Saturday 15th November - Nunney Catch (AKA domestic violence hamlet)

Forecast is now ship shape for saturday, so let's get a few miles in.

Considering that our last few decent rides have seen us head for pines, bath and podimore i did consider chepstow. however it occured to me that this would involve outdoor seating, bollards and other halves with the navigational qualities of paul burns, so perhaps we'll leave that for another day. next thought was for frome, but this would involve outdoor seating, sh#tty lanes and birthdays... again, best left.

so i did something radical, i looked at a map for a new venue. now, i usually recce places first but nunney stared at me invitingly.... it's got a little chef!!!! no need to recce one of heston's finest

this venue's greatest claim to fame in chain gang 'lore is it's brief cameo as the scene for a domestic punch up outside the 2nd hand car lot last summer; so it looks like we'll get a warm reception from the locals (who will probably be latvian.)

anyway, i digress (too much!) this ride is a few miles short of a full bruton/frome run and should be on pretty good roads. i reckon mileage to be 65/70, but you've heard that before. well head out via puxton, sandford, churchill, burrington, so latchers on can do so on this route.

tri-curious can go to rocky mountain (for a change   )

Ivan - I see you have been quoted on the Bikeradar website:-

"If you're a triathlete, or 'tri-curious' as some of our friends like to joke..."

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/accessories/gadgets/gps-devices/product/review-garmin-920xt-48995/?CPN=RSS&SOURCE=BRGENHOME

(see the last paragraph)

Thirty riders for a winters day!!! We were promissed a new destination - The Little Chef at Nunney. The pace out across Puxton was very reasonable and everyone managed to stay together. It looked like this would continue up Burrington but some daft peddalers decided that the pace needed to be increased. Nick took the honors at the top. Once we regrouped the slog across the top continued at a high pace causing many splits in the peleton. At Rocky Mountain some riders stopped while 10 continued on. The weather got worse with thick cold fog. There was no domestic violence in Nunney this time but when we reached our destination it turned out that Heston had decided that Nunney wasn't good enough for him and the Little Chef was no more. We decamped to the local truck stop 50 yards away. This was a top flight establishment. One sign decreed there was no cleaning out of wagons in the car park! After a quick pitstop -38mins we headed back via the main roads which wasn't very pleasent in the cold fog and fast cars. Things didn't improve when i got a rear puncture, luckily a local resisdent provided a clean driveway in the sun to make the repair. The pace back home didn't let up with Mr Burns on the front dealing out the hurt. Chris was a gentleman and waited for myself and Pete to get back on.

TTC - 4/5 - £2 for a mug of coffee and a teacake!!! Best value of the year.
OJC - 2?
KF - 4.91/5
Stats - http://ridewithgps.com/trips/3771515

It was a shame about the weather. Good conditions up to Rocky Mountain but pretty cold and miserable on the run in to Nunney. I am surprised not more riders realised I had a rear light on. It's generally so bright! At one point I thought the dense fog had accentuated the road noise from the bunch behind until I turned around and saw a huge Lafarge lorry trundling up behind me. Glad we all got through it safely.

There was almost domestic violence at Nunney. That is to say violence from the work horses of the peloton when they realised le Petit Chef was closed. I think I might purchase one of those toilets like they had in the transport cafe. At least with no lid or seat Mrs W can't complain that I don't put the seat down when I've finished. And as for clearing your trailer out in the car park, I've told Ivan before not to go in public. It's the smell as much as the embarrassment.

After last Sunday I thought Mr Stringfellow would struggle but he kept up admirably. Having said that the amount of powder that went into those water bottles was astonishing. Surprised he's got any teeth left. Or maybe it's not the kind of powder we are all used to. Whatever it is it did the job. Thought Jim was on his last legs at the cafe but the sly old fox came good in the end, tearing it up with Burns the Baker from Wells to Cheddar. If he carries on riding like that he'll have to go back to the Wheelers.

Richard. I know you are getting on and all that. Or maybe you cycle with your head down. But it was me Jim was chasing. Get your eyes tested mate.

How am I supposed to know that from 2 miles behind!

Quite a nice ride on Saturday, nice to see a new rider out.
It would be good not to stop so much though rather than every mile or so. Overall though I think the group stuck together like a well drilled squad spread out over about two miles.