Saturday 21st September 2019

Some rather delicate individuals turned up on the cobbles this morning. It would have been almost simpler to ride straight from the Oktoberfest night at Farm Yard Ales ( yes it is spelt that way) rather than go home first. But riding in the dark, off road is fun...
Today’s A/B ride lacked it’s nominated leader Michael Birchall, due to injury, and somehow we all got coerced into one of Pedro’s Peter Heyworth Rufty Tufty epics.
MTB isn’t for everyone, but this Is certainly fun, with a mix of road and not too difficult off road. Ask Simon Simon Thompson, who turned out on his shiny, much too shiny, new hardtail bike. This was, according to Simon, fun. It certainly was: 50 odd miles up to Half Moon Bay cafe Heysham via coastal off road sections . One not done before was the bit from Sambos grave at Sunderland Point up though Middleton- wonderful.
We lost Simon at Heysham, but we- Pedro, Souper Mario, and Steve Kelly carried on. Steve is visibly getting more confident on an MTB by the day and put in some good digs along the way. But as usual it was ourselves trailing in the wake of the duelling chuckle brothers....
Having left Heysham , we turned into the headwind that seemed to have plagued the B2’s all day- cycling along the canal from Lancaster down to Garstang was grim at times- whilst the scenery was spectacular through the wooded sections...
And so a grand day out in what must be the last decent day we get for a while drew to a conclusion with, predictably, a pint at the Bellflower. Spotted by the B’s we were joined by Peter Rawlinson who had the good sense to realise that a cool beer is the only way to go after such a hot day out.
Thanks to Pete for the route and to all for such good company..