Before reporting on the ride out to Royston, I’d like to thank all those who have given feedback on the previous week’s new route stopping at Grafham Marlow Car Park Café. Generally this route was very well received and with maybe a minor tweak or 2 will make a permanent addition to our repertoire. My perception is that you liked the Café stop, and you also liked the circular nature of the route, allowing a shorter ride home for those who did not want to do the full blown course. The lack of a Word route sheet did not seem to be a problem. The section around Huntingdon up to the A140 was not so liked, and this is the section I’d look to modifying. But all-in-all very good: mega thanks to Alec for pulling it together.
Onto Sunday’s ride: Dividing into 2 groups at the start, we did not have to wait long for our first puncture of the day (Simon, on Low Road out of St. Ives). A very swift change & we were soon going again, but the weather forecast was almost spot on with light rain starting by then. I can’t think of anything else remarkable that happened on the way out to Royston – it was just a battle into the wind & rain. Our little group fractured on the climbs around Barley – you can probably guess where I was!
I took a wrong turn in Royston, so a slight diversion was required – I blame oxygen deprivation following the climbs shortly beforehand! We had previously agreed at the start that we would use the opportunity to check out ‘The Heath’ Sports Centre on the Baldock Road, rather than the Little Chief/MacDonald’s. Simon & Jamie deciding to ride through, Chris who was with them (ahead of the rest of us) had not arrived in time at the start to hear the discussion about this, so was unaware of our plans & went onto the Little Chief! Fortunately he had overheard something earlier, and after fixing a slow puncture (!) turned & found us tucking into our coffee & cake at The Heath.
The Heath looks like a good option for a stop, a selection of hot food (inc. the obligatory Beans on Toast) & great cakes (and beer checked out by Palo!), all at reasonable prices. The room was warm enough. The only downside could be the lack of seating as it was very busy at the time we called. We got a table, but this could have been tricky if 20+ riders had descended at once. However there is an outside seating area, so in the summer this stop could work well.
Back on the road, and it was not long before we were enjoying the well-earned wind at our backs. The road (if you can call it that) between Shingay & the B1042 has deteriorated over the years, the council seemingly taking no interest in repairing it and is now diabolical, especially with the amount of standing water around. Remarkably nobody came off, but Andy suffered a flat, suspected from hitting a pothole hard – there was no avoiding them! Given the conditions & cold hands, Andy did remarkably well with a speedy change. I have just reported the road condition to the County Council – a lot of use this will do but you have to try!
We had just warmed up again after the climb of Croydon Hill, when Palo got his chain stuck between the front small ring & frame. It took quite a few attempts to get out but a combination of technique & brute force did the trick! Mark & I turned for home at Great Gransdon. For one millisecond I considered riding onto St. Ives & back home for 10 miles uphill into a howling gale with soaking clothes – but even I’m not that mad!
Hope everybody else made it back OK.
A ride to remember: the memory is very kind as I look back on it now, but there were sections where the conditions made it feel really tough with driving wind & rain. But glad I went out for a ride with clubmates.
Hope to see you on the road soon.
Best Wishes.
Richard Neil (SICC Club Run Captain)
