A welcome back to Tom who has been away on holiday for the last few weeks.  The weather remained windy but a little warmer than recently.

Ten Group 2 riders left the Market Square and headed out through Eaton Socon to Bolnhurst, Keysoe and Riseley where we met up with Group 1 riders. The union was only brief but long enough for a few choice comments to be made (apparently too choice for family consumption so you'll have to imagine what they were - Ed)

We carried on through Sharnbrook, Odell and on to Harrold and as Mr Preston was not present we decided to forgo our normal coffee and cake stop. From Felmersham we carried onto Milton Ernest and just before we got to Thurleigh we turned off to Ravensden where one or two riders misjudged the length of the hill and struggled to make it to the top. We then passed through Wilden and with the wind on our backs picked up speed through Colesden and Chawston.

There were some rumblings within the group that the route should have finished along the Bushmead straight and so after some discussion it was decided that those who wanted would make a slight detour to include the sprint. So seven riders said farewell to Wayne, Tom and Trevor and headed out to Honeydon for the Bushmead crossroads. With a quick about turn, the ‘Bushmead Sprint’ was on with Ash taking the lead. The group pushed hard with various riders taking turns at the front but eventually Steve Rodley took the chequered flag. (Subsequently discovered that it was Jonathan Pang who won the sprint - Ed). We are still waiting for Strava confirmation of the time. This week group 2 covered 50 miles.

Six of us headed out for the Group 1 ride. The usual suspects were there plus Alistair and it was good to see Iain out too. Starting out the group had a last minute route change to accommodate a sportive photo shoot. We headed out to Kimbolton and the Pertenhall hill where Alec would be waiting to snap away. On cue he popped up from the verge while Richard O posed with gritted teeth, the image of sportive suffering. The results will be in the sportive flyer.

gritted teeth

Richard posed with gritted teeth

We headed towards Riseley where we caught the group 2 riders. Then it was on to Sharnbrook. The climb from Harrold set the tempo for the next few miles as we rode a hilly lollipop circuit around Bozeat, Yardley Hastings, Grendon and the stately grounds and cattle grids of Castle Ashby.  Then it was back home via Poddington, Yelden, Swineshead and Pertenhall. The St Neots and Buckden boys separated on the Staughton road. But we all got around 60 miles in our legs with a 19plus mph average, in spite of the tough head wind going out.

Finally, just to prove Group 1 isn't on the rivet the whole time, on the climb approaching Pertenhall, Richard demonstrated a new talent - producing a bumble bee from his helmet. However, the group was not impressed and called for a rabbit next time.