ride report by peter.

i have expanded a few points, but am sticking to the bullet system until i free up a bit of spare time.

• about 30 riders.  the nice weather seemed to have scared the rest away.
• ryan did not turn up because he had to look after his puppy.  he has been giving the rest of us crap about not turning up to training during the week due to family commitments, i guess we didn’t think about using the puppy excuse.  sounds like he is puppy whipped.
• idiot on motorbike near the casino tries to kill all of us.  i love how motorbike riders complain about not getting any respect on the road and people should look out for them.  then they come between us and the traffic at speed which had so much potential for disaster.  as people are clipping in they tend to wobble around a bit and could have quite easily closed the gap between the rest of the pack and the cars in the other lane. see video here.  no sound but you get the idea.
• turned up the pace along hale rd until we ran into a road block.  had to wait while a very, very large piece of equipment was towed by two semi’s and they had to clear the road… and wouldn’t let us on the footpath.  see video here.
• no-one wanted to make the first move on welshpool until a rider from another group came past us.  then everyone chased him down.  the poor guy said that he was just after a nice run home but we were going too slow, so he past us.  huge chain reaction with james first taking off in pursuit then lots of individual riders chasing him.  i was at the front plodding away.
• i made a move on shep rd at the lights leading up to the last hill, but started from too far back.  i got a gap, but was too buggered to continue the move.  thought i had the group when the lights changed at the top of the hill, but a whole bunch got through with me.
• holly made a gutsy move as we crossed the causeway.  long way from home and a bunch of hungry sprinters ready to chase her down menat that she only lasted onto riverside drive.
• we realised when we turned back onto riverside drive that the wind had now picked up and was in our face.
• many a failed early move including one of mine which brendan used as a springboard to launch his attack.
• sprint won by brendan with jerry taking second… again.
• coffee shop was full out back so we sat out the front in the sun for a change.
• cyclo-sportif tomorrow at pickering brook and we have 2 spr teams competing.