17th February 2013

Mark Bottomley suggested that the Club should consider participating in the Beds Road CC Reliabilty rides on 3rd and 17th February. For many this was a first, as Reliability Rides are not signposted nor is there any support on the route. It is just an opportunity to stretch your legs (either at your own pace or to try to hang on to a fast group) and to get some valuable training miles under your belt for the new season.

We met at the Beds CC Clubhouse in Cardington (what a great asset to have) to sign on and pay our modest entry fee, and then it was off. There were 118 riders altogether on Sunday and it was the perfect day for a ride into new territory for many of us.

Mark and Alistair (given their advancing years) decided to take the car to the start line, whilst the Magnificent Seven (Mark B, Ade, Adrian B, Steve B, Joe , Tim and Wayne) met at the Market Square at 7.30 to cycle over for the start at 8.45. The start took us up the hill outside Cardington (the one that we usually come down on the way back home to St Neots) and as expected this soon split the various packs of riders. It was great to see so many different clubs and groups represented as they encouraged and cajoled each other up this incline. After that it was a chance to enjoy a brilliant sunny day of cycling as we took on the 71 mile route. Garmins come into their own on a day like this to keep people on track and to warn other riders when they have taken a wrong turning.

We do not often get to go as far west as the route took us, and we were close to Newport Pagnell and the M1 for a time. We reckon we took in at least  four counties (Cambs, Beds, Bucks and Northants) during the ride on generally very quiet roads with a few brief excursions onto the A6 and A428. Having headed west for 35 miles we then pointed to the North and were soon in more familiar territory for St Neots riders as we found Olney, Yardley Hastings, Bozeat and Sharnbrook, Thurleigh, Great Barford and back to Cardington.

Hot soup and rolls were available back at the Clubhouse with plenty of noise and banter as tales of the ride were discussed. Mark B and Joe came back with the leading group so it was great to see the SNCC colours to the front.

This was a very different sort of ride, very enjoyable and full of people who just like being out on their bikes. We really should try to organise one for 2014.