This was not one of my favourite rides of the year. It was yet another nice morning after a week of heavy rain. The roads were covered in all kinds of stuff and my bike was absolutely filthy at the end of the ride. We has a small turnout and decided to go as a single group. Possibly our first mistake. The destination was Wellsborne and Mick Wright was our route leader.
A few miles down the road I had a mechanical. My cranks came loose. Fortunately Tom had some allen keys to get me going again. A few miles further on and the I had a puncture. Great. It was my first puncture on a club run in two years, but I knew that now it was not my day. Then things started to get messy. After the puncture there was a small hill and Dave and Nick were off the back. Due to the bunch speeding up, Nick never got back on. Myself and Mick Wright dropped back to pace him back on. Unfortunately the bunch did not slow and merrily went the wrong way despite our shouting. As Mick was the route leader we decided to go the right way. A phone call later and the mistake was realised and as we were already split it was decided to meet at the cafe. It was quite hard work just the 3 of us down the road to the cafe into the wind. That road seems awfully long from Stratford.
After the cafe we headed back. I was feeling rather tired now. I have not been doing much exercise recently, well it is the off season, and that 10miles of just the 3 had hurt my legs. Myself and Nick were soon suffering again on the way home. Again though the bunch disappeared off. Dave and Mick waited for us and helped us back despite Dave increasing his route significantly to see us back. Not a fun day, my cranks kept coming loose and now I had no repair man. Nick attempted repairs with a screwdriver and paving slab. I eventually found a helpful citizen who was washing his car to lend me another allen key which managed to see me home.