showmethecakes Sun Jan 29, 2017 2:14 pm
Let's stretch our legs. Let's get some miles under our belts. With a promising forecast let's go to the canal. What a lovely day to.....That's right, go and buy a motorbike! I'd like to say you missed out on a great ride. So I will. You missed out on a great ride. We took in all the local sights and delights of Wooly hill, strada bianchi and a warm welcome at the cafe. Food was excellent. Great service and really cheap. No one got tired or lost, considerate motorists, the list just goes on and on.
Is it morning yet? Oh, so it is. Just had this weird dream about a Saturday ride. I dreamed that Ivan still came out for bike rides and all was well in the world. Then I remembered Trump was president and thoughts of mistaking the nuclear trigger for his tv remote came flooding back.
Fourteen riders were out for a warm and pleasant ride. Fourteen riders actually got a bit of a chilly, muddy, wet at times ride with hail and sleet mixed in. It started well as everyone made it to Lympsham before Bob Dylan had homesick blues and had to cut his latest tour short with a free hub problem. At Jeannie's bogs Adrian's mate Ryan was waiting but no Ade. He'd broken his saddle rail and had gone back home for his summer bike. An excellent choice considering the road conditions and the prospect of Strada Bianchi on tubs.
Ade got plenty of KOM's on the M5 and got back to Jeannie's bogs in time to join the ride. Martin took the front at Watchfield and we all looked forward to a sheltered ride across the levels. Unfortunately a puff of wind almost brought him to a standstill and other riders had to take to the front. Family honour was maintained as Lofty took first place up Wooly hill. We hastily hid all our valuables at the top as Long John Silver appeared from his house complete with parrot on his shoulder to tend to his Pirate ship.
The headwind persisted from the south as we tackled the crappy lanes of chedzoy. The first kind van driver tried to run us off the road on the run in to Burrowbridge with some riders barely able to stay on the road and Lofty brushing a wing mirror. The fun then started on the run in to the cafe with Ade setting the pace.
Like Scarlett's in Clevedon, this cafe did not do bacon sandwiches. Unlike Scarlett's they did not offer to remove the lettuce and tomato from a BLT. After refreshments we went back the way we had come and belted along the main road to Burrowbridge with Neil setting a fast pace. A small breakaway went up the road and was almost caught. Personally I'd say it was our aggressive riding that kept us in front. Others would say it was Andy S getting a puncture and everyone else having to stop. What I didn't bargain for was a glass bottle being thrown out of a van window at us as we waited at Greinton for the others.
After regrouping we set of for Moorlinch only to realise that Keith and Pete had gone up Pedwell. Jeannie had gone on ahead and had the sense to turn around. After that it was just a case of setting a tempo for home.
KFC: 8/10
TTCR: 7/10
OJC: 3
PS Phil R wasn't out either due to a heavy workload. At least that's what it seemed like as he was clearly asleep on the train every night last week.