Club Run Reports

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

This ride was only going to be a short one. The club lunch was looming today. So I decided to lead the Wednesday evening twenty five miler. 

The temperature was 4° C when we turned up. Nine hardy riders, foolhardy to brave the north westerly wind as well. We set up off at 9 on the dot, as Claire and Chris weren’t there. They had made an excuse about shopping in M&S or something. Probably to get Chris to stop wearing Claire’s clothes! 

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

A couple of days ago, Lisa threw the gauntlet down - she wanted a rematch with me down Brickendon Lane. Last time, I beat her and now she wanted revenge. More to follow in the report. 

Race Day (lol): The weather forecast was for the temperature was going to be 3° early in the morning. I didn’t expect mega loads of people, but once again I was surprised. Nine riders were raring to go by 9. Obviously, Claire and Chris turned up with 2 minutes to spare. We waited for them and left 4 minutes late. 

Category 4 ride led by Ian Bembridge

Five category riders set off for Shenley Park from Hertford in winds that couldn’t quite work out in which direction they were supposed to blow.

Category 4 ride led by Pete Kelleway

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

Today was going to be a sunny day, so I expected a few to turn up. Mike (Hill-Der) Spicer advised he was coming, so I met up with him in Cheshunt. I didn’t tell Mike it was a hilly route. 

We turned up at Allenburys at 8.30. More and more started coming in. It was going to be a busy ride. Before ride off, I counted thirteen. We were going to meet our fourteenth, Mike East, in Nazeing. As Chris was here, we obviously set off late; he was faffing around as normal! 

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

Today wasn’t a cold day - it was around eight degrees. As I was riding down, and got to Lower Road, I was confronted with some mad bloke waving his hands at me on a bike. I got closer and closer and realised it was Pete “Darth Vader” Kelleway. We both slowed, but it was too late to have a chat as he was like 1,000 metres (might be a small exaggeration) away from me. A quick wave and we parted, Pete was riding down to Hoddesden to go out with the Cat 4.

Category 4 ride led by Alex Powell

Category 6 ride led by Pete Kelleway

The Judge forecasted "Light cloud and a moderate breeze. No hailstorm, nor punctures.”

Full of optimism we all made our way to the start. But where was the Judge? Did he foresee a calamitous event about to take place which we were unaware of? Like Spurs beating Arsenal? All doubts vanished when ‘Miss’ announced she was on her new bike.

Category 4 ride led by Lisa Ridoutt

The first run out of 2023 saw seven Wheelers starting out from Ware for a run up to Royston. Little did we know that problematic Garmins, the number 13 and torrential rain would be the dominant forces of the day.

The lead rider’s Garmin was being difficult and kept going to sleep. In order to test out the concentration levels of the rest of the group she purposely sailed past the first major left turn; they all passed the test with flying colours, politely shouting out her assumed mistake. 

Category 4/6 ride led by Lisa Ridoutt

It was day 2 of the ‘unofficial rides’ and twelve Wheelers turned up for this one, six of us having also ridden the previous day.

I kicked off proceedings by arriving with a puncture, which I quickly repaired (Enzo may have helped a little) and we tested out at least four of the group’s pumps for good measure.

Category 4/6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

Boxing Day ride led by Chris Boulton, ride report by Tony Dos Santos

This ride was advertised as a “leg loosener” after the Christmas frivolities and indulgence. 

Category 6 ride led by Pete Kelleway

Category 3 ride led by Graham Knight

Three for cat 3 for the third time in a row. Not always the same three, so there is potential for four riders one day!

Category 4 ride led by Alex Powell

Category 6 ride led by Ian Bailey

Ten hardy Wheelers woke far too early to a cool and foggy Sunday morning, ready for an expedition to the mountainous area way beyond the border with Essex, south-east of Epping. We braved typical Essex motorists' tolerance to cyclists as we left Roydon behind, climbing to Epping Upland before descending and climbing again into the alps of Thornwood Common and Coopersale.  

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

Category 6 ride led by Carolyn Kelleway

Well I thought I might be riding solo today. The forecast was poor with rain for a few hours. But to my delight along came eleven other hardy riders, all dressed for the weather including Chris wearing Claire’s clothes (he had forgotten his apparently!). In fact Claire was able to kit out herself, Chris and a very soggy Davina. Well done, Claire. We welcomed a new rider, Sally to the group and set off promptly heading to High Roding hoping the rain would ease, but it didn’t. 

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

Cat 6 becomes Air Force One!

Category 6 ride led by Danny Hood

Eleven of your finest gathered at start HQ, ready to push themselves above and beyond the humanly possible. 'Who dares wins' would sum up this lot to perfection. 

Despite throwing in a few curveballs on the route, try as I could, I couldn't lose these highly tuned athletes. Their grit and determination to carry on made me proud to be British.... A feeling that's been sadly missing of late (we're going to hell in a hand cart), but that might just be me.