Just seven met up at Allenbury’s for a mid-summer pootle to Bishops Stortford. Just seven! Maybe it was member involvement in so many events on the same weekend - the Tour, the London Surrey 100, the Dunwich Dynamo. Maybe it was the outrageous prices at the sophisticated Mocha Cafe, our mid-ride stop. Maybe it was the rain, which for most of the first half, was quite heavy.
The group reduced by one before le depart - a member feared the consequences en route of a vegetable high on the Scoville scale consumed the day before.
Starting from Much Hadham a group of seven Wheelers lead by Tim Dobson rode a mainly off road route along the River Stort and through the Lea Valley following Sustrans National route 1 with a detour through the former Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield, and returned mainly along the Lea and then retraced the route back to Much Hadham. A very warm and enjoyable day by all, 40 miles in total.
Although I was ride leader things didn’t go to plan! The route was planned but unfortunately the bike computer had other ideas and wouldn’t load up so with lots of help from Barry P we made it up as we went along!
Last Sunday it was all beach balls, sun cream, parasols and budgie smugglers. This Sunday it's back to soup, hot water bottles, and, the mainstay of Wheelers' rides for the past 4 months, layers. In spite of the national obsession to get prepared for the forthcoming royal wedding, a surprisingly large gaggle forsook these duties and assembled in Ware for 3 led rides.
Three things learned on this category 6 ride:
1. It seemed to be "Drive a 4 Wheel Drive' day
2. Everyone in Sawbridgeworth has a living mother who needs fetching/ visiting by car on Mothers' Day
3. Local motorists have read about the possibility of introducing an offence for not giving cyclists sufficient clearance and are terrifying us while they still can.
