grumpycommuter
Senior Retro Guru
- Feedback
- View
No camera, so words will have to suffice.
After pootling though Lichfield and Ashbourne in the car, the approach to Buxton was ominously dark. As i climbed higher rain drops splattered on the windscreen. It was at this very moment that i realised my rain jacket was hanging up at home in Atherstone. Bugger! Nevermind, Buxton was sure to have an Aldi and it was still 'bicycle week'. The Cat and Fiddle emerged from the gloom and boy was it wind swept and moist. I meditated for a while on Rule No.5 and girded my loins.
All had arrived and a mighty array of steel was present. After banter we were off, the first 4 or 5 miles rattling by in a blur of downhills and drystone walls. As we progressed the mist slowly evaporated and a beautiful warm sun shone down upon us. There were ups and downs but rather strangely mainly ups! There was some polite chuntering about ther climbs but I enjoyed every one, especially the final run in.
The cake stop was simply magnificent. A lovely cream tea for a meagre £2.80. I thought i was a touch greedy eating the remaining cream on it's own but was soon outshone by many of my colleagues who enjoyed seconds of Coffee and Walnut cake. And please remember this maxim 'You should never climb on cheese'!!
Creaking bodies mounted slightly less creaky bikes and off we went again. A brief stop at Buxton to 'enjoy the waters' and another steady ascent was upon us. We descended into a valley and then the final climb began. The banter had all gone and the gears were getting spinnier, all except for Robin, the new official Roadride Mountain Goat, who pushed on. We held on valiantly, Martin clawing his way back up and then with half a mile to go, and still rising, Robin shot off like 'a rat up a drainpipe'. We crested the hill and there was The Cat and Fiddle. Thank God!!
A really, really top day! Thanks Paul.
After pootling though Lichfield and Ashbourne in the car, the approach to Buxton was ominously dark. As i climbed higher rain drops splattered on the windscreen. It was at this very moment that i realised my rain jacket was hanging up at home in Atherstone. Bugger! Nevermind, Buxton was sure to have an Aldi and it was still 'bicycle week'. The Cat and Fiddle emerged from the gloom and boy was it wind swept and moist. I meditated for a while on Rule No.5 and girded my loins.
All had arrived and a mighty array of steel was present. After banter we were off, the first 4 or 5 miles rattling by in a blur of downhills and drystone walls. As we progressed the mist slowly evaporated and a beautiful warm sun shone down upon us. There were ups and downs but rather strangely mainly ups! There was some polite chuntering about ther climbs but I enjoyed every one, especially the final run in.
The cake stop was simply magnificent. A lovely cream tea for a meagre £2.80. I thought i was a touch greedy eating the remaining cream on it's own but was soon outshone by many of my colleagues who enjoyed seconds of Coffee and Walnut cake. And please remember this maxim 'You should never climb on cheese'!!
Creaking bodies mounted slightly less creaky bikes and off we went again. A brief stop at Buxton to 'enjoy the waters' and another steady ascent was upon us. We descended into a valley and then the final climb began. The banter had all gone and the gears were getting spinnier, all except for Robin, the new official Roadride Mountain Goat, who pushed on. We held on valiantly, Martin clawing his way back up and then with half a mile to go, and still rising, Robin shot off like 'a rat up a drainpipe'. We crested the hill and there was The Cat and Fiddle. Thank God!!
A really, really top day! Thanks Paul.
