Wednesday 17th May 2023

Short Ride

Report by John

A ride to Normanton on Soar was on offer for the short ride this week and John led Derek, Fiona, Duncan, Eric, Rosalind, John and Andrew out through the University.The group wended its way to Kenilworth Avenue where they joined the cycle track that led them over and alongside the Black Brook to the east side of the A6 at Dishley. The Riders then went through Hathern onto Long Whatton where they turned north up Kegworth Lane.

Duncan & Fiona on Kegworth Lane

Once in Kegworth the group headed for the bridge over the Soar and then onto Kingston where they turned south. John had planned on a rather circuitous route via West Leake, but at the left turn onto Melton Road Andrew's chain broke.

Once some chain breaker tools had been located to allow the chain to be reconnected, Duncan kindly agreed to remain with Andrew while it was sorted out. The remaining riders continued on the "circuitous route" along Brickyard Lane, up Travell's Hill and down Butt Lane to the village shop at Normanton. Andrew and Duncan, chain rejoined, arrived shortly after  (having encountered Howard's ride), but only to find that the chain repair was failing.

Derek leading Fiona and Rosalind down Butt Lane.

At this point it was decided that the most important thing was tea and cake with Eric purchasing a loaf cake for less than he would normally pay that he shared around.

Derek, Fiona, Duncan, Eric, Rosalind, John and Andrew at Normaton on Soar Village Shop

Refreshments consumed, various riders attempted the fix the chain. However, on the basis that "too many cooks spoil the broth" several riders returned independently, including your author who had a dentist's appointment that afternoon. We will no doubt learn of the outcome this coming Wednesday.

Medium/Long Ride

Report by Vic

I must start this ride report with some apologies.

To the 7 intrepid, brave souls that listened to the description of the ride when it was sold to them!!

Instead of the guessed at 30 ish miles they were promised they actually covered about 43!

I must also apologise to Lawrence for calling him Florence for the last few weeks. Incidentally he drives down from S Normanton every week to ride with us, so we must be doing something right (except his name)!

Getting to the ride report we left Loughborough via the Cricket club and Endowed schools (only so I could become local legend on Bowling Green road! We travelled out past the station and onto Burton where we headed up the long gradual climb to the Six Hills junction, past the old race hub turning left at The A6006 crossroads to head to Old Dalby via Gibson Lane.

We then enjoyed the sharp descent through Old Dalby and Queensway to Nether Broughton where we turned towards Long Clawson passing the wild bird seed farm and coming out by the Dairy. That left about a mile of all of which is within the village, Long by name Long by nature.

At the cafe we sat out in the small garden enjoying the spring sunshine eating and carousing. I was a little worried by some dark clouds but was assured by more knowledgeable weather watchers it was not going to rain.

We set off suitably revived and took some small lanes to Colston Basset where we turned off towards Owthorpe but turned again before the village to head towards Kinoulton.

Here the road gradually climbs for a mile or so with a steeper section at the end by the A46. We chose to traverse this via the gravel path emerging opposite the road to Widmerepool.

We then passed through Willoughby where I informed the group they had now completed the 33 miles promised and could therefore finish their ride! All however decided to carry on via Wymeswold home.

Lawrence and I headed back via Burton the others via Hoton.

It had stayed fine and reasonably warm. Hopefully they all enjoyed the ride including the bonus 10 miles.

Medium ride

Report by David

On an overcast spring morning, with no rain or wind, many riders gathered at Holt Drive. Howard offered a ride to Wysall. This ride was popular, with ten riders - Bryan, Chris, Clyde, Dave, David, Howard, Jeff, Philip, Patrick B and Rob Stephens.

We set off through the green belt and took Emmanuel Way and William Way to William Street, then Burleigh Road and Chestnut Steet to get to the Ashby Road. After crossing Ashby Road, we continued on Broad Street and Bridge Street, taking a left turn along Canal Bank. On the hump back bridge there was a grinding of gears, but afterwards we were all still riding. We negotiated the tow path to Meadow Lane and then turned left to proceed to Stanford on Soar. The cratered road that is Leake Lane provided warning of “Mud on the Road” half way up; but there wasn’t enough mud to fill the potholes. As we approached the top, one of the overtaking cars had a long item projecting from a passenger window as it came up behind Howard. Fortunately, he wasn’t tilted from his bike, and Philip survived a closer approach from a glazing van on the A6006; but these will not be reported as near catastrophes, as the offenders were not paparazzi.

We turned down Loughborough Road to East Leake. Had riders known that we were to return to this village a few miles later in the ride, they could have sauntered up to the crossroads to wait for fellow riders in a nearby coffee house. But no, the wisdom of our leader anticipated this potential deviation.

We headed for Wysall, along the road through Costock, and were duly overtaken by a peloton of riders. I am sure that they lie in wait for us, as it happens every time. We crossed the A60 and continued, waiting briefly by the church in Wysall for further instruction.

We turned off the Keyworth Road along Bradmore Road, then braced ourselves for the bone-shaking ride down the escarpment. Further along, we went left onto Fairham Brook Lane. The spring growth has provided long grass and copious cow parsley to the sides of the road.

We crossed the A60 to get to Gotham Road. As we passed the entrance to the British Gypsum depot, where the road surface had been churned up by heavy lorries, it was like riding over the Giant’s Causeway. Evidently, there was not enough spilled gypsum to fill the holes here. After passing under the railway bridge, we climbed Bunny Lane ready for the descent into East Leake. From the centre our ride went right, past the church and up a slight slope towards West Leake. We entered West Leake on a double bend and left via a sharp right-angled bend. Just up ahead there is a junction near The Star pub. On the opposite side of the road a broken-down Mercedes was about to be retrieved from a narrow drive using a breakdown lorry. This would have necessitated closing the road: however, there was a considerate delay in doing this until all ten of our party had passed through.

In our haste to progress, we overshot the Landcroft Lane turning and carried on to Station Road. Then we turned left past the Agricultural college and, on the bend before the downhill sweep, reached the road we should have come in on. Shortly after the downhill sweep, we were met briefly by Andrew and a fellow rider from another group, his chain evidently mended.

Gallery 119 was a haven. Since there were ten of us, the service was a little stretched, but the items kept coming and were good. There were various teas and coffees, but I don’t think any of us are yet to cocoa (Koko) plighted. In recognition of the modern trend to be “trans”, Bryan declared himself trans-slender. He won’t be the only one in our group which could sport participants in the Tour de Ventre someday. The Cinnamon Rolls were gigantic, and four of us nearly missed the ride home. However, three others took a different route.

Seven of us rode through Zouch. Just before the A6, we took a footpath behind the King’s Arms to a succession of small backsteets of Hathern, until we emerged near The Anchor. From here, we took the A6 to Loughborough, and various riders took their own routes home

I recorded 26.5 miles at an average 11 mph, and an elevation gain of 899 feet. Thanks to Howard for an interesting ride.