Fast Group Report

A large (see photo) and somewhat unwieldy group headed out into the West. The plan, based on the weather forecast, was for a headwind out and tailwind back. The plan worked! And so we battered into it heading for the Whipsnade/Dunstable area via Rebourne/Gaddesden Row. Before we got anything like that far, there was a crash going up through Simonshyde (not even out of the WGC postcode) but it was at the back of the bunch and the details of exactly what happened are a little bit hazy, to say the least. At time of going to press, no lawsuits are known to be outstanding.

Over the next 90 minutes, we were treated to live demonstrations of what to do, and what not to do, whilst riding on a club run. For several of the younger members, going to the front and doing a turn into the wind appeared to fall into the latter category! But we made it to the crucial turn at the top of Whipsnade. The offer of splitting into 2 groups, to allow the keener amongst us to experience Bison Hill, was politely declined by all. And so the rest of the ride was downwind (though not all downhill).

Some time later there was much grumbling from a local purveyor of cycling “bling”, when he helped someone mend a puncture, along the lines of "having to work on my day off". It was met with a healthy rebuttal of how much he was going to charge the guy, and whether he had a VISA swipe card reader in has saddlebag.  The younger riders, so sparsely-found at the front on the outwards leg, happily romped off down the road helped by a tailwind and one of the hard(er) men, a former team-mate of Pete’s from the Artic team. The rest of us grumbled our way back to Gosling for a spot (and I mean spot) of lunch, and to compare exploits with the other group. Roll-on next year – does anyone have an alarm clock that Mr Checkley can borrow?

Less Fast Group Report

After Sandy and I suffering comments about the miner’s helmets we were off, but within a couple of minutes were joined by Simon Checkley.  He was given the direction that the fast group went, some advice from Dave Scott about putting it in the small ring and he was off, a blur of blue and white, but for some reason he never caught ‘em.  We were quite a mixed bunch, totalling 11 cyclists, young, not so young and old, fit and some of dubious abilities, but we got on with it, being headed quite often by a small bunch of fast young women, when I could see the front of the group, that is.  We stopped briefly in Bennington Lordship when I shed some clothing whilst a local cycling enthusiast bounded over to tell us how hard the hill was that I had just tacked up!
Promises of 10 mile tail winds were soon dispelled when it was realised that the only time this happened seemed to be uphill.  Realisation dawned just after getting out onto the Great North Road at Gravely that we weren’t taking the shortcut back to Welwyn (A1M).  As we headed towards the Codicote Road I began to slow and the nearer I got to Welwyn, the slower I got.  Despite being encouraged by everyone including offers of dubious massage at the end by Sandy, I decided to go it alone.  Laura gave me an energy gel which I figured out had to be swallowed rather than spread on my legs, anyway it helped because I got back eventually before nightfall.

Thankfully the weather was good to us.  Thanks to everyone who organised, helped and encouraged.