Wednesday 30th September 2020
Post date: 22-Sep-2020 15:52:22
The forecast on Tuesday evening had been for an overcast but dry Wednesday morning, however as riders gathered at Holt Drive light rain began to fall and continued to put in an appearance throughout the morning. Despite this there was a good turnout requiring four pods to leave for various destinations.
Short Ride
As there was a light wind from the south east Jeanette, John, Laurie, Patrick, Derek and Andrew decided to head east to Six Hills. The group headed down to Barrow and then up onto the Salt Way arriving at the Race Hub to find quite a number of swimmers already in occupation. Refreshments were served outside and riders took advantage of the cover available.
The return was via Narrow Lane where Andre was alarmed to find that his front brake cable had parted. Modern brake levers which contort the wire through tight turns so that cables can be hidden beneath handle bar tape and are much more likely to suffer such failures than the old fashioned arrangements where the cables loop in front of the bike. Riding carefully the riders returned via Wymeswold, Hoton, Cotes and Stanford to arrive back in Loughborough at noon.
Terry's 30 miler. ride report by Terry.
Pat, Howard, Mick, Marcus and new guy Andy mistakenly followed Terry on an easy 30 mile ride to the Deer Barn in Bradgate Park.
How on earth do you spend 30 miles getting to Bradgate I hear. Well you start going through Garendon Park to Shepshed, keeping out of Keith’s way. Quickly through Shepshed and along Tickow Lane, I can’t remember the last time I went that way, but it wasn’t that long ago; now there is a new housing estate and junction where the road was straight and in countryside!
Over the A512 which was easier than expected and passed Fenney Windmill. Onward but not yet upward to Abbey Road, no sign of a pedestrian crossing with 4 musicians on it. At this point it WAS upward, Marcus and Andy opted for a slightly less hilly and shorter route by going straight on to Charley crossroads and hence to Hunts Hill. An intrepid 4 (not musicians) battled up the long drag to Abbotts Oak and Warren Hills. At Copt Oak it was a quick left right heading towards Polly Botts Lane, DOWN this time, normally it is Howard dragging up this hill, to Newtown Linford, there was a lot of orange barriers with notices stating parking is suspended to enable pedestrian social distancing.
Through to Bradgate Park and the Deer Barn, Marcus and Andy already there, they did take a short cut. During coffee it was decided to cut out the Thurcaston section of the route, I don’t mind spending time planning a 30.01 mile route only for it to be shortened at the whim of the participants.
The uneventful and flat return was (now) via Cropston dam, Cropston, Rothley and Sileby and Barrow, Pat left us in Barrow and headed home to Wymeswold. The rest came through Quorn and split at the Aldi roundabout on Epinal Way.
It rained most of the way round, John having promised a dry morning, but was still an enjoyable ride, well I enjoyed it if only for the company.
Bryan's 30 mile jaunt. Report by Keith
Bryan headed this 30 mile jaunt, and was joined by Rob (welcome back), Miles and Keith (me). We passed Terry’s group as we headed along the Garendon trail to Shepshed, following the Cycle Route 6 up to the Cloud Trail. A very pleasant run along the trail led us to the Melbourne exit, and on to the café in Melbourne Hall. The damp weather meant we were the only ones there most of the time, and the cheese scones not being ready meant Keith had to have the full butter, jam and cream option instead.
After a pleasant discussion about how things used to be (the introduction of calculators, when a computers were fed with paper tape, etc.) we headed back a straightish route with 3 climbs – out of Melbourne, out of Wilson and out of Tonge. Keith got waylaid by various phonecalls, and despite getting the peloton back in sight three times, each time got another call! Anyway my last sight was of the rest of the group pedalling past the Golf Range on the A6, so I think all got back.
Alan's Long Ride. Report by Alan.
I’ll never trust Carol Kirkwood, the weather lady on BBC Breakfast, again. She promised me, and the whole nation, it wouldn’t rain until 2.00pm on Wednesday. Imagine our sense of betrayal therefore when we found that at precisely 9.23am the drizzle was starting. John’s face looked like one of the dinner ladies in a Peter Kay sketch, running round the playground shouting “It’s spotting!! It’s spotting !!”, before ushering the children inside. I was solemnly informed on joining the Wednesday Cyclists that they never, ever meet to ride in the rain.
Undeterred, and thinking the rain would only last a few minutes, Trish, Rob, Robert, Margaret and MIck joined me (Alan) departing Holt Drive aiming to reach the famed cafe at Barton in Fabis for elevenses.
The route was 35 miles long, passing through Barrow on Soar and on to Hoton via Prestwold. I was slightly concerned at Prestwold as the field we passed contained a number of men with shotguns blasting away at poor defenceless dickie birds. Thinking it would only take a stray bullet made me quicken the pace.
Barton was reached just after eleven, having travelled through Wymeswold, Wysall and Gotham. Flapjacks were ordered which arrived warm and covered in a jam drizzle (if you like that kind of thing). Mick was anxious for us to see the ostrich and the lama outside but the only animal we could get close to was Daisy the cow (see photo). The return leg took us through Thrumpton, Ratcliffe on Soar, West Leake, Normanton on Soar, and Stanford on Soar before emerging in Loughborough by the railway station. Apart from less than a minute of sunshine right at the end of the ride we endured light rain for the whole of the time. I know Carol is a national treasure but I’m starting a petition to get her sacked.
