats. Suffice it to say the whole ride was done at a far faster pace than I had envisaged. This year all the climbing came before lunch and boy was I looking forward to the lunch stop. I was sorely tempted to stop at last year's lunch stop and beg a crust. Janet and Alan missed the turn at the Bull but we managed to shout them back. As we rounded the hairpin Graham said can you see them? Janet was storming up the hill and soon overtook us. Alan caught us near the top. So onto lunch which was excellent: generous portions of beans on toast and a freshly baked scone and jam washed down with as much tea as you could drink?
We arrived at the canal centre in next to no time and bought ice creams. The next 20 miles are a blur and then we were at the Jessie Hughes Institute where the WI did us proud. We left there around five with Janet saying "only 13 miles to go. I finished at 6 last year so I'd like to do the same again this year.” We finished with 15 minutes to spare!!
I regard this event as one of the highlights of our cycling year as it was one of the first events we entered when we started cycling "seriously". This year's edition did not disappoint and I've already pencilled in next years on my calendar.
VP
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