Loughborough Wednesday Cyclists

 Forecast looking OK so rides will be on.

We will once again be having our Xmas Lunch at Rothley Court . You can use this form for booking your place and selecting your courses. Derek is organising the event and you can pay him either by giving him cheque or crediting his account direct. Details are towards the end of the form. You need to reserve you place by 20th November. YOU MUST CLICK THE SUBMIT BUTTON AT THE FOOT OF THE FORM FOR YOUR ENTRIES TO REGISTER. Once you have clicked on the submit button you should get both a confirmation screen in your browser and receive an email confirming your choices. Unfortunately it seems you may need a google account to use the form. If you don't succeed in getting an automatic confirmation please email your choices (a screen shot of the form should suffice) to  wxmaslunch@ctclr.org.uk .

Short Ride Report by John John was offering a short ride to the Jade Cafe at Newtown Linford, which proved popular, so some of the group were persuaded to join Terry on a ride to Millies. The group that set our consisted of Andrew, Myles, Dom, Margaret, Chris, Mick, Betty, Rob, Derek & John. Betty leading the group towards Beaumanor Hall The riders ventured south past Mucklin Wood arriving at Bradgate Park via Swithland. The park was comparatively quiet, so many of the deer were close at hand as the riders passed through. Andrew, Myles, Dom (hidden), Margaret, Chris, Mick, Dennis, Betty, John, Derek & Rob outside Jade Tearoom Newtown Linford Most of the group gave way to the temptation to buy cake at the Jade cafe, where they were joined by Dennis, before returning though the Park, taking a left turn to Roecliffe to return via Woodhouse and Quorn. Dom, Mick and Rob returning through Bradgate Park

Short Ride Report by John Elaine crossing the Soar in Watemead Park This week the short ride was to the Methodist Tea Room at Birstall. John C., David, Elaine, Derek, Dennis, Margaret and John N. headed south through Quorn, ignoring the road closed signs and skirting the road works. There were more road works in Mountsorrel and the group led by Terry could be seen ahead. They climbed out of the valley to avoid these while our group negotiated the road works, which meant that at the Bier Way roundabout the groups almost merged. More road works held up riders at Rothley, but here Terry's group headed east while we carried on south, negotiating the new cycle paths skirting the Broadnook Garden Village. The riders followed the Sustrans route into Birstall where they found that the church hall looked very full. However a lady indicated that they had an "overflow" room and on entering found that a table had been vacated that could accommodate the seven of us. David, Elaine

Longer Ride Report by Alan Despite the absence of the three wise men (John, Derek and Howard) and the cast iron assurance of rain at mid-day, the turnout at Holt Drive was surprisingly large. Dave M, David, Trish, Rob, Divendra, Mick and Jones joined me on the odyssey to Twyford. Four bits of good news accompanied us on the trip. Ø    Nobody got a puncture Ø    There was almost no wind Ø    It was unseasonably warm Ø    It didn’t rain   I thought no one could match Mick for riding a pile of c**p each week but I must admit Dave M pushes him pretty close. I don’t think the latter’s bike has ever seen a cleaning cloth or been introduced to an oil can. Coming up Bridge Street in Barrow we had the first of the stoppages where his chain came off. Dave nonchalantly announced “it always does that on hills ... it’s best to avoid them”. Unfortunately for him, and us, I forgot what a hilly ride lay in front of us, and so the chain said farewell to the sprockets a couple of other times later. Stra

Longer Ride Report by Alan The only way I can convince my wife to get out of bed and join middle aged men and women on a bike ride, on a Wednesday, is to convince her of 3 things. The ride will be short, The weather outside is warm, There is no possibility of rain. On this latter point I put my faith in the hands of (giggly) Carol Kirkwood, the weather woman on BBC Breakfast, who stated categorically that today “would be dry with sunny spells”. Looking out of the window, and seeing darkening clouds building up, together with the rainfall radar showing big blue blobs moving west from Lincolnshire, I knew she was fibbing. No wonder her first husband left her. At 9.15am at Holt Drive there was just Rob, Wendy and me present and raring to go. At 9.28am the numbers had swollen to at least 30, (possibly more) with people pacing around impatiently waiting for the arrival of Holt Drive’s answer to a very slim, and better looking, version of Kim Jong Un. Eventually 8 others joined m

Medium Ride Report by Tim Jeff, Leigh, Faizia, Tim, Andy, Margaret and Mark set out to Thrussington on a grey morning led by Howard. We worked our way through Loughborough to Meadow Lane, crossed the meadow (with some signs of flooding) then took the turn for Cotes just before Stanford. After crossing the A60 we headed to Burton on the Wolds then along the back road to Wymeswold where we took Brook Street then Narrow Lane, an undulating route (euphemism for coasting down a hill, only to have to climb back up again multiple times) this brought us onto the B676 that we had turned off 20 minutes earlier. The detour was much more pleasant than this main road which we were back on for the next mile, passing under the A46 until we came to the Hoby turn, and quieter cycling. We got some excellent views over East Leicestershire from the road through to Ragdale. This was also 'undulating' but on a scale

In a week with established high pressure over the country, this was always going to be a fine day. As the four rides set out, it was cloudy, but at least warmer than the previous day, and thus pretty warm for September. Intermediate Ride Report by David David led a ride to Swarkestone, the destination being the Garden Restaurant. He was accompanied by Paul, Rob Smith, Tricia, Margaret and Keith, who was on the Shackerstone ride in July. We left Holt Drive, turning left onto Forest Road, then continued until Benscliffe Drive. At the end of Benscliffe Drive we took Holywell Drive, then Coniston Crescent to enter the University campus near Burleigh Court. Our route through the university took University Road down to Holywell Way, then Oakwood Drive past the Advance Technology Innovation Centre and the track leading to Ashby Road. The traffic lights were in our favour until an aggressive Mecedes driver blasted their horn at Margaret. We followed Ashby Road on the cycle track unti