I thought that I would start with the apologies:
Hugh – Drunk (see above)
Andrew – ‘Busy’ (i.e. could not be arsed)
Kim – Bottom bracket
Roger – Evidently still too embarrassed to show his face
Celia – Sprint training
Mat – Creative writing course (see his travel blog!)
So waiting at Bloomfield in eager anticipation were Mark, Dan, Leighton, Jonathan (a welcome return) and me. We quickly decided to ignore Hugh’s route (no one had read it) and it was left to me to suggest an alternative. Generally a bad ideas…
I decided to play it safe as there was an afternoon of sport not to be missed so we headed south following the Ironman route to the top of Wisemans Bridge (so far so Hugh!). I had it in my mind that we would go along Devonshire Drive, up onto the Ridgeway via St Florence and Coal Lane then down Milton Hill and home via Carew, West Williamson and Creswell Quay. My suggestion that we should bear off to Pentlepoir was therefore met with derision and an alternative up Sandy Hill Road was mooted.
I have only ever been down Sandy Hill Road and having struggled to the top think my original plan should not have been dismissed so lightly.
Back on piste, we nearly lost Jonathan who in a moment of madness decided to sprint after a passing bus. All well and good if you want a good tow in the slipstream, but not when you chase off into the distance whilst the rest of the group turns off left.
We regrouped at the top of Coal Lane and were admiring the fine view when our attention was drawn to a strange light in the sky. What an earth is that I asked, ‘I think it is called the sun’ Jonathan said, ‘my Dad told be about it once’. Anyway, seconds later it had vanished.
The rest of the ride passed without incident apart from having to avoid several parties of teenagers carrying large packs and wandering aimlessly down the road whist trying to work out which way up to hold the map. Dan said they were looking for the Duke of Edinburgh. I didn’t know he was lost, but he is getting on a bit and perhaps just wandered off.
We covered 30 very enjoyable miles in about 3 hours, so what you might call a leisurely pace. Who said the Dynamos was full of racers….
