Saturday 19th March - Let's veg' out

i'm sure many of you have been missing an ear bashing (excuse the pun) on the plight of indonesia's elephants; so let's put that right with a trip to our favourite vegetarian cafe in frome....at the base of somerset's koppenberg.

being as it's still march we'll head out pretty direct, which should result in about 80 english miles. tri-optees can ditch out at either hartley's or rocky mountain (or even wells if they want go down the hill.)

route out will be puxton, sandford, churchill should you wish to latch on.

this week's gottagetback can be the cafe on the top floor of TJ Hughes' in the high street.

Another cold morning but plenty of takers including one new chap who Malcom knows from the running club. After Ivans usual ride briefing he attempted to ride across the grass to great the new guy but unfortunately he some how managed to end up on the ground after doing a comedy fall. Luckily no damage to bike or rider and luckily no one noticed :-)
After dodging the St Georges traffic we got to the A370 where Richard had a link pin come loose on his chain forcing an abandonment. At Sandford we picked up a few more riders and headed out to Burrington. I'm not sure who got to the top first as i was somewhere near the back :-). We headed easterly in to the prevailing wind along the mendip motorway. At Rocky mountain about 5 riders choose to stop leaving a rather large group of about 12 to continue on towards Frome. As usual some riders were forging on ahead and managed to miss one of the turnings (if you go on ahead you will get lost).
In Frome we were met by the local welcoming committee who wanted to remind us that there was no cycling allowed up the one way street. Luckily our cultral attache Mr Burns was on hand to exchange formalities with the locals.
Once we had choosen our veggie delights from the cafe some of us had to brave the weather outside. Besides discussing chicken nuggets Nick had a big announcement that he was no longer taking sugar in his coffee. We also discussed the options for Bank holiday Mondays ride - see the other forum topic.
The return journey was pretty straight forward alhough there was a split in the group with Ivan, Steve, Jeanie and myself forming groupetto. It did seem alot tougher going back than anticipated considering there as a tail wind.
All in all another good winter ride. The clocks go forward next week so expect 20+ degrees and full on sunshine.


Stats
TTC - 3.5/5 Mexican bean soup almost lived up to expectation
OJC - 2.5 - Richard went home early
KF - 3.7/5

https://ridewithgps.com/trips/8209606

I'm grateful that my inauspicious fall from grace at priory didn't get the attention it deserved. I'd appreciate it if this is the last we hear of it.

the strava profile explains why so many of us were half dead on the way home. It was pretty much up hill from frome to the top of Burrington.

Do t know yet, but if I do go my preference would be the same as Phil the Power Taylor.

Ok, so if this IS the right place for random messages...

I'd like crispy chilli beef and egg fried rice and I'll be back to pick it up in 10 minutes as I need to pick up a keg of double diamond from gateway.

Do you accept green shield stamps???

They're taking the Hobbits to Isengard.

Technically speaking, at 4.2 light years away, Proxima Centauri is in fact the nearest star . . . .

. . . . although I don't think I could make it in my current state.

: )