Let’s just go for a ride.
Ducks in road
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Nativity scene at Emily's in Whitwell
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This report starts on the Saturday beforehand as I thought it might be a good idea to check out the lanes we would be using. Some were waterlogged but quite passable and the amount of debris about was minimal. The ducks were really enjoying themselves, no knowing which was their pond and which was a big puddle on the road. Then I got to Ley Green, our scheduled tea stop, and discovered our chosen watering hole would be closed on the morning of our ride. No problem, after a quick call Wetherspoons in Stevenage was suggested. I pootled back home, made another quick call and an e-mail was fired around the members.
Sunday morning arrived with a warning that it was Remembrance Sunday and Stevenage would be very busy; again Whitwell or Codicote would suffice just as well. In fact I chose Whitwell. Nine of us met at the War Memorial in St Albans. It’s good to see Mike becoming a regular rider having only joined the CTC three weeks prior. My route was a familiar mix of lanes that we had all been down.
We set off towards Wheathampstead via Sandridgebury. This little area was flooded and we all had to share the road as horses, cyclists and motorists navigated around a HUGE puddle with not an angry word between us. Just goes to show what can what can be achieved with a polite smile and spot of patience.
Soon we were sploshing our way down towards Nomansland Common, and over to Leasey Bridge Lane. I have to say that happily some of the rather larger puddles I encountered the previous day had shrunk. From this point we made our way up and over to Shaw’s Corner, a lovely little spot in the Ayots. Kimpton Mill, Codicote road, Three Houses Lane, Bullock’s Hill and the B651 all fell victim to the relentless turning of our wheels.
The countryside had out done itself in the array of colours it was presenting to us to view, picturesque doesn’t seem to be a fair description of the scenery, and soon we made it to Emily’s Tea Shop in Whitwell. As we arrived though it was plain to see they were already swamped with cyclists from Herts Wheelers, so after a brief discussion we made our way to the garden centre in Codicote (not Vanstone’s I hasten to add).
After a welcome break we took a rather linear route to lunch, via Ayot St Peter, Lemsford, Coopers Green Lane and up through Oakland’s College. From here it was an easy wobble along Colney Heath lane to Tyttenhanger Green and the Plough. Lunch was a rather nice affair in a cozy village pub.
Along the way we had lost Jon and Judy, due to two punctures: one each respectively. It was a short ride, as we had to be at the AGM for 2 o’clock. But I have to say a very enjoyable morning’s ride.
Neil 10/11/2013
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