Ride report by Ian A
No pre-ride emails, just all braced for a cold but sunny day out. Unfortunately the sun wasn’t coming out to play just yet due to a mist that persisted for most of the morning when five wheelers met at PC. The mist certainly kept the lid on the temperature too. It also meant that the roads were wet and muddy in places. But at least the wind was light.
The new Kalas club kit had been delivered earlier in the week and Chris was wearing his new “40th Anniversary Edition” NNW Bib Tights. He’d bought them with room for expansion as they are a tad flappy. But with his current training programme of an intensive spin class Tuesday evenings, club rides Wednesdays/Saturdays and fast ‘chain gang’ ride Thursdays, who knows how big his legs might get!
Once Andy had finished talking to the tractor driving hedge cutter fella (coincidentally his tenant at his ‘other’ house) it transpired that we’d do best to deviate from the planned route via East Beckham due to extensive hedge cutting yesterday which would make it ‘puncture alley’ for sure. So we took the slightly longer route via the top of Red Barn Lane and down the hill to pick up Clive at Gresham Church. The route then took us via Sustead, Hanworth, Aldborough and down to Erpingham where soon after we crossed the main Cromer Road and on to Colby.
At Aldborough we had bumped into Brian P, Neil S and Phil S, who we haven’t crossed paths with for ages so it was good to catch up. They were out for an off-road ride. We continued past the Banningham Crown and then skirted Aylsham before arriving at the cafe around 11:40am. All things certainly were VERY nice. As a further bonus, Graham A was already there having made his own way from Cromer. The other good news was that they were still serving breakfasts so we all ordered breakfast baps, some filled and some open with more toppings. Chris had the soup.
While we were there, Neil and Phil turned up having done 22 miles off-road to get there, which was a good effort given the conditions. (Brian had diverted off to his Spanish conversation group.) So nine Wheelers in all which I think is the most at a cafe stop for some considerable time. After lunch we said farewell to Neil & Phil who were still eating. Graham hung around to admire the view a bit longer as the Christmas decorations were up.
Just south of Cawston we turned west for Reepham and soon after were on a mainly northwards trajectory which meant we had the light southerly wind behind us most of the way back. which increased our average speed – but it always seems harder work after lunch! Shortly before Reepham Andrew detected a slow rear puncture. Mark donated a bit of air and that held it up for a while, but Andrew had to admit defeat when we got to Wood Dalling so we stopped so he (well Mark actually) could fix it with a new tube. As usual Chris had ‘things to get back for’ and Andy was fairly close to home by this point so we excused them both, leaving Ian and Clive to lend moral support to Andrew & Mark.
Repair done, we headed on to Edgefield via the climb up Ramsgate Street and crossed the Holt Road where soon after Clive diverted back to Blakeney via Pond Hills Road and Hempstead/Holt. A little further on, Andrew stopped again. This time to take a phone call (but probably to save any embarrassment if there was a race up to the mast at Bodham Hill…) But Mark and Ian chose not to race it. At Hill Farm Ian turned left to return to High Kelling leaving Mark to ride solo back to PC. A nice ride in the end with a very pleasant stop and the sun coming out shortly before lunch and staying out for the rest of the day.
PC to PC was 42 miles at an average of 14.1 mph
Riders: Andrew B, Andy S, Chris S, Clive A, Ian A, Mark M, with Graham A, Neil S and Phil S, joining us for lunch.
Upcoming Rides –
Saturday 6th December – Rising Sun, Coltishall
Wednesday 10th December – Old Reading Rooms, Kelling
Routes for rides on the website under Dates and Destinations: https://nnwheelers.co.uk/club-runs/
Visit the Clubs Runs Gallery for larger and more photos: https://nnwheelers.co.uk/club-runs/club-runs-photo-gallery/
North Norfolk Wheelers 