Riders: Paul Bacon (ride leader), Kevin Thomas, Owen Thomas, Stewart Oades, Mick Lee, Andrew Rex, Peter Hanks, Clair Scammell, Kez Wilcockson, Cath Adams, Oliver Hartmann, Darryl Booker, Martin Crapper, Diana Simpson, Darren O’Conner, Kieran James, Chris Higgins
Lots arrived early at the cricket club to find potential 9.00 riders opting for a 9.30 nattering class and other normally 9.30 riders arriving to report on an accident on the way into Tickhill from the Bawtry direction. Lots of guesses but no real knowledge of what was happening so we did what we do well and made it up! The general opinion was that the 9am team had come upon an accident and stopped to help. How wrong can we be!
There were 17 riders so we set off in two groups and saw no trace of an accident as we made our way to Harworth and Serlby. Those of us in the second group had tarried enough to avoid seeing the first group. Ok so they went faster as well! Although there was no blue sky it was warm enough and very pleasant cycling weather. We, the smaller slower group, enjoyed the journey down to Serlby and through Mattersey passing the odd cyclist or two and walkers and joggers.
Paul took the opportunity to practice his charm skills in wondering out loud if the two young ladies jogging/walking towards us were wet enough. Maybe they misheard because all went well; but then - maybe not as he was getting teased throughout the rest of the ride.
The noise (of chatting) continued through towards Sutton, eased off a bit as we took more care on the main road (A634) to Barnby Moor and picked up again as we turned left off the main road. We were not going fast enough, or is it that we were fitter, for the hills en-route to Babworth to slow us a great deal. The small group was ideal for the day and the stress level was low. No waiting to regroup at the A620 or as we turned right go south again. Strava maps don’t show any traffic on the A1 but there was loads, it was a great day to be passing over stand onto the A614 Blyth Road before taking the arched entrance into Clumber Park in our stride ( or is that stroke).
Limetree Avenue doesn’t get any smoother and the queue of cars at the pay kiosk was a further slight hindrance. I for one get pleasure from passing the queue because for now cyclists get in for free! I can’t see that lasting many years though.
Judging by the quantity of cars parked we were going to have a long wait for coffee, But as we arrived and met the first group who had just arrived it was clear that there was plenty of space at the tables. Probably the shortest waiting time I’ve ever had in Clumber and the coffee and scone were worth the ride.
After finishing our snacks, or meals for some, we got the groups together for a photo and set off for part two. Part two was to be straight through Worksop along the A60 a route we all know well. An uneventful ride with a couple of highlights. At the traffic lights at the Cannon hotel/pub Paul asked permission (which was granted of course) to go flat out into Carlton. I felt obliged to keep him company, he might have got lost, had a technical, been accosted and I wouldn’t otherwise have been there to laugh! At a ridiculous speed we stopped out of breath as promised only to find that the rest of the group were not far enough behind for us to get our breath back. Fun but then back to business, or pleasure and we reverted to standard 9.30 pace heading for home.
Most of us spotted a minor obstruction but Kieran obviously thinking “new business opportunity here” stopped and went back to pick up some discarded bungy straps catching us up on the outskirts of the village. There were quite a few riders from the other group chatting in the car park. But no new information was available on the event earlier. It was later ion the day when we heard of Rob Stevenson’s mishap. I, as most will, hope he recovers quickly we need his sense of humour back on the rides.
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