With the recent racing on a Sunday, I had been missing the good old club run, and with Pott Shrigley on the calendar, I thought it would be quicker to ride another 20 miles or so to Chinley rather than wait to get served and to pay there! So I changed the calendar a few weeks back to Chinley.
We last (and first) did Tea on the Green on 1st November last year, Iremember the weather was great, unfortunately, with the later start, and the early sunset, we had to leave Dave Fearon fixing a puncture and the bottom on the Cat & Fiddle, as he was the only one with lights, No such problem this time.
It was great too see Carol at the club, she actually put a special request to do this ride in a few more weeks when she has a few more miles in the legs to help her with the training for the WWC, watch this space Carol.
Despite my call for victims attendees earlier in the week, there were only had 3 confirmed including myself, I anticipated more so book a table for 8, I wasn’t far off when 9 of us rolled out the gates. Big Stephen Lucas and Geoff Maddocks joined the usual long run crew of JD, Jules, Paul G and Mark Gavin. Geoff Mullett also had a rare day out with us, with Lee Suthard and Craig Lee doing there usual half days.
There was a good few feet of hills between us and Chinley, and more on the way back, so the order of the day was to ride nice and steady, keeping everyone together.
We headed out via Goostrey, Marton & Gawsworth nice and steady towards Macc, through Prestbury and onto Bollington, where the discussion changed to “have your ever rode up Blaze Hill”, some weren’t sure, some were sure, Steve being one of them, he began to swear!!
As we turned right to Ingersley Road, I informed everyone we will regroup at the junction at the top, it was every man for himself then, the last I heard of Jules is when he shouted my name followed by some expletives. Mark Gavin followed my wheel on to Blaze hill, but soon his elastic snapped and he slid away, then Lee and Geoff Mullett, who had both had been sat last wheel all the way there decided now was a good time to take a look at the Front !!!!! Lee sprinted past me as if i was stood still, not long after, Geoff also past me, we weren’t far from the top of the first hill by this point, once it plateaued, I caught them both again, we then rode on together until the next rise before the junction, it was the gift that keeps on giving. Lee backed off, I was sat in on Geoff’s wheel, it looked like he was tiring, so I went past, to tow him, Lee then once again came from nowhere, to pass us both, Geoff then also reacted leaving me 3rd to the top. We waited for the others, Steve mentioned the last time he did Blaze Hill, he carried on over the junction on to another hill, when I suggested we did that too, he gestured as if to say he had only done it once, at which point Jules also gestured that he didn’t want to do it twice!!!
We turned left up to the next hill which brings you to the top of the brick works, it was here that Lee left us, we headed through the base of Kettleshulme on to Whalley Bridge before taking the Bings Road hill which is a bit of a gravelly single track road, steep bit at the bottom but provides great views over Whalley bridge before descending in to Chinley.
We arrived at the tea room and 2 tables had been reserved, we ordered, and soon the drinks arrived, Steve had gone for a nice chocolate milk shake as it was his ninth birthday!
How Old?????!!!
We may have been 40 miles from home, but it didn’t mean we knew no-one, Paul McGowan from WRC then walked in after a solo ride up winnats pass, he had lunch with us and we all left together.
Back into Whalley Bridge, Paul turned right for a direct route home, and we headed up Long hill, which is exactly what it says on the tin, although the gradient is very steady and stays the same all the way, it wasn’t long before Jules refereed to me as Jim “the B@st#rd” . Geoff was under strict instructions not to race off the front, he duly obliged, sitting at the back of the group. Jules and I kept a nice steady pace all the way to the top where we turned right for the 50 mph descent into Goyt Valley.
Then the usual steady climb out to the Cat and Fiddle. For those who have done this ride through the valley, the view is amazing and well worth a look.
We completed the climbing once we had passed the Cat & Fiddle pub, we then raced (well I did anyway) to the bottom where we regrouped. By this point Geoff Maddocks was flagging, Steve give him a gel and told him to sit on his wheel. A steady ride back down Pexhill Road, through Siddington and Goostrey back to Davenham and Hartford where we all started to go our separate ways.
A great day in the saddle for all, especially Steve and Geoff, hopefully showing the long run isn’t as scary as people like to imagine and we all look after each other, whilst riding to the ability of the group.
I finished off with a loop near home to bring up 100 miles and over 6000 ft of climbing.