Ride report - Just a Ride

Five braved the wind and dark and earned themselves a pint

Once upon a time, long, long ago (well yesterday, actually, but only if you’re reading this on Friday 17th January 2020. If you’re reading this any other day it won’t be yesterday, and if you’ve found this in the archives it may well be a long time ago.

Anyway, despite the strong winds , dark and forecast rain we found our main problem was it was so suprisingly warm last night. After stripping off to our shorts and T shirts, we rode out via Whirley road to hurtle down into Alderley Edge, Lindlow End and past the golf course. There was a moment of confusion as we past the entrance to Noah’s Ark Lane and despite that being the name of the route we never actually rode along there. We didn’t see Noah’s Ark either (if such a thing ever existed) but carried on regardless across Marthall and Snelson pushing the Southerley wind past Bate Mill to the A535 where my second navigational faux pas became apparent. So instead of negotiating the Gravel Quarry we took the road option of Catchpenny Lane (which incidentally is the only road in the UK with that name) ((and has an average house price of £334,750)) only to find that Catchpenny Pool had extended itself to include the road. Not to be defeated we found a rather exquisite gravel trail right under our noses, which although was full of gravel, bricks and muddy puddles was far more rideable than the road. We came out on the B5392 at Lower Withington so it was a straightforward spin up to Pexhill.

James decided to blast ahead at the first incline followed by Nigel hot on his back wheel. Unfortunately James forgot that Pexhill is not 0.2 miles long and quickly popped. Your’s truly took first prize followed by fastest over 60’s Nigel, then Rob with legs pumping like the pistons of a steam engine and James and First Lady Alison. It’s not a race we told ourselves and headed for the pub, only for Nigel to suffer a puncture 5 minutes from the finish. A team effort took place, I put my rubber gloves on so I wouldn’t get my hands dirty whilst I held the torch, Alison took care of the old tube, and the other three took care of the wheel. 3 minutes later (I think) we were back on the road and into the pub before 8.40pm. With no 10-2-7 there eating all the chips we helped ourselves to a variety of snacks and the-most-amazing-looking-burger-ever and a few well earned refreshments.

Phil

The flood at Catchpenny Lane