Club run reports - 28th August

Category 4 ride led by Lisa Ridoutt

With it being a warm, sunny bank holiday weekend category 4 decided to take a round trip of 100 miles to Maldon.

A lot of pre-planning went into this ride, so all credit and thanks must go to Pete Kelleway and Elio for all their efforts, despite not being able to join us. We left from Ware with Hanif joining us for the first 20 miles, and then we were down to 9.

Our first stop was at Blackmore Tea Rooms where Elio met us for a coffee and a TDS photo shoot.

Mr Bembridge, who was on fire for the entire ride and our pace setter for the day, then led us on to Maldon. Fish and chips followed by ice creams were consumed. Someone sat on a bee, and three of us got stuck in a giant deckchair so I think we managed to embrace the whole seaside experience! We also left Denis somewhere around Maldon. I think this was pre-planned, but didn’t ask too many questions in case I’d lost him.

Our next stop was at the 80 mile mark at a pub in Moreton. I had dissent in the ranks with calls to stop at a pub at 76 miles, I wavered slightly but then ignored them all!
 We had our one and only puncture just after this final stop. Whilst repairing it Enzo produced a bright pink inner tube which was greeted with much interest by the group. As we set off again Enzo’s cleat mould came off for about the 100th time but no one cared as he had ‘a pink inner tube’!!

We arrived back in Ware having really enjoyed cycling on a great route, with quiet roads and lovely scenery, and with the silence of the roads only being interrupted by the occasional swear word from TDS.