Fast bubble: Dave Lee, Jon Brough, Jon Palmer, Mike Sales, Paul Ferguson, Graham Fletcher-Adams
Comfort bubble: Jenny Down, Sheryl Cowlam, Adrian Shores, Rob Stevenson, Mick Abbiss
Yet another sunny Sunday – the cycling gods were being very kind.
There was a large crowd already gathered at the cricket club when I arrived, a good mix of red and blue riders.
As the fast bubble had no designated ride leader (Pete still suffering with man-flu) it was decided to ride as 1 bubble – OK let’s see how long that lasts was my internal monologue. We set off from the cricket club and headed towards Harworth, Graham decided he was in the faster fast bubble and set off like a whippet, just a flashing red light disappearing in the distance. The rest of us did a good job of staying together until after the industrial estate when the fast bubble came past – see you at the café guys!
It was a lovely day to be out on the bike, sun shining and quite a good tail wind as we went through Clayworth and regrouped at the top of Gringley where a slight deviation to the planned route was discussed. At Misterton we turned right and popped out by the old pantry (can’t remember it’s new name – but it’s now a posh café doing healthy brunch and not a bacon butty style cycle stop) before re-joining the route at West Stockwith.
We were pulled up the Trent by Ady before turning left at Owston Ferry (Martin there’s a few new members who haven’t heard your story about Owston Ferry) then a right turn and we were heading towards Epworth and coffee. Ady’s knee was giving him some jip at this point and mutterings about old age from the back could be heard.
We arrived at the Lemon Tree and joined the queue just behind the fast bubble, who had been successful in catching Graham, but in the process had dropped Jon P at Misterton, he was on his winter bike with chunky tyres though.
After scones, toasted teacakes and bacon buttys we gathered outside for a team photo. We set off as 1 group and headed towards Idle Bank and Wroot. Remember that tail wind we were enjoying on the way out? Well the head wind on the way back wasn’t quite so enjoyable, but we did a good job of taking turns on the front and we soon made it back to Austerfield and Bawtry.
There was a bit of an ‘oopsie’ moment at the T junction in Bawtry where Jenny and Rob made brief contact with the tarmac. Luckily there was no major damage to either rider of more importantly the bikes. Lots of puns were proffered, along the lines of being rear ended, but none are publishable, as you can probably imagine!
Another great ride in the autumnal sunshine with a great bunch of cyclists!
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