Click once on the pictures to enlarge.
Four of us accepted Howard’s challenge of a 28 mile ride to
the National Trust tea room at Lacock, with an identical number opting to take
the more direct route covering 20 miles.
We left as one with Howard having the honour of leading us
out of the town. Any thoughts of a sedate start were soon put to bed as Howard
set a blistering pace along the A429 before turning off on the Startley road.
With the first hill looming, those going the long way around,
including me, took the opportunity to press on as the plan was for both groups
to arrive at about 12pm.
By the time we approached the junction with Spirthill, near
Hilmarton, George W and Jamie had built up a considerable lead over me and
Gary. A split seemed the only sensible option.
Minutes later I had to stop to
repair a puncture to my front tyre, aided by Gary.
With Howard having billed us as the ‘elite group’, Gary and
I tried to make up for lost time, as best we could, to avoid being the last to
arrive. Despite our best efforts we later pulled up outside of the tea room to
find a full complement of Clarions tucking into their cake and in one case, two
slices!
The tea room was doing a roaring trade and Gary and I spent
a good 15 minutes or so waiting to be served, by which time the early-birds
were ready to start saddling up. No matter, as I had to be back in Malmesbury
by 1.45pm and so was pressed for time.
Me and Gary race to see who can finish their cake first whilst Tim H watches to ensure fair play.
My solitary ride home took me up to Thingley where annoyingly I found the road closed at the bridge. This forced me to dice with death by riding on the busy A350 up to and around Chippenham before gratefully turning off through Kington St Michael.
20 mile route: http://connect.garmin.com/course/6199040
28 mile route: http://connect.garmin.com/course/6193046
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