VCF RIDE REPORT SUNDAY 3rd NOVEMBER – ‘THE STEADY 45er’ At our monthly pub night a couple of weeks ago di and richard suggested that a number of our Sunday 25 milers fancied a step up to the 45 mile group distance but at a slightly more relaxed pace. Simon the daddy drapper went on to finesse the idea a bit and the ‘steady Sunday 45er was born’. And 27 riders attended the birth!! It was massive, what a lovely way to spend a sunny November morning and what a fantastic mix of riders too – all levels, single speeds, hybrids, road bikes with our furthest rider coming all the way from Shropshire - which is a long way to come for a bike ride! Once I’d picked my chin up off the floor and completed the “health and safety briefing” (!?) 25 set off from flintham cc picking up lady riders at elston and, after a short sojourn for puncture repairage, (a respite capitalised on by the stravaists who used the spare time to grab gold on staples lane) a very patient Rebecca at coddington. Once across the junction with the a17 the ride split through stapleford woods with the sprinters uping the pace and racing to the first sitting at the coffee shop. The more laid back amongst us brought up the rear (only by 6 minutes behind mind you) and took the time to continue the banter that was rife across the peloton as well as enjoying the blaze of colour that was the woodland. So, 27 cyclists – hungry for coffee and cake – rocked up at the tiny café at pearsons garden centre, 5 minutes before it was due to open and in an instant completely filled it up. Very massive respect to Ami at the café who called in reinforcements (her dad), got on with it and fuelled up everyone within a little over 30 minutes with some fantastic fare – thank you! Returning pearsons to a garden centre rather than a bike show room we saddled up for the second (windy) half of the ride. Beyond collingham we whizzed through south scarle, swinderby and looped back around to stapleford. All the time we rode as a group and altered the pace to keep everyone on board. All the time dick guarded the back of the bunch and shepherded anyone who looked like dropping off back in to the fold. Great job mate and thank you. We split again at the long straight through stapleford for headwind strava sprints and came back together for the final group ride into balderton. Here we began to lose riders as folk peeled off for home with a final ten making the full stretch back to flintham. It was an epic ride. Incredibly enjoyable and in one morning capturing everything that vcf is about – great riding, in great company, through cracking countryside, a cheeky snack, sprints for signs and no-one getting left behind. A brilliant morning and one that dick, di and simon should be especially proud of – thank you and thanks to all who turned out for making it so memorable. We’ll run this ‘steady 45er’ once a month on the first Sunday of the month so pop it in your diaries. Next week we’re back into the 45 (ish) from 9am, the 25 (ish) from 10am on Sunday and our night ride on Wednesday from 7. Love the ride! rich@vcf
Posted on: Mon, 04 Nov 2013 18:37:40 +0000
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