An Unpredictable Ride! 05/06/2024

Plenty of Easy Riders assembled in Weavers Park.  Long Ride with Gifford and Andy P pedalled off at 0930 to Ashfields Carriage Club, medium ride departed at 0945 with Peter Sk and Mike, and the 1000 short ride with Bill and Lawrence, went to Owls Tearoom.

I’m going to start with a moan for health & safety tip for the day.  We need to improve our communication when riding.  There is nothing like enough calling out of potential hazards – car up; car down; potholes; gravel, etc.  Quite often it’s the people at the back calling the hazards, whereas it should be the front riders who identify them, and then everyone else repeats it.  One day, we will have a pile-up of riders when someone hits the hazard, and others plough into them, and I’d rather we didn’t.

Peter planned a marvellous ride, starting with an original route out of the town – up Orchard Road, out onto Notley Road, right onto Snakey Lane (track) in Black Notley.  We headed down to through Fairstead and turned right through Terling where we saw a war memorial where it had been yarn bombed for D-Day commemorations. Then we rode onto quiet lanes

to ride a loop south of the A12, arriving at D’s Diner. 

I like D’s Diner.  It’s definitely at the transport caff end of the market, rather than haute cuisine, but they do a great bacon and black pudding sandwich!  They also serve plain sausage with tomato ketchup, as requested by Patrick! 

 The Easy Riders pedalled back via Hatfield Peverel station and the track at Fairstead.  As we started riding through Great Notley cycle path, Steve B had his gear cable snap.  Unfortunately, he was in a high gear, but thought he could limp home.  He was looking down in concern at the cable, when he wobbled, and clonked into a lamppost.  Fortunately, he made a very soft, rolling fall, and was able to almost instantly remount his bike and ride on!  (Whenever I fall off, I cry!). And he has the skills to replace the cable too.  A robust rider, with well-honed skills! Well done, Steve!

27 miles, huge, good humour and much fun had by all.

Cathy MacTaggart