A beautifully sunny morning was in complete contrast to the awful weather of a week before and the sunshine tempted 19 riders out of their beds to get some beautiful autumn miles in.
Those of you who avidly follow our club run reports (are there any?) will notice that there was no report for the previous Sunday - a day which was very cold, windy and extremely wet. A few intrepid souls did go out on the club run maintaining our boast that only snow and ice will prevent a St Neots club run from going ahead, but the brutal weather seems to have frozen the brains of the brave few who took part and no report was forthcoming.
Turning to this week, and what a difference a week makes - Sunday dawned cold but with clear cloudless skies. The autumn colours are at their very peak intensified by the low sun and with the countryside looking at its very best we all enjoyed the rides.
Group 2
Group 2 consisted of ten riders who set off up the hill to Great Paxton and the Offords - a route that caused at least one Buckden Old Boy to grumble that he could have had another 45 minutes in bed. We went on through Godmanchester and Huntingdon and from there north towards Abbots Ripton and by a series of small, muddy but picturesque roads across the A1 to join the Sportive route just south of Coppingford. Mark punctured near Hamerton, but the repair was trouble-free and swift and we had no time to get chilly before we were off again.
The High Street in Kimbolton was closed for the Memorial service, so we sneaked through the churchyard, slithered around on the mossy path in our cleats and lifted our bikes over the kissing gate - showing due respect to the service and the poppy appeal of course. Then it was back to St Neots on the Sportive route, the final hill, Spring Hill, eventually splitting the group up.
The group rode well together at a reasonable winter pace covering about 45 miles.
Group 1
Nine riders set out in group 1. Richard O first lead the group to Easton to try out the Stocking Lane climb. This climb is a potential candidate to replace Staughton Moor for the club hill climb course. It is a fairly long and steady climb gaining just over 40m. Generally everyone agreed it is an improvement over the current course and safe, but could be steeper. Mind you we are in Cambridgeshire so our choices are fairly limited...
We then headed north across the A14. Unfortunately a touch of cold meant Wayne turned back for home early on while Toby had to get back early. We had a good ride up to Morbonne where the short sharp climb up to the transmitter caught a few out, but a well timed puncture just over the top gave everyone the chance to get their breath back. While the puncture was being fixed a massed group of around 30 Fenland Clarion riders rode by. It turns out Russ Downing was riding with them - perhaps guest appearances from pro-riders is the trick to keep winter numbers up!
From Morbonne, we headed to Folksworth then onto the B660 to Kimbolton via Catworth. Wayne wasn't the only suffering from a cold though and a couple of the group started to slip off the back, so, for group 1 we had a steadier than usual ride home.
Altogether we covered about 60miles in glorious autumn sunshine.
Comments
1) Whilst group 2 were enjoying a cup of coffee on the market square a Cambridge rider came up to us and pointed out that Bombers bike had a puncture - Now that's what I call good planning.
2) On the way back to the market square Tim had to take avoidance action to miss a car that hadn't seen him and ended up in a ditch. Tim and bike OK.
I had trouble operating my controls let alone remembering the names of the new riders that joined us but from what I can gather despite the awful conditions they would be joining us again soon.
Well done to all that rode that day and the persons that sent out the email forecasting the good conditions will be hopefully be sent to weather forecasting school