Well I'd promised Carol I'd keep her company on the long run, so I was committed: but when I realised there were only six of us and I was already off the back at the top of the hill out of Winnington Park RFC (which masochist had the idea to start club runs there?!) I knew I'd probably bitten off more than I could chew. But I coped alright - just - thanks to everyone's encouragement.
It was a fabulous route on a beautiful Autumn day - misty at first, but sunnier later. The ride out was straightforward, punctuated only by Tim's attempt at a bunny hop at some considerable speed over a dead badger left in the middle of the road, with Carol and I tight on his wheel - if he'd got that one wrong, I don't think they'd have let us in the cafe. A brisk ride out to Congleton, and then a crawl in my case up to Bridestones, but everyone was very nice and waited at the top, enjoying the wonderful views all around. Then back down the hill and we singled out along the Rudyard Reservoir, and up and over a few more "rises" (apparently they aren't hills - Jim calls them "inconveniences") to the cafe. We didn't hang about: Carol and I decided to get a head start up Gun Hill, but it wasn't long before the chaps came past us - and then a skinny young racing snake wearing a Congleton CC shirt came storming past and of course Tim had to defend WVCC's honour: he created a false sense of security by letting him past, left him there to cook for a few seconds, then shot up to his wheel to ease past and take a clear victory at the top. That'll teach the young whippersnapper. Then more ups and downs - when I say "up", I mean "very up", requiring either very little gears or very strong legs: I had the former, everyone else had the latter. Actually I was doing OK until half way up Wincle Hill when whilst changing from my middle to my little ring my chain slipped, I had to stop, sort it out and get on again up a steep ramp. This lost me a few minutes and my dignity, as a pair of walkers watched with wry amusement - but again my riding chums were kindly waiting at the top when I arrived, which is where I took the photo below. And so home - a fast descent down from the motel (yee hah, 3rd Strava QOM for me and 61 kmh max for the stretch down to Sutton, descending's much more my thing!) (I should say - Carol is 3rd Strava QOM for the Wincle climb - that's seriously impressive). Then "Jules et Jim" (look it up on Google, it's a fine old French film/novel with a little bit of "romance" - OK sex - thrown in) took over the riding on the front and we stormed home in the big ring via Gawsworth and Lower Withington. Then, when Carol and I could smell home, Jules pulled a fast one and (in order apparently to avoid covering the same ground and make his Garmin route less pretty) decided to lead us home through Knutsford and Pickmere instead of the normal way. With Tim now taking on some of the riding on the front we battered it to the point that when I finally arrived home I discovered I couldn't move my right leg at all so Kev (who had to stay at home today to sort stuff) will have to cook the tea - shame. Out for the ride were Jules, Jim, Tim, Paul, Carol and I and our stats (sorry in metric) were 109km, 1194m of climbing, av speed 25.5kmh, we were riding for 4 hours 17 minutes and apparently I burned 2,262 calories so I now get to eat LOADS OF CAKE. Thanks everyone - a classic ride, really tough for me anyway, but I'm really proud I did it and hung on. Very impressed with my mates and their strong legs - I must do some training this winter, I've come to t[attachment=0:295qnw2f]wincle.jpg[/attachment:295qnw2f]he conclusion there is no other way. (How Kev is laughing as he reads this last bit).