Those of you that have looked up in awe at a Red
Arrows aircraft display will be familiar with their signature move, the bomb
burst. This is where the tightly highly skilled aircraft pilots fly overhead
and then disappear in all directions complete with red white and blue smoke.
Well apart from the smoke that was us on Neils
ride today! LOL. It all started so well with both old and new faces at Walk
Mill Cafe. It was great to see John W, who earlier had stopped to assist
Chris with a puncture. We also had a new rider today, Paul who Steve Hu brought
along for the first time. Kevin who only joined us less than six months ago
must feel like a veteran member now!
We had two routes on offer from Steve T and Neil
T. As Neil T is known as the “Wind Whisperer” it was decided to go with his
route today as it was blustery. So nine riders consisting of John M, Kevin,
Alan, Chris, Steve T, Steve Hu, Clive, Paul and our leader Neil T.
Neils earlier feigned injury seemed to have
evaporated as he set a spirited pace along Guy Lane and up to the Tarvin Bypass.
Neil had chosen a cunning route to mitigate the sandstone ridge both avoiding
steep climbs and the ever-present wind. Soon Kelsall was bypassed and we sped
through Cotebrook and Eaton.
We were later to learn that Pauls cycling
palmares included training at Hern Hill Velodrome with a certain Bradley
Wiggins and David Millar! The net result being placed in the top ten of the
National Time trial events. Coupled with
extensive time spent overseas Paul was clearly happier riding on the right-hand
side of the road rather than the left, much to the surprise and consternation
of oncoming road users.
As we passed Bolesworth Road it was clear John M
was now missing. A quick call to Clive confirmed he was making a shorter detour
to the pub. By Duckington we had lost Alan following a comfort break and both
Kevin and Steve Hu were off the back due to a combination of waiting for Alan
and trying to sort out the pernicious problem Kevin’s gears were presenting
despite his attempts with the spanners.
At this point we met Clive riding in the
opposite direction looking for us, satisfied he had located us, he set off to
find Alan. What a gent (take note Mr Tanner).
So now we had at least four groups on the road,
all notionally heading for the lunch spot. At the pub the nine reformed , but
not for long as John M and Clive wanted to try a new cafe in Holt and Chris was
off to work.
Now down to six we stopped for a photo of four
of us!!! We chose a beautiful Jaguar E
Type as a backdrop. I say beautiful fortunately still so despite Steve T’s bike
falling over inches from its pristine paintwork.
The homebound route was excellent and fast with
all of us keeping together. Kevin broke off at Alford to ride into Chester
leaving the rest of us to swing though Bruera and Saighton. Avid readers of
these blogs will know Neil T’s distaste of having been mugged recently at the
end of a ride. So as was customary we mugged Neil as a trident of fast riders
zoomed into Waverton with Neil and Steve T in hot pursuit.
Neil and Steve T continued to Walk Mill whilst
Alan Steve Hu and Paul made our way back to Guilden Sutton.
A great ride, on dry relatively clean roads with
minimal wind in our face. Thanks for leading Neil.
Steve Hu
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