Social Training Ride

I really enjoyed my first ever Social Training Ride, to which I took a lively 13 year old (my Bianchi).

We assembled at the Harrington Arms, Gawsworth, and rode at a sociable pace along Church Lane, turned left into Maggoty Lane, crossed the Bongleton Road into Marton Lane, crossed the A34 into Bunce Lane and assembled again for The Briefing from Grandmaster Brian at the junction of Mill Lane with Trap Road. He split us into three groups of five and told us to ride single file, the leading rider moving out into the road after a short while (but not on bends or hills, or in the rare event of a car ahead or behind, so yes check first) with the following riders coming through on the inside and the outlying rider then joining on the back.

Surely I detected a tremor of anticipation in my steed as we approached the circuit that we both knew so well? For how could I ever forget those eight years of halcyon evenings when we rode these lanes together every Monday evening from 2008, adding Thursday evenings after five years? Yes, we were back and how good it felt! My beloved Bianchi handled like a thoroughbred, practically steering itself. I even recognised many familiar potholes from the last time I played this game in January 2016.

After nearly two circuits of this fun, Brian drew us together again when we’d just turned left out of Swettenham Road into Hallgreen Lane and split us into twos and threes. We were off again, this time just Rob and me. After this final circuit, we all rode back to Gawsworth where I believe that one or two riders would be refreshing themselves in the Harrington Arms. I, however, had had quite enough excitement for one evening and headed home to sit quietly in a darkened room and count how many sleeps it would be until I could do this again next week.

Absolutely brilliant, thank you.

Chris

Rose, Dave, Rob, Nigel, Mark, Adele, Phil, Brian, Dan, Simon, Griff, Bennet, new member Sophie. Getting something from her car: Margaret. Still on her way: new member Kate. Total: 16.