Ride Reports
Saturday 27th May 2017
C Ride to Whalley by Mike Coleran
It was billed as ‘The ever-popular 50 Mile Challenge C ride’. And what did we get? An ever popular ride, which was just over 50 miles, which challenged some ‘C’ riders, but which provided a great day out for people who enjoy a good ride without any competitiveness. The 50 miles came as a route from Garstang to Whalley via Inglewhite, Thornley, Chipping and Chaigley, with the café stop just half way at 25 miles. As usual the Autisan Café at Whalley Abbey proved an ideal choice. Service a little slow perhaps, but we must remember this is a café run for, and by people with autism, and is a training facility for them, so a little patience is a good thing. And who’s rushing anyway? The sun was shining (despite threatening black clouds) as the ten of us sat outside enjoying the good food and the good banter. We were all familiar club faces, apart from one ‘newbie’ Robert who’s enthusiasm and determination (he was working ‘til 3am this morning!!) were to be admired.
The ‘challenge’ part of the ride came, not only from the higher than usual mileage, but also from the hilly nature of the route and a strong, niggly headwind for the first half of the ride. Luckily, on the return journey, the wind was more behind us but, right after the café stop, the biggest hill of the day was looming! After a couple of hairpins, Whalley Old Road up through Painter Wood, passing through the village of York and up to Parsonage Reservoir was a test for several sexygenarians, some young ens and one octogenarian. It was at the top of this climb that the weather decided to turn, with flashes of lightening, rumbles of thunder, and the start of the day’s precipitation. Luckily for us the precipitation didn’t last too long but was heavy enough for us to take shelter for five minutes under some trees.
Petula suffered a puncture shortly after this, but we were soon on the homeward straight through Ribchester and Longridge, before taking the usual lanes back to base. Thanks to Robert and Bob and Petula and Dave and Pete and Peter and Stuart and Will and Yvonne – you all helped to make this yet another fun, interesting, challenging, amusing day out.
The ‘challenge’ part of the ride came, not only from the higher than usual mileage, but also from the hilly nature of the route and a strong, niggly headwind for the first half of the ride. Luckily, on the return journey, the wind was more behind us but, right after the café stop, the biggest hill of the day was looming! After a couple of hairpins, Whalley Old Road up through Painter Wood, passing through the village of York and up to Parsonage Reservoir was a test for several sexygenarians, some young ens and one octogenarian. It was at the top of this climb that the weather decided to turn, with flashes of lightening, rumbles of thunder, and the start of the day’s precipitation. Luckily for us the precipitation didn’t last too long but was heavy enough for us to take shelter for five minutes under some trees.
Petula suffered a puncture shortly after this, but we were soon on the homeward straight through Ribchester and Longridge, before taking the usual lanes back to base. Thanks to Robert and Bob and Petula and Dave and Pete and Peter and Stuart and Will and Yvonne – you all helped to make this yet another fun, interesting, challenging, amusing day out.
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