Club run reports - 17th December

Category 6 Christmas ride led by Tony Dos Santos

After we had made the list of riders' food orders and checked it twice, we sent it to Santa at Mill End Plants to ensure that my beloved Bakewell tart would be there in abundance. 

I met up with Mike S at a quarter past eight, then Leigh P half an hour later. All was going so well. We got to Ware at 9:10 where Daniel H waiting for us on his Eeeezy. My head started spinning as time was ticking on and only a few had arrived. 

More and more were now piling in and with two minutes to go, there were eighteen of us. Then Ian B and Kevin E turned up, making it twenty riders ready to go and one to meet along the way. Nothing could go wrong. 

We rode through Thundridge and up the hill climb, then left into Pest House Lane, ride ride ride, yada yada yada. The group was split into two, ten in each, to reduce traffic bottlenecks. We met “Not the real Kev” at the Dane End junction making it twenty one riders. 

The Christmas tunes were playing, thanks to Peter B and his Bluetooth speaker. We all sang along. The miles were being eaten up and soon we weren’t far from Mill End. We arrived at 11, on the nose. The cat 4 and cat 3 rides were already there and in the festive spirit (see image). 

Mill End had put on a massive table for us all with all the usual Christmas stuff on the table. While we were waiting for our food, the mince pies appeared. We pulled crackers and wore our hats. I was actually surprised the cat 4 arrived before us, as Phil was with them. If you know Phil, you’ll know what I’m talking about ;-). Love you really Phil. 

We said our goodbyes to the category 4 group on their departure, fully fed and watered. After they had gone, the mulled wine came out and we were all leaping! 

Leigh and Mike needed to get back and they set off back, leaving nineteen to get back to Ware. We left at half past twelve, with only twenty miles to go, full of food and having cafe legs that felt like lead! 

Danny, Martin and Franco peeled off at Buntingford. We soldiered on - the weather was a very mild 11°C, and no rain (as you can see, I’m now bulking out the report). Then, disaster struck, as Kevin E had a puncture, albeit a slow one. Ian B, as usual, showed us his prowess with the CO2 inflator :-). A quick squirt, and we were off again. 

The headwind on the way back was awful, gusting at about 15-20 mph. Luckily I had Kevin E, whom I was drafting behind with Ian Bailey. The wind “broke” Kevin and I thought I’d take the front for a mile; after half a mile, I was broken and Ian took the mantle. But by the time we got to top of Ermine Street, we were all broken, lol. 

Not long to go and one last hill. The wind now fully in our faces, it felt like we were treading water going uphill. At the top, we were exhausted. Well, when I say we, I mean me, as Amanda S looked fresh as the proverbial daisy. We arrived back in Ware at around two. No mechanicals and only one slow puncture. 

On a final note, I’d just like to thank Lisa R, who helped pull together a successful Christmas ride. 

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Merry New Year. 

Obviously, written from the throne.