Club run reports - 10th September

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

The forecast today looked like it was going to be the hottest day of the year. 

Leigh and I turned up at Allenbury's at 8:15 and most of the riders were already there. Nice to see Mark H back with us. Also Adrian - I know, two weeks in a row! The usual suspects had arrived - Graham, Carolyn, Kev (Rich really with more AKA’s than AKAVille has), David and Claire. Pete K had decided to join us as he’s been doing monster rides over the last few days. At 8:30 am, I heard a cry from the Sgt. Major Kelleway (and it’s not Pete :-)), saying "let’s go". 

Off we went, on the nose at half eight. Carolyn was so so happy (we all know what she’s like, a bit of a stickler for time keeping). The weather was absolutely glorious, a little hazy, which stopped the sun blaring through. 

We rode through Stansted Abbots and up the Roydon Road hill. I have to be nuts, however, we all shot up the hill and down to Roydon Station. Luckily the barrier wasn’t down, so we couldn’t have Pete telling us “why didn’t we stop after the barrier”! 

Leigh had found a police car to stop us all, he’s such a child! (See image). 

The miles were eaten up and before we knew it, we had got to the cafe by 10:15 am. Amazing, eh! Still no punctures and only a slight mechanical with David’s chain slipping off, but quickly popping back on. 

The food was lovely at Brett’s and more than reasonably priced. We found out that Graham is a bit of a mucky pup whilst eating (see image). Carolyn’s head has shrunk so much, she was wearing a child’s school cap (see image). 

By 11, we were ready to go. Obviously with a small table there, the usual stick came in and I was made to sit at the table and have a picture taken. 

The temperature was ramping up; as we left my device showed it was 32° C. However, Carolyn’s device said it was 28°. Obviously an experiment was needed. Now my Garmin has a case on it, so I removed that, for the test conditions to be identical. Off we rode and my device’s temperature started to drop, but not as low as Carolyn’s. Therefore, the experiment was inconclusive. Leigh, was in awe of our experiments. When I say awe, it was actually another word, which cannot be repeated. 

I was now a little worse for wear with the sun beating down and feeling awful. We were fifteen miles from the end and I was bonking. Can you believe it, me bonking? At the top of every incline, I needed to stop as this bonking lark isn’t good. We got to Kettle Green Road and everyone was up the hill like whippets. Obviously, I was proper bonking! 

By now, I was struggling badly and properly perspiring persistently (see I wanted to get a little bit of alliteration in the report)! Down through Barwick Ford, yada, yada, ride, ride, we went. We got to Ermine Street and Leigh insisted we will stop at the petrol station and get me some glucose. We duly stopped and I necked a bottle, starting to feel a whole lot better. 

Everyone said they would give me a lift home, which I stupidly declined. We said our goodbyes to Carolyn and Pete and rode up the hill past The Feathers (not sure if it’s still Ermine Street, but I need to bulk this report out). Just before the bus stop, who should ride past me, none other than Franco, who was powering up the hill. 

We all said our final goodbyes and got back to Ware for one o'clock. 

Thank you everyone for helping me today. I know, as ride leader, I should be the one leading. You’re all an amazing bunch. 

Obviously written on the throne. 

Over and out. Love and kisses.