(Steve) Read club forum after Steve C talked of a long (100 mile +) ride out to The Trough and Scorton. So it was a huge plate of pasta and an earlyish night last night in prep for what was to come.
Got to the shop for 9am and was told that there had been a change of plan an ammended short ride instead.
Set off as a huge group, maybe 30 odd. But the pace was brisk, maybe because it was made up of A and B group members. The pace was soon moderated when Mick Freeman threw out a box of drawing pins and John D was the unfortunate one who punctured. This gave Mick a breather and chance to take on board fluids. One of the lads decided on a comfort break at the back of Rainford, an unfortunate choice of side road (Maggots Nook). Pace was picked up again through Billinge and then again on a long climb to Standish. Unfortunately, people were being shelled out of the back frequently. I left a gap on the Standish drag and wasn't able to close it. Then I took a wrong turning, but was called back on track by a bloke walking his dog. Unfortunately, it was all guess work as to where the main group had headed from there and I took the wrong route, so no chance of catching them. Picked up Keith at the back of Wrightington and rode back to the cafe with him. Walked in the cafe and there I found all groups = Race heads, Sportive group, social group and some others that had been swept up. Kev
(who used to be my training partner and mate) managed to hang onto the main bunch until just before the cafe sprint. I sat down to enjoy my flapjack and tea as the lads all stood up and headed home!!!!! Planning a big ride for the morning (need to burn off some of these calories from my carbo loading session).
