Club run reports - 3rd November

Category 3 ride led by Tony Howard

On a straight forward 55 mile loop to Megarry’s antique and coffee shop, the antique numbers increased by 5 when the Cat 3 riders arrived for beverages and food! We welcomed back Graham K after his shoulder injury. Six riders left Allenburys promptly at nine-thirty and headed for Cold Christmas following a clockwise route towards Essex, taking in Hatfield Heath, Matching Green and the Rodings. This is where our numbers reduced by one due to the need to attend a brother’s birthday bash! Refreshments were welcome at the cafe and we were soon on our way, heading towards Chipping Ongar via Toot Hill, which was far easier than the anti-clockwise route. We now headed for Fiddlers Hamlet and up Stonards Hill and just north of Epping, then to Roydon and back to Ware. Sunny, with light wind for November!

Category 6 ride led by Mike East

This was to be a day marking two important events. Firstly, it is the start of the new club points year for 2019/20. An opportunity to post the first two points towards the ultimate aim of being named club run champion, with all the kudos and commercial advantages winning the trophy brings. Secondly, this was to be the first ride on the sunlit uplands of the UK no longer being part of the European Union. How would we feel? Liberated? Sad? Would our ride pace improve, in line with Brexiteer claims? Would the cafe no longer be serving lattes and cappuccinos, as predicted by Remainers? Sunday, in the end, was not the day to find out.

Our destination was Cammas Hall, on its final trading day of 2019. It has served category six well since March, taking us through the seasons from soft fruit to pumpkins. Watching children having playground accidents has provided additional entertainment. The group needed to be there by 2pm, which was easily achieved in spite of a puncture on the outward journey. Fears were that on Cammas Hall’s last day, the group would have to share a curled up sandwich. However they had a complete menu, which some members exploited in full - no names, no pack drill.

Around Hatfield Heath on the return journey, one rider suffered a pedal crank failure (on a very new bike). As International Rescue were already busy trying to coax a cat down a tree in Cleethorpes, the rider had to cab himself and darned bike back home. The remaining nine pootled under their own steam back to Ware, covering, give or take, a total of 38 miles.

So the Union Jack skin suit stays in the wardrobe until Brexit happens. Will it ever be worn?