We had a great turnout for the blue group ride today, with Del, Mick, Karen, Trish, Rob, and myself all participating. After I mentioned feeling fatigued, everyone kindly agreed to cut the ride short, with a stop at Leys Cafe in South Wheatley. That turned out to be a wise decision, as my legs gave out on the only hill of the day. The group patiently waited for me at the Wheatley junction, while I pushed ahead, motivated by the smell of coffee and cakes.
For a change, the service at the cafe was incredibly quick, and our ride was equally efficient. Everyone took turns leading, which gave us all some relief from the headwinds on the way back. I, on the other hand, took my time in the cafe, enjoying a long, chatty break with plenty of delicious treats. It took three cakes and two coffees to revive my legs, with Karen helping me out by sharing a few calories.
We only had one mechanical issue today—Karen lost a cleat bolt from her left shoe, making it tricky for her to unclip. After the second bolt came loose a few miles later, she was fine, though riding became a bit more challenging with her left foot perched atop the SPD pedal.
Rob split off at the Oldcotes traffic lights to head home, and with the help of a lovely tailwind, we sped back to Tickhill. However, we temporarily lost Del on the return stretch between Oldcotes and Tickhill. He shouted something about losing his crank, but Mick went back to check on him. Moments later, they both cheerfully waved as they passed by on their way home. The four of us ladies then finished the route back to the cricket club.
Everyone seemed to enjoy the route, the cafe, and the pace. By the way, I had messaged a few people who might have expected us at Reeds Cafe, but unfortunately, the messages weren’t seen until after we returned. So, apologies for missing you there. We still managed to ride 32 miles, with 1,293 feet of elevation gain, at an average speed of around 14.4 mph. Big thanks to everyone who took a turn leading—great teamwork all around!
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