‘Twas a beautiful day for a ride: blue skies, sunshine, not too cold. We rode to Holt via Peckforton and Tilston, with Kev setting the pace, helped in turns by John Conboy and Greg. We all kept together well, with a pace steady enough for conversation (maybe induced by the hangovers that 60% of the bunch seemed to be complaining about). Riding out were Kev, John, Greg, Elliot, Matt, Paul, Andrew Risk, Phil, Tony, Ewart, Carol, Penny, Charlotte and me.
We avoided the garden centre which we reckoned would be heaving on a pre-Christmas Sunday, and instead stopped at Hildegaard’s Cafe where Andrew Risk ordered fruit cake with port – he thought it would be fruit cake made with port, instead it was fruit cake with half a pint of port poured on top. He followed this with a full massive English breakfast, clearly trying to compete with Alan Silver’s nutritional excesses.
Kris and Jacob arrived at the cafe as we were about to leave, looking remarkably fresh considering the suffering they had no doubt endured, and Richard Heywood also appeared from somewhere, and as we emerged from the cafe we were serenaded by a Salvation Army brass band playing Christmas carols.
And so home, via Tarporley. No surprise that the person descending fastest down Whitegate Hill was Andrew, fuelled by eggs, bacon, fruit cake and port; I will nominate him at the next AGM as the club’s new nutritional advisor. Having stayed together all ride, our bunch eventually split up as the speed merchants in the group positioned themselves for a final racing frenzy up the hill from Whitegate, where not only Chris Gregory but also Carol’s husband Dan appeared from nowhere to zoom past some of us – I wasn’t there to witness who won… We were home safely for 2.30ish, perfect for a pre-Christmas Sunday. Thanks everyone for a very enjoyable ride.
All ready for the return ride...
- Andrew’s lunch