Central London CTC blog

Sunday 22nd July - a Long Ride in Hertfordshire

I think that apart from a brief dip into Essex soon after the start that we managed to remain in Hertfordshire but as we go perilously close to Luton Airport we may have got into Bedfordshire briefly but I am sure you will forgive me. There were even some new faces to add to the usual suspects who were out in force. Alex Guite who had ridden on my London - Cambridge ride was along as well as Rory Rhodes who was making a CTC debut after having turned out for the Suburban Breakout Audax a few weeks ago.

As the ride was starting in what I call the outer suburban ring there were a few of the dedicated ride out folk joining myself as I dipped south to meet a small group at Turnpike Lane tube station before riding north and picking up Hyacinth in Enfield as we zipped along the quiet morning roads. I had hoped to ride my newly built fixed wheel bike but my tinkering after a swift Saturday ride ruined that option so I was on my ususal trusty road bike which seemed quite strange as I have spent the past fortnight riding the fixie.

Apart from failing to find somewhere to have coffee in Broxbourne the ride out was very easy until I managed to hit a raised concrete lip in the station car park at Broxbourne and punctured. That then enabled me to find that I may have included a previously punctured tube in my gear for the day as the first tube failed to stay up. While attending to the puncture we were joined by Charlie Keep who had ridden out separately so there were seven of us awaiting the train-assisted riders.

Eventually after a brief session to enable us to count the group we set off with seventeen including myself. Unfortunately we were reduced to sixteen as a guy whose name I have not remembered, as usual, decided that he was being overly optimistic in expecting to keep us with us as he had previously done some 2-star rides. Unusually I had decided to ask one of our number to be a back marker as it is practically impossible to lead and keep control of so many people at the same time so Paul Foster was my second-in-command for the day. Thanks for the assistance Paul.

After we reached Roydon we had a brief stop to regroup and pass instruction to everyone to keep to a fairly tight bunch as we ran into the riders on the London - Cambridge charity ride. I may be less than charitable in saying that they were the usual mixed bunch of proper riders as well as those for whom the 100Km was going to be a pretty testing challenge as they insist on coming out on bikes that are not really suitable for a long road ride. Enough said there else people will thin I am a cycling snob but had done a charity even to Brighton the week before and it is exactly the same. It does not inspire you with confidence that people are properly prepared for challenge rides when as you pass them on a gentle slope within minutes of the start they are telling you that they cannot have a chat as they have to save all their breath for riding uphill. What must they have been like when they got to the North and South Downs, apart from being walkers?

Despite the overzealous marshall attempting to tell our group they could not go down the hill into Stansted Abbots not a lot happenend after John Snuggs was startled by something small and furry dashing out of of the roadside undergrowth before we had gone too far. Eventually after so brisk riding and a few choice lanes we got to Kimpton for lunch with only a few navigational, banana and cigarette halts.

Wow, what a change from so many rides. The publican was not surprised or even seemed unduly fussed by sixteen cyclists turning up unannounced at The White Horse, Kimpton. He was only concerned by the fact that we could not all fit into the dining room but we assured him that some would be very happy in the bar area then we promptly all decamped to the outside, decked area and sat in the warm sun for a reasonable lunch.

After lunch a few had decided to return for reasons as diverse as wanting to get back to watch TdF, injury or even to get back early. An extended lunch break was had because just before we mounted up ALex had decided that it was better to replace a rapidly softening tube beofre we took to the road again. Eventually nine continued and seven returned home.

The afternoon was pretty similar to the morning with lots of lovely lanes some rolling roads and plenty of sunshine in defiance of a not entirely promising weather forecast. By the time we got to Panshamger Aerodrome for tea we had done nearly eighty kilometres at a good pace.

After tea I managed to persuade everyone that the best option was to end the ride at Bayford rather than continue to Broxbourne as it would give me the option of riding back into north London with Naomi, Keith and Steve. Instead of the ride back I succumbed to the lure of the train as my home is within 300 metres of the station at Winchmore Hill which the train stops at on the way into central London.

Overall we managed to cover almost ninety kilometres for a good day out in the sun which, considering the poor weather of recent weeks, was a great bonus. Thanks to all who came out and I look forward to seeing many of you next weekend on the Dunwich Dynamo.

Riders
Leader – Ken Peters
Hyacinth Forbes,  Kate Sandall,  Camille Savory,  Inez Thorn and Naomi Wolf
Nick Bloom,  Keith Butcher,  Kelvin Dane,  Ant Evans,  Paul Foster,  Alex Guite,  Charlie Keep,  Rory Rhodes,  John Snuggs and Steven Taylor