Re: Sunday 1st July 2012 Ride

[ValleyMan]

Fired with enthusiasm following the AGM on Friday, Kim and I came out of retirement unusually arriving in plenty of time in the company of ##### and ##### from the ##### ###’# (redacted for security reasons) who were our guests for the day.

Joining us at Bloomfield were Dylan, Richard Flapjack, Leighton and Graham. Kim’s resprayed and rebuilt Pinarello with it’s Athena 11 Speed Groupset drew many admiring looks.

Dylan took charge of the route and reeled off a string of villages that drew affirming nods from the assembled throng, however, I had no idea where he was talking about apart from we were going to Haverfordwest and back; no change there then.

Anyway, off we went with the sun trying hard to break through the grey skies. Very unusually, we all kept largely together all the way round drawing very positive comments from ##### and #####. The only exception was the odd hill where Graham took the opportunity to demonstrate his turbine-smooth climbing technique and Leighton went on the attack.

Richard peeled off at Clarbeston Road and by sheer chance the route took us past Dylan’s front door. The remaining six of us arrive back at Bloomfield having covered about 35 miles in just under 3 hours with 650m of climbing.

All in all a very enjoyable and sociable ride. It must be said that my legs were burning by the end showing just how much fitness I have lost in only 7 weeks. Might even have another go next week….

I hope everybody else enjoyed the Merlin.