19th December 2024: Audlem Marina (mod)

 Awaiting ride report

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12th December 2024: Christmas Lunch Ride To Gresford (mod)

 I've lost count of how many years we've been going to the Pant-yr-Ochain at Gresford for our annual Christmas Lunch but once again Dave H booked it. And once again he asked me to lead the moderates ride. With only a few of our starting venues near enough to reach Gresford in time it should have been easy to plan a ride there. Simply look at a previous year's ride and follow that. But oh no! Dave likes to throw a spanner in the works one and this year's spanner came in the form of a change to the timing. So although we were starting from Maggie's for the second time in a row the meal was now booked for half an hour later. Back to the drawing board, then, to find a route with about 5 more miles.

 It would be easy to have a moan about Dave's erratic planning but I won't. Truth is I soon came up with 2 alternatives which would fit the bill and besides he was recovering from a stressful day the day before the ride. Storm Darragh had roared in the weekend before leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Amongst other things power lines feeding the pub had been brought down and the electricity supply hadn't been restored until Tuesday evening. As a result ,much of the food bought in to feed us had gone off and had had to be thrown away. Dave got to know about it on Wednesday morning and a stressful day followed. After much toing and froing of emails it was decided that we would continue with the ride but we didn't know what we would end up eating.

 Those of us who were riding assembled at Maggie's in Holt and after the usual coffees and teas we split into 2 groups. No mod+ ride this week so I led a larger than usual group of 12 riders on a tour of the Cheshire countryside. We crossed the River Dee into Farndon then followed a clockwise route which took us to Churton, Coddington and Barton before returning to Farndon via Wetreins Lane. A circuit which should have provided us with lovely views but which unfortunately did not due to a mist which had descended during the night and which refused to clear all day.

 After passing Maggie's we headed towards Gresford taking a loop via Hoseley on the way. This caused a break-up of the group as some of the faster riders had opened up a gap between themselves and the rest of us. In doing so they missed a turning and although we shouted for them to come back they were too far away to hear. We had no alternative but to carry on without them but I was relieved to see them turn up at the Pant-yr Ochain not long after we did.

The staff at the pub had pulled out all the stops to replace all the food that had been ruined and with the exception of one of the main courses we were all able to to enjoy what we had pre-ordered. An amazing 28 members sat down to a sumptuous meal, the largest turnout ever for a Christmas lunch. I didn't know that we had that many. There can't have been many missing. Steve T got up offer Dave a well-deserved vote of thanks for all the hard work (and stress) that went in to organising this year's Christmas lunch.

I led an even smaller group back to Holt after lunch. Just 3 of us with 2 more not far behind having done 22 miles. Not many but then its more about the lunch and getting as many of us as possible together than the ride itself.

It only remains for me to wish all our blog readers a Happy Christmas and all the best for 2025.

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12th December 2024: Christmas Lunch ride to Gresford (brisk)

A few Fast Lads were out on Tuesday visiting some of the obscure roads, cycle ways, disused railway cuttings and canal paths on a satisfying ride to West Kirby and the Spoons pub. I offered to put together two rides for today's ride from Holt to the Pant-yr-Ochain. We chose the shorter one which became even shorter on the day.

Maggies Cafe became very crowded as probably 20 of us were supping a hot drink trying not to notice the gloom and drizzle outside. For those riders who had ridden out it was tales of wet weather gear and frequent wiping of the cycling glasses.

So John M, Ray, Ken, Ivan, Nick and Matt were led out to "race" around the Wrexham Industrial ring road to Cross Lanes. We took stock here as it was clear that a re-plan was needed to ensure we maximised drinking time at the Pant, sorry, meant to say, "Get there by 1200" as we were required to do.  So with the local knowledge expert to hand aka Ken, we re-route on the fly through Erddig parklands with the sad spectre of several fallen trees post last weekend's big storm.

At the Ruabon Road junction, we take the Booker Wholesale estate transfer onto Foxwood Drive and the memory is stirred for the route to the Sainsbury's roundabout and the dive down under the railway bridge to shimmy through the edge of Greater Wrexham. A walk over the footbridge brings us out within a very short ride to the Pant arriving about 1150. We had had enough of the miserable weather and lack of light and felt the pull of the bar for a refreshing pint but had only ridden 16.5 miles.

As ever, the Pant does not disappoint the 28 or so of us today. Despite their loss of power and freezer contents, the menu was only very slightly curtailed.  The range of real ales was tempting and the food was top-notch. It was soon time to go and we head out for Gresford centre passing The Flash but have to divert via Pikey Lane due to tree felling activities. At the lights, Nick and some others head back to Holt to their cars.

The rest of us ride off down Marford Hill exceeding the 20mph Wrexham to Chester speed limit keen to get home before it is dark. As ever, a satisfying ride of about 40 miles for those who rode out from Chester.

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CA

5th December 2024: Alison’s Tattenhall - Rain avoiding loop (Mod)

 With the forecast for heavy rain after 1pm everyone was up for a short ride and no surprise, Dave H and I both had loops via Malpas in mind. Checking the time at as we went we modified the route on the fly to get us back dry. The Mods consisted of Dave H, Dave and Liz, George, Keith and Ray B. We covered a route of 22 miles via Brown Knowl, Malpas, Cuddington, Tilston, through Carden Park, Coddington and back to Alison’s just as the first spots of rain arrived. Perfect timing. The Mods + group had already returned and occupied the outside seating area which we then fully filled with Dave and Liz opting for the last table inside.

 Congratulations to Alison’s for fitting us all in.

DP

5th December 2024 : Tattenhall Circular (brisk)

The whole of the outside seating area at Alison’s was taken over by C.E.R members which was surprising given the yellow weather warning for high winds and rain. Of the brisk group Ivan, Ray, John and Nick rode out solely for coffee leaving Clive and myself to formulate today’s ride. However, due to the awful weather forecast, all the planned group rides were changed to shorter circular rides with a lunch stop back at Alison’s.

Our planned ride was a loop out towards Malpas and Threapwood returning via Tilston. After looking at our route, Nick decided to join us given this conveniently coincided with his journey home. Initially we headed out through Burwardsley and Bickerton crossing A41 at Hampton Heath and on into Malpas. Here we went down Dog lane and began our return leg through Threapwood and Tilston.

Nick peeled off for home here while Clive and I continued on via Barton and Coddington to Tattenhall arriving back at 12pm in the dry, with the other groups arriving shortly after as did the rain!

This ride of 25 miles avoided the heavy rain and wind and was probably one the year's shortest rides. It is also accompanied by this year’s shortest blog!

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KP

5th December 2024: Tattenhall circular (mod++)

Approximately 15 turned up at Alison’s today, which included the tandem team, just as we were getting ready to leave!

I had a clear intention and route that would allow us to get back to Alison’s for lunch, due to the forecasted heavy rain and strong winds that were due around 1pm.

This meant a short one of 31 miles ( circular route south, via Malpas) This route is a favourite of mine that I use after heavy rains, as there aren’t usually any floods, apart from Rocky Lane, which for today, I knew was clear ( that changed after the afternoon rain by the way - Lol).

 

Anyway, it didn’t take long for the usual Mod+ suspects to agree to follow me, which meant a group of 7 ( that included Elec John, who was just riding a few miles with us and then heading home)

DH decided his group would also do something similar. So it was that everybody was going to get back to Alison’s for lunch, even Clive and his group of 1.  Everybody else was just there for coffee and heading straight home.

 

I set off with Al, Steve Hu, Steve T, Shane, Rapha Ray & Elec John.

Left out of the cafe and down through Rocky Lane when we meet a hedge trimmer, just as we crossed the A41 ( not even 2 miles completed- Lol)

Fortunately there were no punctures and I decided to bypass Hollywell Lane, turning right toward Clutton, through the old disused railway line.

I knew of a big flood on the bend to Manorwood Cafe, so we turn left at the junction in Aldersey, which enabled us to ride through Carden Park, which is fairly common for me when on my own ( I like to pay homage to my other great pastime of golf and my club- Lol) 

However, only a few hundred metres inside Carden Park and just as I was about to say to Al  “keep your eyes peeled for kingfishers”, can you believe, one popped out of the reeds on the left and flew across the road, right in front of us, which made our day - Lol.

Before we knew it we were in Tilston and turning left heading toward Bickerton and our 2nd crossing of the A41, which was only 2 miles before our 3rd crossing at the ‘Forts of India’ curry house.

After a few more miles and a couple of little hills we hit Malpas and swiftly passed the Fire Station Cafe and then turn right for one of my favourite downhill stretches, that is surprisingly long, taking us all the way to the right turn into Saughans Lane leading us up to Shocklach.

 

By now we were getting some pace on and rapidly boosting our average speed, which, as Steve Hu pointed out, a few miles earlier, was very poor.  I did say at the start that the first half would be sluggish, mostly uphill and into to the light southerly, until we turned north after Malpas.

We now had a 10 mile stretch of pan flat tailwind, so it wasn’t long before we were beyond Farndon and whipping along past the Grosvenor pub. We turned right over the bridge of Aldford Brook, heading for Platt’s Lane and our 4th crossing of the A41- Lol.

After a brief regroup and a few gasps from the group, I think I asked if anybody was complaining about the slow pace -Lol.  Steve T definitely wasn’t, he was hanging in there well!

Steve Hu then piped up about our average speed having gone from 13.8 to 14.9 mph over that last 10 miles - Lol. 

We crossed over the A41 into Gatesheath Road and I pulled in to visit another tree and suggest to the group that if then wanted to crack 15 mph AS then they better get a grip as a team, because we now had a crosswind for the last few miles into Tattenhall. My legs were ok, but not up for pushing the pace on any more. Shane stepped up and I jumped on his wheel, but the rest didn’t it seems. 

After a mile or so, I suggested to Shane that we eased up to try and get the group together, and guess what happened, the ‘mugger’ struck again. Al steams past, leaving us in his wake and trying to regroup. Steve Hu then rallied us into a pursuit, leaving Steve T happy to bring up the rear with just a mile to go.

We rounded the corner and past the school, when I looked down to see 15 mph average, which I pointed out to Steve Hu, so we could knock our efforts off, having not caught the ‘Mugger’. I looked behind to see Steve T just coming around the corner. 

We pulled into Alisons at 12:45 after 29 miles, only to find Clive already there - Lol. 

Just as we got seated, light rain started, so I got straight back up, made my apologies and headed for home, preferring to get there before the heavy stuff arrived from the heavens. 

I only had a mile to go and couldn’t bear the thought of heavy rain after lunch with cafe legs; hence, my apologies and quickly off.

I arrived  home just as I was in need of a wet jacket - perfect- Lol.

 

What turned out to be a slow start became one of our quickest rides for a long time- Lol, Lol

A good day in the end and to think I nearly didn’t bother- Lol

 

PS, didn’t it chuck it down about an hour later!?

 

Till next time,

Neil.

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