Wednesday 2nd October 2024

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 me for a trip to Keyworth.

Mindful of the possibility of flooded roads I elected to opt for major(ish) roads on the outward bound journey. This involved Loughborough >> Barrow>> Hoton and then a rather long stretch on the A60, turning right at Costock. It was at this point the rain came down. In the words of Peter Kay “that fine rain that soaks you through”, as opposed to normal rain that keeps you relatively dry. At Wysall I made the executive decision to get to Keyworth by the shortest route possible (3 miles) and we arrived at Alice’s Tea Rooms precisely on time at 11.15am.

Tweedledum and Tweedledee, who both worked there, had kindly reserved two large adjoining tables by the window and we all settled down to enjoy some mildly racist banter from Mick. Mindful of the rain still coming down outside, and the fact that it took quite a while to cook a full English breakfast for Dave, our coffee break was a little longer than usual. Eventually we had to depart, buoyed up by the fact that the journey back would be with a fresh wind rather than against it.

Rob, Tricia, David, Jed, Mick, David, Keith and Wendy.

The return journey took us through Widmerpool, Wysall (again) and Wymeswold. At the latter point Trish and Jed turned off to Burton on the Wolds and Dave, Mick Rob, Wendy Keith and David kept on to Hoton. It was with some trepidation that we passed through Cotes, but although the river had burst its banks, and flooded the fields, the roads around there were still flood free. Overall the trip was 30 miles with a modest 1300 feet of climbing.

 

Medium Ride

Report by  Graham

It's been so long since I rode with the group that I'd almost forgotten the meeting point, but on a chilly and damp morning I found Holt Square and tagged along with Howard, Keith H, Vic, Laurence, Terry and Andy, as Howard led us out through the University, bound for Castle Donington.

We'd only been pedalling for a couple of minutes when Howard punctured, whereupon we were treated to a wizardly display of tyre changing. He estimated 10 minutes, but we were back on in around 5, thanks to Terry and his magic rechargeable pump, every ride should have one.

From there we took Epinal Way and the A6 to Hathern, wetting our wheels through the massive puddle by Dishley golf range, then turned off to Long Whatton and then towards Kegworth.

On the climb up to the bypass, my 4 weeks on a US diet took it's toll as everyone sailed past me, with Howard remarking, 'that looks like a heavy one'; I'm not sure if he meant the bike or the rider...

Anyway, we crossed the A453 and wended down past Amazon and through Lockington and Hemington before tackling the 14% climb up to Castle Donington. I'm happy to report I wasn't the last up here, but only because Terry dropped his chain half way up.

Howard, Andy, Graham, Keith, Vic, Terry and Laurence at Castle Donnington.

Tyler's was our tea stop, where the usual variety of cakes and toast were consumed, and we then continued through the village, briefly taking cover while an ambulance blue-lighted past us, riding back through the airport down to Diseworth and Long Whatton again.

We split here, with Howard and myself retracing our steps via Hathern, whilst the more energetic headed via Shepshed over the forest along Tickow Lane and Charley Road.

Loughborough. to Loughborough was pretty much bang on 25 miles, as advertised by Howard at the beginning of the ride, and we managed to avoid all the floods, if not all the drizzle. 

Short Ride

Report by John

As the wind was in the north and there was the likelyhood that Meadow Lane was flooded, John offered a ride to Kegworth, for which he was joined by David, Dennis, Margaret, Myles, Rob, Andrew and Eric.

The group headed out through the university to Shepshed where they took Anson Road to join Tickow Lane to head east and then descend Hallamford Road before wending their way to Long Whatton via Ashby Road and Smithy Lane. In Long Whatton they took a left up Kegworth Lane to join the by-pass where the riders turned right to drop down into Kegworth via London Road.

Andrew, Rob, Myles and Eric on Kegworth Lane

Refreshments were taken at Oaklands, which now offers covered outside seating, in addition to some excellent sausages.

The return ride was up and down Whatton Road, in large part a reversal of the route out. In Long Whatton, with the drizzle turning to rain, the group turned left for Hathern, from where they headed south back into Loughborough, with riders splitting at different points to take the shortest route to home.