Ride Reports
Saturday 12th June 2021
A ride report - Lazies who lunch- Mike Birchall
When supposed ride leader Paul announced he would have to pull out of leading this Saturday I decided to (quite selfishly) take up the mantel and put myself forward. When I say selfishly what I mean is I wanted to design a ride which perfectly suited my desire, following several recent rather long and vertically challenging outings, to kick back , live a little, take it easy. The ride began 15 minutes later than usual giving us all, effectively, a lie in. There was already a fair posse assembled by the Bellflower and it took a few minutes to untangle our so called A group from various other letters of the alphabet . Patrick McGoohen once said “I’m a name not a letter” or something like, and certainly this day it was more pertinent as we slunk off for the equivalent of a cycling spa treatment day. Our laid back approach made us miss the first Knott End ferry of the day so a couple of us decided to get a coffee, the tricky process of which led Dave to give up on the idea and go back to the group who were waiting at the top of the jetty trying to mend Ians tyre leak. Seeing Rick brandishing what looked to me like MTB tyre awl I suggested he put it back in the bag and try the less invasive approach of adding a little air, it wasn’t a day for technical challenges after all. 20 minutes later we were all aboard the boat recounting tales of previous voyages over the years to the melodic tones of an accordion playing sea shanties somewhere below deck. Maybe that was a figment of my imagination.
Some weeks later it was time to disembark, Justin likening the rickerty method deployed to that of a poorly maintained Thai skip he had experienced in a previous life. I’m guessing they are running on pretty tight margins these days.
Declining the Strava segment up the jetty slipway we rode off joining the promenade just before the Marine hall. From here it was pretty much prom, prom, prom all the way to lunch , the steady tailwind giving us an easy time of it all. The only drama coming when I foolishly led us onto the lower esplanade and a few sandy patches made things a bit more tricky. Even in the busiest parts, by the tower, navigation of the holiday masses wasn’t too difficult and after a brief photo op we were soon approaching Lytham StAnnes. Or Liethem Street Annis as voiced by an American I once came across.
Defying its name The Shambles provided more than adequate fayre and service, a little higher up the price bracket than usual but hey we were in holiday spirit, and it can’t all be hills and beans you know. Thai fishcakes, avacado and eggs, carrot and coriander soup washed down with coffee and beer, sat outside in the sun was pretty much what I had envisaged and it was hard not to stay for another beer.
If the first half was the surf the second was more like the turf, heading inland through Kirkham, Broughton and Inglewhite all pretty straight forward minor road stuff, apart from a detour circumnavigating the new north Preston bypass, quite a scar on the rural landscape I have to say. A few cleverly inserted hills in the form of Brock Bottoms, Delph Lane and Harris End enabled the aquisition of several extra beer and ice cream tokens which, following a pleasant downhill finish, were duly cashed sat outside the Priory at Scorton. Some might say the ride ‘lakhed’ the usual A ride standard but I think those that were there would disagree.
Some weeks later it was time to disembark, Justin likening the rickerty method deployed to that of a poorly maintained Thai skip he had experienced in a previous life. I’m guessing they are running on pretty tight margins these days.
Declining the Strava segment up the jetty slipway we rode off joining the promenade just before the Marine hall. From here it was pretty much prom, prom, prom all the way to lunch , the steady tailwind giving us an easy time of it all. The only drama coming when I foolishly led us onto the lower esplanade and a few sandy patches made things a bit more tricky. Even in the busiest parts, by the tower, navigation of the holiday masses wasn’t too difficult and after a brief photo op we were soon approaching Lytham StAnnes. Or Liethem Street Annis as voiced by an American I once came across.
Defying its name The Shambles provided more than adequate fayre and service, a little higher up the price bracket than usual but hey we were in holiday spirit, and it can’t all be hills and beans you know. Thai fishcakes, avacado and eggs, carrot and coriander soup washed down with coffee and beer, sat outside in the sun was pretty much what I had envisaged and it was hard not to stay for another beer.
If the first half was the surf the second was more like the turf, heading inland through Kirkham, Broughton and Inglewhite all pretty straight forward minor road stuff, apart from a detour circumnavigating the new north Preston bypass, quite a scar on the rural landscape I have to say. A few cleverly inserted hills in the form of Brock Bottoms, Delph Lane and Harris End enabled the aquisition of several extra beer and ice cream tokens which, following a pleasant downhill finish, were duly cashed sat outside the Priory at Scorton. Some might say the ride ‘lakhed’ the usual A ride standard but I think those that were there would disagree.
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