The days cyclists were Robin Heyward, Tricia Krill, Michelle Greco and me, Martin Crapper.
The morning was surprisingly good when you compare it with forecasts. Overcast yes windy but not too bad! Or so we thought and that changed as we left Tickhill and headed up towards Malpass Hill. The headwind was tiring and slowed the pace considerably but we made it turning along Thornbury Hill Lane and escaping from the wind!
The Lane was wet from overnight rain and potholes were filled with water so difficult to spot. More of a problem were the areas of wet leaves and these were even more worrying on the downhill section. We headed on through Firbeck and up Kidd Lane into the head wind which didn’t seem too bad.
Though Gildingwells with the wind being a problem in parts. On to Woodsetts where we turned left along the main road towards Worksop but then going over the roundabout and onto the pavement to crossover the dual carriageway into Shireoaks. It seems that there is investigative work (more houses?) going on in the field near the “abandoned” bit of road we use as a shortcut into the town.
We went straight through and on towards Netherthorpe. We were so close to the airfield café - closed on Wednesdays anyway - but turned off to Thorpe Salvin and then wound our way along to Whitwell. This was a route variation so we relied on Tricia to know the way (turns out she did and I thought an improvement). Once through the road took us passed the cement works and an “event”. There appeared to be a very large vehicle with equally large trailer at the head of a convoy getting ready to go. We couldn’t get passed so waited patiently. Ok we talked about going up the grass verge or through the big deep puddle but still waited. It set off and a hundred yards later couldn’t get round the corner so blocked the ! A bit of back and forth saw it out of our way and we sped on to coffees etc.
We parked the bikes and went inside to order. That went well and we sat near a window. Tricia seemed to be muttering about losing some cash so was searching all possible hiding places about her person. £10 of it was TVC subs so it had to be found. Having searched everywhere Michelle stepped up and found it exactly where it should have been! Just then her drink and snack arrived so £20 went back into “a” pocket!
Tricia tried to pay her £10 subs. She did, she really tried! BUT it didn’t go well although I thought the vanishing £20 note trick was really good. Paul Daniels would have been impressed - we gave up. We could have searched again but!
We set off with the gale behind us and it took us along at 20+mph but not for long. The route took us into Worksop mostly protected by hedges from the wind. We had a learner bus driver behind us and he wasn’t going to overtake which would be why someone in the great queue behind resorted to the horn. Apparently there’s a religion which believes that lots of horn makes the world go faster. We pulled into a side road!
Once what seemed like one bus and hundreds of cars had gone we set off with the wind taking us easily into Worksop. Worksop the town of only red lights - traffic lights. It seemed to take forever to get through town passed the hospital and on towards Blyth.
I had a deadline so we turned off piste and headed into Carlton and onto Langold and then Oldcotes. Michelle stopped for reasons unknown so we carried on slowly stopping a little further for an annoying phone call (couldn’t be ignored honestly).
At this point Michelle wizzed past and was soon several hundred yards ahead. We went down Malpass hill and up the slope and over railway bridge where Robin and Michelle had decided to wait and we moved on together but in single file. We went into Tickhill round the mill dam, just missing a lady in the middle of the road near the old mill house. She was one of a group fastening knitted poppies to the mill pond handrail. We got back to the cricket club without further incidents and had a quick chat before heading our separate ways.
An enjoyable ride, you could have been with us! There is always Sunday 9am.
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