Great ride today on the short run to the Mills. Not so short though as I clocked just over 62 miles due to our longer than planned ride after leaving the Mills. Alan Kemp suggested we go back down the river which was great until we got to the river and found that the section back to the blue bridge was closed. We crossed the river and joined standing traffic through Shotton and got back on to the river at the blue bridge.

We enjoyed a good cross tail wind and Alan suggested that we go through Saighton. Jokingly I said "we could go over the roman bridges" and Alan's eyes lit up. "I haven't been that way for years and Alan Littlemore always use to take us that way, but I couldn't find it now". I warned him about the potential for copious amounts of mud but he insisted, so I accept no responsibility for guiding Alan and the others to this little used track. 😉

Sure enough when we arrived the first 100yds or so was very boggy but rideable and the 3 little cobbled bridges over the Gowy, which clearly had nothing to do with the Romans, were then tackled very carefully as they looked quite slippery. Alan said "I wish I'd brought my camera". The others were silent, probably thinking "I'll tell you where you can put your camera"! 😮 😯

Everybody made it over the bridges in one piece and then we took the steady climb up the last few hundred yards of dirt track which was actually not muddy at all. We re-grouped at the junction of 2 tracks and I wondered who would be the first to make a comment. Steve Malkin uttered those inevitable words "who's daft idea was this"! 😆 I said that it wasn't that bad really, but the next bit might be a little rough ..... only joking! 😈 Alan had a big smile on his face and loved the track as it reminded him of the good old days when we used to ride bikes down tracks regularly before everybody went soft and started riding those fancy new mountain bikes. We reminisced about days gone by when we'd ridden the Wayfarer on road bikes, on single speed and with saddle bags. Pity Alan turned to the dark side and got gears and dropped the saddlebag I thought to myself.

At the bottom of the downhill stretch after Ashton I stuck my right arm out and everybody followed with a few groans and comments but nobody declined. I tried this trick a couple of months back and everybody ignored me but today it worked a treat. This lovely back lane winds it's way behind the pond and steadily climbs until it eventually comes out at the top of the steep bonk on the Switchback to Kelsall road. Again Alan loved it and couldn't believe that after decades of riding around these lanes he has never taken that lane before. As with before there were not too many other happy expressions, but then again it was hard to tell what with all the mud covering their faces. 😆

For some strange reason the usual burn up down the switchback road didn't happen as I think mind's were wandering, thinking about a nice hot shower. I think they call this a day to remember and in my opinion a good day out on the bike.

Cheers

Dave

Dave Astles took Elaine. Carol and I over the those bridges once. Same as your trip today wet and muddy. he told us stories of it being a regular occurrence on club runs. May be we need to start it again 😯 😉

Dave, you should come out with us on fancy mountain bikes one weekend. You are more than welcome to borrow my single speed, full rigid steel frame one. Love the Wayfarer, we've not been there for over 12 months.

Cheers Matthew but my mountain bike is already on single speed and yesterday I finally got around to fixing the puncture in the back tyre that I got last time I used it last Winter!! You never know I might turn up one Saturday as it's been a while ......

The last time I did the Wayfarer was with the club on mountain bikes about 20 years ago I think. I'm game for a laugh!