Ride Reports
Saturday 22nd April 2017
A Ride to Ribchester by Rick Wiggans
With the majority of regular, and not so regular A riders otherwise occupied, the gang of 4, Rick Wiggans, Ian Tunbridge, Mick Birchall, and the legend who is Matthew the Beard Barnes met on the cobbles to do a substitute road ride. The originally planned Rufty Tufty being postponed owing to the proposed leader trying to emulate Danny McCaskill. The plan was to do a sort of squished figure of 8, not too far, and not too hilly, to allow any budding Freddites to begin their taper, and for the stand in leader to hot-foot it home in case family matters raised their heads.
The route went out of Garstang, and followed a wiggly loop out to Pilling and hence to Galgate via Cockerham. Good progress was made through Dolphinholme, then on to the Jubilee road, via Abbeystead. Oh, and via Mick’s broken chain. Despite him having a new bike on order, we decided to fix it, and continue on our way. Then, following roads we normally cover on our way home, we passed Chairman’s Castle, Bleasdale, Chipping, and onto Great Mitton. The route took us through a very busy Stoneyhurst college, as it was the weekend of the Great Food Fair. Stopping briefly for a photo opportunity, the group pressed on to Ribchester, and lunch. It was even warm enough in Potter’s Barn garden to sit outside.
Lunch duly devoured, our trusty band head up the hill to Longridge, and then by various means, through Goosnargh, Inskip and Elswick, to Cartford Bridge. By this time, the group was down to three, Ian having spun off to return to Preston. To celebrate the arrival of his first granddaughter, the trusty leader shelled out the 60p for the Toll Bridge. Good time was made against an increasingly strong headwind, back through Nateby, where the three remaining riders went their separate ways to home. Mileages between 92 and 110 miles, depending on start and end point, round about 5600 ft. of climbing, and just under 17mph.
The route went out of Garstang, and followed a wiggly loop out to Pilling and hence to Galgate via Cockerham. Good progress was made through Dolphinholme, then on to the Jubilee road, via Abbeystead. Oh, and via Mick’s broken chain. Despite him having a new bike on order, we decided to fix it, and continue on our way. Then, following roads we normally cover on our way home, we passed Chairman’s Castle, Bleasdale, Chipping, and onto Great Mitton. The route took us through a very busy Stoneyhurst college, as it was the weekend of the Great Food Fair. Stopping briefly for a photo opportunity, the group pressed on to Ribchester, and lunch. It was even warm enough in Potter’s Barn garden to sit outside.
Lunch duly devoured, our trusty band head up the hill to Longridge, and then by various means, through Goosnargh, Inskip and Elswick, to Cartford Bridge. By this time, the group was down to three, Ian having spun off to return to Preston. To celebrate the arrival of his first granddaughter, the trusty leader shelled out the 60p for the Toll Bridge. Good time was made against an increasingly strong headwind, back through Nateby, where the three remaining riders went their separate ways to home. Mileages between 92 and 110 miles, depending on start and end point, round about 5600 ft. of climbing, and just under 17mph.
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