Club run reports - 6th October

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

Well, what can I say, this was a ride of two cafe’s. Intrigued? Read on.

The weatherman advised (even on the Met Office app) there was to be no rain today. Such a liar, eh! 

The plan was for my friend Rob to meet me at 7:30 and then we were going to meet Leigh an hour later in Hoddesdon. Great plan. Rob turned up and we were away, then it started raining. You can’t make it up, can you? The ride up there went to plan, arriving in Hoddesdon at 8:15; perfect, as I could nip in the shop and get a Lucozade. Thirst quenched as Leigh turned up. 

Off we went via Ware. Just before this, Rob said he thought cat 6 met in Ware. We explained we were riding from Hertford. He still didn’t get it, never mind, eh. 

We got to Hertford at 9, Leigh being impressed we had arrived 30 minutes early. Nonetheless, it meant we could have a nice chat with the category 5 group which was riding to the same cafe. The gauntlet had been thrown down. 

Rodney Brittan turned up. I haven’t seen him in ages. Nice to have you back on the ride. The usual suspects turned up, including Graham Rogers after having a serious ankle infection. Nice to have you back too, Graham. No Carolyn or Pete as they were attending their daughter’s wedding (aw, Pete giving his little girl away). We said our goodbyes to cat 5 and then Daniel Horn arrived. Yes Daniel, I know, amazing eh. Kate came along as she likes the cafe and also Adrian. We were now eight. 

We rode off on time and straight up the hill by the cemetery. On and on we went and ride ride, yada yada, you get the picture, eh. 

We were within touching distance of the Dream Bean, when we encountered a small puddle. When I say a small puddle, I mean it was more of a pond. However, me being the ride leader, I thought I would try and go through. A sign stated “warning deep water”. However, taking one for the team, I decided to endeavour to pedal through, I was about two yards in and I realised it was a lot deeper than I thought, but I was committed now. On I went and, with the water just below my knee, the pedaling was getting harder and harder, I thought I wasn’t going to make it, but just as I pushed the pedals down, the water lowered and I got through. I turned round and everyone was looking in awe at my accomplishment. Well, when I say awe, it was more of “did he really just do that”! Assuming no one else was going to come through, I shouted to everyone to meet me at the cafe. However I heard the battle cry from Kate - “sod it, I’ll come with Tony” and Kate plundered through the pond (see image attached). I was now in awe of Kate. She made it through. Two drowned rats on the other side. 

We rode off, thinking the others would turn up at the Dream Bean a little later. We ordered our food and then I got the “phone call”; the others had gone to the Four Leaf Clover in Hitchin as Daniel herded the cats the wrong way. I couldn’t stop laughing as they only had to go left and then left. Nonetheless, I told them where to meet back up after the cafe stop. Fed and watered Kate and I duly went to the meeting point. I dropped the “Google pin”, and we waited and waited. There was a little farm next to us and they had a pot of honey, Kate duly bought the only pot. Happy days, eh. Quite some time went by. I was tracking the reprobates and saw that they had stopped. A phone call confirmed they had gone up Preston Hill, then down it when they should have turned right, lol. Eventually they turned up and it was nearly sunset (OK, so it wasn’t that late, lol). 

The ride back was a lot easier as I made sure that I stayed close to the front, so Daniel wouldn’t make anyone else turn the wrong way. About 5 miles from Hertford, Daniel looked a spent force. I handed him some salt sticks and that stopped the dreaded cramps. Nearly back to the start and every muscle in Daniel's bones were screaming. We coaxed him up the last hill and he got to the top. We had conquered the seventh hill. 

The ride back into Hertford was fast and downhill. We got back and everyone said their goodbyes. As Daniel walked over, he looked like Emperor Palpatine (see image of Daniel’s face and one of him walking away). 

All in all, a great ride. I was musing about what could have been done better. 1. Don’t allow Daniel to re-route. 2. Don’t listed to Daniel when he says “I think it’s left here”! 3. Just don’t listen to Daniel on any routeing whatsoever! Nah, just kidding Dan, we love you really. 

There was a ride home for Rob, Leigh and I. Rob announced back in Hertford that he was shattered. We knew we had another 14 miles to get back. Leigh took the front and started pushing it with me on his wheel. Poor old Rob couldn’t keep up. He was shattered. We left Leigh in Hoddesden and I tried to draft Rob home, without success. We’ve all been there, haven’t we? We got back to mine and I gave him a lift home. 

All in all, a really nice ride and good fun. No mechanicals and no one  lost. 

Obviously, written on the throne. Love and kisses. Tony.