Club run reports - 8th January

Category 6 - led by Mike East

Fifteen came out with their category 6 playmates via Much Hadham and the edge of Hatfield Forest At the café five left and one joined. The group took the easy, short route back. Welcome to Alan – first ride - and welcome back Phil after a long lay off. One puncture, 31 miles.

Category 3 - led by Graham Knight

The day did not look promising, with a good deal of damp, misty stuff lurking around Hertford. However, as the day progressed, we were rewarded with a period of blue skies and sunshine enabling us to complain about the glare and not being able to see where we were going. Nine of us set out to be joined shortly by Paul M who had been engaged in some early morning tyre swapping. Richard H was there with his new day-glow orange machine which seemed to inspire him to new athletic heights.

We took a fairly straight route towards Hitchin via Bramfield, Whitwell and Lilley then descended the long hill to Hexton, where Alex P left us for a loop through Yorkshire or somewhere. Peter W punctured just before Lilley and, after that was fixed, suffered another delay, following which we managed to lose him amidst confusion as to whether he had or had not told us to go on without him - we did. We, and eventually he, rode to Hitchin along the B655 - which proved to be quite a lot more lumpy than the leader had remembered.

The Four-leaf Clover served us well, especially Ian P who impressed with his calorie absorption ability - maybe not such a good plan since the return route started with the stiff climb out of Hitchin towards Wymondley. Only one difficulty after that though, the climb from Gravely up to Weston. After that it was down hill all the way, (more-or-less).

Category 5 - led by John Farnham

A quartet of Wheelers set out in light drizzle from Ware through Wareside, Much Hadham, Little Hadham, Stocking Pelham, Brent Pelham, Meesden, Anstey, Cave Gate, Wyddial to be greeted by the sun in Buntingford. The Coffee Shop was busy as ever but fortunately with enough room inside for our small group. Return in bright sunlight via Aspenden, Westmill, Cherry Green, Nasty, Great Munden, Old Hall Green, Colliers End, Latchford, Barwick ford back to Ware. 42 miles. No punctures or mechanicals.