Shall we or shan’t we?
A great ride today, despite the unpromising weather forecast. We started off ten minutes late: Kev got to Hartford and then realised that he’d set off from home leaving the front door wide open, so had to ride back and sort it, leaving us all twiddlig our thumbs. Doh! And he can’t even blame the menopause..
Anyway off we set, with Jim and Titch and Kev doing most of the work on the front. We got to Delamere Forest when the heavens opened and we all stopped to cape up – “it’ll be like this now all day” said Titch. We then set off up the hill to Kelsall experiencing “boil in the bag” conditions before the rain stopped, the sun shone and we decided to stop again to take our capes off. Well it was like that all day!
We rode in good style to Holt when the rain started again and we decided that it would be daft to ride all the way out to Llangollen, as planned, in such poor weather. So we stopped at the Plassey cafe instead. The rain came, and went, and came, and went, and each time we made a different call – yes we’ll go, not we won’t, yes we will.
Finally we set off and at the bottom of the Plassey drive Jim and Kev stopped and we voted for it and most people put their hands up so we turned right and that was it, we were committed.
The ride to Llangollen was swift and undulating and we arrived in Llangollen together – and headed for the pass – but the togetherness didn’t last for long, as we all went up the pass at our own pace, which is the only way to do it. Kev, Titch and Jim stormed up, with Titch taking the KoM jersey by a clear lead. The rest of us followed, with John Chrystal, who was going like a train, frustrated by the fact that he had to stop a couple of times to rest to get his heart rate down to a safe level, so he ended up keeping me company at the back. The Horseshoe Pass is a great climb – some steep ramps but fantastic views opening up as you climb – and the rain held off so that we could enjoy them. At the top we realised we’d lost new rider Kendon, who was nowhere in sight, and having waited for him in vain for 15 minutes, and checked back to see if we could see him coming, we decided he must have turned round in Llangollen – Kendon, we hope you made it back to Northwich OK?
There was no appetite for the planned ride up Hope Mountain so we set off home, reversing the normal Llanberis weekend route from Llandegla. We were promised unadulterated descent but instead got unadulaterated undulations and with each climb my legs protested more vociferously. The long descent down through Treuddyn was fun, and by this time the rain had started again and we got very wet. And then more hilly bits: Jim and Titch were leading and got a bit fed up with my plaintive “half a wheel” whimpering as soon as the gradient went upwards, but they were very kind and adjusted their speed to allow me to hang on.
Then into Chester – and Paul’s tyre went “bang” and I will guiltily admit to being mightily relieved that I could then get a rest and something to eat as I was starting to bonk. We rode together through Chester, with every light on red, and then back along the A556 and through the Forest (Titch winning the Hatchmere points competition as well as the KoM, chapeaux Titch you’re looking good) and home.
Great ride but I was completely cream crackered by the time I got home, at 4.50, with 93 miles on the clock and an average speed of 16.3mph. What a great team: Jim, Titch, Kev, Carol, two Pauls, Jeff, Colin, and John Chrystal – and Kendon till Llangollen. Thanks for your company and patience.
p.s. I’ve got a photo of everyone at the cafe but am struggling to upload it for some reason, I’ll try again tomorrow.