Weston Chain Gang

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Weston Chain Gang

Welcome to the Weston Chain Gang forum. We are a group of cyclists that ride regularly from Weston-super-Mare. We meet at Priory school on Saturday at 8:45. Rides vary in distance between 60 and 100 miles with a stop for cake. Ridet nec genere!


3 posters

    Saturday 14th May - CHANGE - Berkeley

    anti-climb max
    anti-climb max


    Posts : 781
    Join date : 2012-07-05
    Age : 110
    Location : location location, homes under the hammer, flog it

    Saturday 14th May - CHANGE - Berkeley Empty Saturday 14th May - CHANGE - Berkeley

    Post  anti-climb max Wed May 11, 2016 6:12 pm

    Previous arrangements (in blue) cancelled.

    Given the forecast morning NNE wind followed with an afternoon NW this would offer the perfect opportunity to head WNW (wtf.) However, as none of us are equipped with aqualungs, we'll have to settle for SW followed with a NE.

    It must be all of 6 weeks since I last enjoyed Doniford's afternoon tea on Good Friday, so I'm due another calorie blast; I know what your all thinking...... 'it's about time he got some decent food inside him', 'he's just skin n' bone', 'I'm surprised how he doesn't just blow away with the breeze' etc. etc. (although I have blown off on numerous occasions in recent weeks.)

    Route out will be sea front, anchor, jeannie's bogs should you wish to latch on and tri-curious can alight at cannington, pines, canal or similar.

    This will serve as a good warm up for those wishing to have a ride on vicky's patch at sunday's somerset 100.


    Wind forecast has changed to a block northerley, which won't make the A38 much fun on the way back from Doniford or from anywhere else in that direction.

    Let's go up to Berkeley instead, Get a 100 in with us rather than bouncing around on Vicky's patch (you could even do both!!)

    Route out will be A370, Cogresbury, Yatton. Tri-stoppers can alight in Bristol.
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    Laser light


    Posts : 121
    Join date : 2016-03-07
    Age : 55
    Location : WSM

    Saturday 14th May - CHANGE - Berkeley Empty Re: Saturday 14th May - CHANGE - Berkeley

    Post  Laser light Sat May 14, 2016 9:13 pm

    Great ride today. Ton up! Good to see 3 OCJs leading the gang back in to Weston. Only 6 weather beaten riders left by that point. Although hats off to Pete for completing the Portishead loop and special mention to Scott who got dropped going in to Berkeley but kept going gamely before finally abandoning in Avonmouth.
    showmethecakes
    showmethecakes


    Posts : 350
    Join date : 2012-07-01
    Age : 110
    Location : Weston-super-Mare

    Saturday 14th May - CHANGE - Berkeley Empty Ride Report

    Post  showmethecakes Sun May 15, 2016 11:26 am

    It was a bit brass monkeys first thing and a couple of us, okay - just me, felt a little underdressed. After returning home to put some clothes on I felt a lot warmer and tootled up to Priory. A good turn out for what turned out to be a nice day, not too hot but plenty of sunshine.

    Thought I'd take it easy up the 370 and sat comfortably at the back watching the various groups pull away at the front. Then Ian punctured. Rather stupidly I thought the best thing to do was ride up to the bunch in front and tell them. I set off with Bob Dylan (still on tour) at about 21's only to see the bunch in front pick the pace up. So I cranked it up to 23's only to see the gap increase again. Fortunately Ivan was waiting in Conkersbury and the group had stopped at various places throughout Yatton to wait.

    Not much to report up to Failand. Aptly named for anyone who goes too early in the Beggar Bush Lane sprint. Burns the Bread timed it perfectly to the lights with Ivan a close second. Is there anywhere in England called The Ups? I'm getting a little tired of going up The Downs and thought going down The Ups would make a change.

    For a few agonising minutes it looked like the Berkely trip was going to be a solo effort by Ivan. After a bit of deliberation 7 others joined him and, with a nagging headwind, it was amazing how many of those seven suddenly didn't know the way and had to follow Ivan into the wind.

    About 5 miles from Berkely two riders passed while Scott and Peter had stopped for a call of nature. Once Peter was up and running we set off leaving Scott to finish his business. A comment was made about there being plenty of flies which was misheard at the front as 'rack it up to twenty fives'. Mark duly obliged and we all happily followed, rapidly catching a couple of riders who had passed us a little earlier. They instantly latched on and sat at the back for a mile or so until Ivan's war cry of 'King of the Mountains' at the foot of a short climb. The troops responded immediately with Peter and Mark leading the cavalry charge over the hill and onwards to Berkeley. The two interlopers hung on and then had the audacity to take the front on the run in to the cafe. Not standing for this Ivan led Mark out to about 100 metres from the cafe when Mark cruised by to take the stage win. Clearly dazed by his success Mark stood astride his bike next to a large premises called 'A Cafe' and then asked Ivan where the cafe was! Doh!

    We tried to park as many bikes up against the thin glass of the opticians until someone came out to tell us how thin and expensive the glass was. Scott then pointed that he thought just one of our bikes probably cost more than their entire shop front and was then allowed to leave it there.

    Many chuckles in the cafe most of which is unrepeatable but nice food and coffee was consumed.

    Scott had a deadline to meet and was a little anxious to get going, so we put Ivan on the front and the pace instantly dropped by about 10 mph. Mark then threw all his money across the road and took ages picking up all those pesky little pennies. Scott then powered to the front and kept a steady 25 going. Peter took pity on him and took a turn on the front only for his saddle to come loose forcing a temporary halt. Things weren't looking good for Scott and we tried to pitch the level of abuse Scott would get at home on the 'Sliding Scale of Grief'.

    We stuck together until Avonmouth where Scott decided his best option was to ride solo straight down the A370. So we parted company and went our separate ways. Some good turns on the front by Mark and Rob brought us safely home although Ivan was looking a little wasted.

    OJC: 6, TTCR: 9/10, KF: 8/10. Mileage varied between about 99.9 and 100 and a bit.

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    Saturday 14th May - CHANGE - Berkeley Empty Re: Saturday 14th May - CHANGE - Berkeley

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