The relevance of this picture will become clear later
For a fledgling club we’re still very big on tradition. It was just over a year ago that the MCCC
made its last visit to Marlborough. I can remember it quite well even though I didn’t
actually take part in the ride. It was the reason I postponed my first club
outing. Back then, cycling 62 miles
sounded like a return trip to the moon.
There were no astronauts waiting outside of the Jackdaw Café
Saturday morning, but there was Jim making a very welcome return.
A peloton of nine eased its way along the Common Road and up
to Rodbourne. Here, there was a parting of the waves when six of us set off
after Heather and Simon who had left half an hour earlier.
The climb up Trow Lane at Grittenham was an early taste of
things to come. Next up was an assault
of the hill at Clyffe Pypard, not the one I was expecting which runs through Broad
Town, but a more fiendish beast which saw some riders employing the zig-zag
technique to reach the summit.
With barely any time to catch our breath, we then had to
attack Hackpen Hill. Our reward was a glorious descent, which with the wind
behind us, saw our speedometers going off the scale. Passing Rockley, we came
across Heather and Simon.
Marlborough High Street was as busy as ever and after
narrowly missing a collision with a carelessly opened car door, we arrived at
the Food Gallery. The chance of a coffee refill for a £1 was too good to miss
and so for some there was a second round of hot drinks.
The mystery object on the left of the saucer pictured below
was a complimentary almond flavoured (miniature) biscuit. This was a clear case
of discrimination against tea drinkers, as my pot arrived minus the biscuit and
any offer of a discounted top-up.
Spot the biscuit!
An old grocery bike outside of the café prompted Phil, aka
Granville, to reminisce about his days as a young lad when he rode a similar
bike around the outskirts of Salisbury delivering meat for a butcher, which
involved a 5.00am start.
A text received from Howard, who had never intended riding
all the way to Marlborough, informed us that he was at Toomers Garden Centre at
Lydiard Millicent.
Some of the Clarions preparing to leave the Food Gallery
Leaving Marlborough on the A4 we passed Marlborough
College. This great seat of learning
boasts many famous old boys and girls ranging from John Betjeman to Chris de
Burgh.
With two big hills already in the bag I’d mistakenly thought
that we were in for an easy ride home. Turning off the A4 and now riding into a
headwind, there was an energy-sapping climb up towards the Pewsey Downs, before
descending to Woodborough.
Rising out of Bishop Cannings up to the A361, my legs were
beginning to tire. Meanwhile, Andy Poolman and George were doing a pretty good
impersonation of a pair of Duracell Bunny Rabbits; still going strong whilst
those using inferior batteries were gradually winding down.
Fortunately, there was still enough charge left for the
short, but taxing ascent up to Bremhill and then finally the hill after leaving
Startley.
I don’t know if anyone else was counting them, but the
course took us past five white horses; Broad Town, Hackpen, Alton Barnes,
Devizes and Cherhill, although only two, Hackpen and Alton Barnes, could
actually be seen.
Garmin reference: http://connect.garmin.com/course/4554696
No comments:
Post a Comment