Club Ride Saturday 27th September 2014

Clarions ready to leave Quackers!

It was back on 2^nd March 2014, when we last visited Quackers Café, near Pucklechurch. Then, it was a miserable, overcast day blighted by the cold and drizzle, which towards the end developed into a full-blown downpour.  Six of us were taking part in one of the Sunday rides. With our spirits at a particularly low ebb and seemingly no prospect whatsoever of a hot drink and some cake, Quackers unexpectedly appeared like an oasis in a desert.

On a warm September morning, eight of us set off with the intention of renewing an old acquaintance. As early as Foxley Road we’d divided into three groups, with everyone electing to ride the longer of the two courses on offer. This more or less allowed all riders to cycle at a pace they felt most comfortable with.

The series of country lanes extending from the right turn on the climb out of Castle Combe, all the way to the junction with the busy A46, were an absolute delight. Virtually traffic-free they afforded excellent views of the surrounding countryside. (Note to Howard: Another trip out this way once the leaves have changed colour would be much appreciated).

Malcolm and I, riding with Verity, pre-warned her about what we mistakenly recalled as being an incredibly steep hill skirting Dyrham Park. Having reached the bottom, Malcolm and I both agreed that it was nowhere near as bad as we’d remembered. Unfortunately this didn’t help Verity, who having taken our flawed advice, was now on an unnecessarily cautious descent.

Having ridden around 27 miles, Quackers once again proved a welcome sight. The huge wedges of carrot cake looked big enough for two people. My pot of Somerset blended tea and two poached eggs on buttered granary toast came in at just £4.90, which I thought was excellent value.

The only thing which prevents Quackers from being the perfect café stop is that it’s at the bottom of a hill and not at the top.

With beverages, light lunches and cake (not all mine) gratefully tucked away, we steadied ourselves for the climb up Hinton Hill. With this being the only proper hill of not just the return leg, but the whole ride, we considered ourselves fortunate. 

Not Steve's bike, but the number is tied on with string.

Steve, who was riding his Dawes 10 speed racing bike in preparation for next week’s L’Eroica in Italy, comfortably overcame the ascent, ably demonstrating that the most important component on any bike is the rider. This will be the second time Steve has taken part in the event. He still has the piece of string used to secure his number tied on his crossbar. Steve is going to put something together for the blog, which should be interesting.

Now homeward bound on some fairly flat roads and without even a hint of a breeze, there was a chance to slip into some high gears. The conditions clearly suited Dave and it was easy to see how back in the day he’d been such a formidable competitor.

It might sound a bit cheesy, but this was just one of those days when it felt great to be out cycling. No doubt when the weather takes a turn for the worse, it’ll be a different story, but as always, we’ll simply ride it out in the knowledge that the good times are just around the corner.

Garmin reference: http://connect.garmin.com/course/5593630
Distance: 47 miles