Club Ride Saturday 10th January 2015

Tension mounts in Dictionary Corner as Suzie investigates

Well I’ve checked and uncancelled, much to my surprise, is actually a word or at least according to the Collins English Dictionary it is, even though until this morning I’d never heard it uttered before.

I’ll start at the beginning. When Mark and I pulled in we found Andy Parker and Karen sheltering underneath the scaffolding above the entrance to the Town Hall. Who’s Karen I hear you ask. Well, she happens to be French and has recently moved to Malmesbury. Hopefully over the coming weeks we’ll see more of her and you’ll get to meet her yourself.

Since switching to a set of Continental puncture resistant tyres I’ve never had so many punctures. I told Andy that I had to quickly pop down to Whites to buy yet more inner tubes and that I’d be back shortly.

Just off of the High Street I saw Howard striding out with some purpose in mind, heading for the Town Hall. Exchanged shouts from one side of the road to the other revealed that the club ride was off. Apparently the Chippenham Wheelers had already called theirs off and Phil and Steve were no longer coming.

As I was trying to safely store (force into my saddlebag) my new inner tubes outside of Whites, Howard now clearly on a mission of some importance appeared and informed me that the ride was uncancelled, and that he was on his way home to change.

Presumably he must have knocked on Tim H’s door, as the two of them, arrived a short while later within a whisker of each other.

Without further delay Howard announced that our destination would be The Canteen at Nailsworth and we set off along the Foxley Road into the strong headwind. Howard and Andy bravely rode at the front whilst the rest of us gratefully tucked in behind them.

Turning northwards up through Easton Grey to Westonbirt and beyond we were buffeted by a lively crosswind. The gradual incline didn’t help matters and it was with some relief that we reached the highest point of the ascent near Kingscote.

This was now pay-back time and with the wind behind us, we hurtled down through Horsley, stopping briefly at the temporary traffic lights that have been there for well over a year and into Nailsworth.

Participants on the uncancelled club ride

Refreshments at The Canteen met with everyone’s approval and with the sun still shining we took our leave. A gentle climb out of Nailsworth up through Ball’s Green to Minchinhampton and then onto Avening made for a pleasant ride.

Just outside of Long Newnton there was a parting of the waves with three riders electing to put in a few extra miles whilst the others headed for their respective homes.