Club run reports - 1st July

Category 3 ride led by Tony Howard

So we all met at Allenbury's in Ware, both the cat 3 and cat 6. The cat 6 appeared better organised and shot off first, although the six of us waved to them as we passed in Wareside! Our destination was the Booking Hall in Rayne, 35 miles into a hot breeze! We made our way to Much Hadham, towards Bishops Stortford and through Thorley up to Takeley, it was tempting to stop at Thremhall Park cafe on such a hot day, but we soldiered on to Great Dunmow, Stebbing and onto Rayne. The Booking Hall was great, quite a few people and cyclists, including the Wheelers' MTB crew! But service was swift, and the quality and price fantastic!

The return journey was easy with a tail wind, and saw us go through Bannister Green, Felsted and Barnston to name but a few before hitting Hatfield Heath, Sawbridgeworth and Home to Ware. 69 miles in total. Thanks for all your company, and the Essex roads!

Category 6 ride led by Mike East

Shortages of beer, crumpets and lettuce! What is happening to our society? No CO2, no rainfall. This might be the thin end of the wedge as consumer goods disappear from our shop shelves and then our lives. For how long will be able to buy inner tubes and brake blocks? Club rides may become merely a half hearted discussion around a communal fire in our new post-apocalyptic dystopian world.
Until then I suppose we need to get on with things, particularly as this summer to date may adversely affect others, but not keen fine limbed cyclists, such as those who choose category 6 rides. Nine left Ware and ambled over Barwick Ford, then through Levens Green to Puckeridge. Elevenses were taken at Something Lovely, where two left us and one, after enjoying a bit of a lie in, joined. The return journey took in Little Hadham and Stanstead Abbotts.
Back in Ware for 1pm, 30 miles.

Category 7 ride led by John Farnham

A select group of 3 Wheelers assembled at Sawbridgeworth for our annual foray along the former Bishops Stortford to Braintree railway line, now known as the Flitch Way. The route started with some on road miles to Takeley Street where we picked up the Flitch Way through to Great Dunmow. The way through the town is presently a motley combination of back streets and busy roads but should be much improved once the developments on the south side of Dunmow are completed. We picked up the old railway line again east of the town and continued on our way to Rayne, to find the Booking Hall café busy but not packed out. The service was efficient as usual and we were just tucking into our doorstep sandwiches when the cat 3 group turned up, having ridden at high speed all the way from Ware. Return back along the Flitch Way to Start Hill, and then on road again through the Hallingburys to Sawbridgeworth. 43 miles, no punctures or mechanicals.