Sunday Ride 1st April 2012

[ValleyMan]

As the big boys are away this weekend in Mid Wales, it has been left to me to sort out the route. I therefore suggest the Ironman Long Loop (Route S9) as it gives lots of opportunities to shorten the route once we have scaled Wiseman’s Bridge. I have also done this route a few times so there is a reduced risk of me leading us astray….

[trevaughan]

Well my trip to Baku has been postponed so I will see you in the morning. Maybe I will be able to finish this one!

[ValleyMan]

While Roger and Huw were recovering from their walking holiday in mid Wales, those devoted to the pursuit of cycling gathered at Bloomfield Car Park on a decidedly chilly Sunday morning. The range of attire on display paid testament to the havoc wreaked by the tropical weather of the week before; shorts and arm warmers for the optimistic and tights and jackets for the realistic. And then, of course, there was Mat…

We were joined this week by Russell, a regular visitor to these parts, but his first outing with the club along with Richard (Flapjackman), Richard (Clover, our Chairman’s ‘special friend’), Andrew M, Leighton, Kim, the aforementioned Matt and Graham.

The route was as advertised with a couple of minor scenic diversions to take in Freshwater East and West Williamson avoiding St Daniels Hill and the drag from Carew to Crosshands on the main road respectively. Graham and Leighton headed home from Lamphey.

It has to be said this this was a very enjoyable and social ride will everyone sticking together all the way round. A much better display this week from myself and Andrew!

It was evident that the Easter Holidays had arrived as countless cars on the road between Tenby and Lamphey either tried to stuff us in the hedge, or conspire to have a head on collision. It was a relief to get on the back roads.

We had a few feed stops en route, although, it was a bit disappointing that there was no ice cream van at Freshwater West. For the first time ever we stopped at Creswell Quay, however, this was not for a pint but to avail ourselves of the public conveniences next door.

It had all been going so well. With only a couple of miles to go there was an audible hissing noise from Kim’s rear end (her tire, please) and cries of ‘puncture’ filled the air. Everyone gallantly offered to hang around and lend a hand, but we had it covered so the rest of the group headed home for Sunday lunch.

As Kim and I were sat by the roadside inspecting a nasty gash in the rear tire, we were blissfully unaware of events unfolding around us. Startled by a blaring of horns, we looked up to see His Royal Highness the Prince of Narberth sweep serenely past us in his open-topped chauffeur driven limo. The regal wave, the corgi (it might have been a Spaniel) sat on his lap with ears flapping in the breeze, could not fail to bring a small tear to the eye of even the most staunch republican.

But more was to follow. Within seconds, an expertly executed hand-brake turn by his royal protection officer (known only as ‘J’ for security reasons) brought the majestic barge back alongside us with his HRH enquiring if there was anything his entourage could do to help us. Approaching his Majesty with due reverence, we thanked him profusely for his gracious offer of assistance but bade him not to disappoint his other loyal subjects on our account who awaited him at a banquet in a distant land. And with that he was off.

Buoyed by this chance encounter, the fatigue from our legs was miraculously lifted and we arrived back at the Croft having covered the 71 miles at a very respectable average speed of 14.7mph for a well-deserved bowl of parsnip (peasant) soup.

PS Congratulation to Andrew and Mark who did manage to cycle all the Mid Wales Challenge

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