It’s not every week that we are treated to the rhythmic beating
of drums as a contingent of English Civil War re-enactors march, in-time, past
the Town Hall. If they were looking for new recruits, then they were out of
luck so far as the Clarions were concerned, as we had more pressing matters to
attend to. Coincidently though, Howard’s cunning route-planning was taking us
almost to the foot of Roundway Down, where on 13th July 1643, a
Royalist cavalry force won a crushing victory over the Parliamentarians who
were besieging Devizes.
Back to the cycling, six of us set off for Lacock, all
opting for the longer route. Six soon became seven when Phil joined us at
Startley, where he was waiting for us.
With the possibility of light showers, most, if not all of
us, had packed a rain jacket, but we needn’t have bothered. A thick covering of
sunblock would have been of more use, as my forearms ended up a disturbing
shade of red. If things run true to
form, this time next week I’ll be shedding skin like a Gecko lizard, except
unlike a Gecko lizard, I won’t be eating it.
We worked together as a close unit and whilst experienced
club riders might not have readily recognised
us as a chain gang, we were doing a pretty good impersonation of one. Glancing
from time to time at our respective technical devices, there was some dismay at
just how fast we were travelling and unless you were at the front, how little
effort was required.
Having completed a wide
arc which would have taken both the Royalists and Parliamentarians by complete
surprise, we swooped down Bowden Hill into Lacock, where we ran amok pillaging as
we went.
Actually, we formed an
orderly queue in the National Trust Tea Room and despite waiting a lifetime to
be served, we didn’t utter a word of complaint until the staff were well and
truly out of earshot.
Having saddled-up, the early
morning sense of anticipation and impending excitement that we’d keenly felt
earlier, had all but evaporated. The good news was that the return journey didn’t
include an ascent of Bowden Hill, but it did however take us up Naish Hill.
Naish Hill was attacked
with all of the gusto we could muster, which for some of us, myself included, wasn’t
enough. Inevitably, there were
casualties, which resulted in us splitting into two groups; one of four riders
and the other of three. And so it remained for the rest of the ride.
Garmin reference: connect.garmin.com/course/6915029
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