10:00am ride report - Saturday 1st Nov. By 9:55 there were in excess of 30 riders crammed into the cafe. The weather continued its warm streak and many people were thinking that this was probably the last chance for shorts before next April. Toddy did the briefing and confirmed that, whilst the roads were still damp, the Intermediates would indeed be doing the 36 miler of Lickeys + Other Hills. That ride to be led by Toddy with Niki and Jo backmarking. Holdsey had kindly volunteered to lead the Relaxed group on the 26 miler looping towards to Norton Lindsay. 20 riders turned left out of the gate heading West towards the Lickeys, and 12 or so turned right towards Lowsenford. With the roads being damp Toddy had advised caution on all the descents, which explains the ten or so people hammering past him down Weatheroak Hill. Fortunately the other descents were taken in a slightly more circumspect manner. Being a Very Hilly ride, it was expected that things would spread out on the climbs and regroupings would be needed at the top of each hill. There were no punctures and just the one mechanical when Alistair had a screw loose in Alvechurch. As this was in one of his SPD shoe-plates this did necessitate several surgical instruments to extract the shoe from the cleat. After crossing the Lickeys in both directions then climbing through Rowney Green, Toddy routed the throng through a farm yard and then up For Hill, which is now a Paris-Roubaix surface on a 15% slope. Doubts about his parentage were heard muttered at the top. From there we looped southwards, under the A435 and into Tanworth. The last climb was Vicarage Hill and then through the middle of Earlswood Lakes. On Cut Thoat Lane we crossed the motorway and suddenly there was great enthusiasm for the front. A nice fast chase back to Hockley Heath with Jon getting the honours from Josh, with Toddy, Reg & Chris on their wheels. With 2,000ft of climbing and an average speed of 15.5mph there were a fair number of sore legs at the cafe. Thanks to Jo & Niki for backmarking, and DC & Chris for help on the front. The verbal report from the Relaxed ride indicated another trouble-free and puncture-free ride in the pleasant weather. Thanks again to Holdsey for leading.
Posted on: Sun, 02 Nov 2014 18:14:00 +0000
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