Post binge ride

Ahh Christmas.  The season for goodwill and love to permeate the soul. A time for mankind to reflect on the previous year and look to the next with optimism, using the Christmas story of Jesus Christ to invigorate and rejuvinate. To rejoice in life and to give others less fortunate gifts, making them happy to be alive.

Personally I don't give a fuck about it and can't fucking stand it.  I really hate the way religion is used to cover the true meaning of this time of year.  Gluttony, Greed and Alcoholism is what Christmas is about. It has nothing to do with baby Jesus at all. I mean, we have already killed of the Christ part of Christmas by using Xmas (which is far better in my opinion). Anyway, after an Xmas of copious amounts of food followed by whisky, beer and wine - drunk in that order because apparrently I would feel fine after - and a very short time with the parents receiving dissapointing gifts again I returned back home to Warrington.

Wasn't really a white Christmas..Thank God

Most of my cycling for December had been commuting. I had been living under the illusion that I would be "Getting back on the bike next weekend" for about a month now, each weekend being a right off either because of family commitments or weather.  Having a week off was a godsend and given that there was to be an Ad hoc ride - based on Grahams post on the NCC forum - I thought....sod it.  So I took the bike out of storage and prepared it the night before.

Windy

Wednesday morning was cold.  There was a clear blue sky, a very low Sun attempting to pop up over the horizon and the remains of the heavy rainfall from last night.  So todays ride, planned by Graham, was to start at the Walton arms with an aim to ride to Delemere station cafe before returning back to Warrington.   I set off from my house and rode up to the A49.

Light

The first thing that struck me was how light my bike was.  I had been riding my Trek 7700 for over two months now and had got used to its weight.  My CAAD9 felt like a sports car and, as I joined the A49, I sort of put my foot down....joy....it accelerated like a sports car...infact....I was getting looks from some lovely ladies by the side of the road as if I was in a sports car.  I smiled at them as I passed them, the group of them, all sat in their mobility scooters waved. I don't mind a bit of filler.

Chilly

I arrived at the pub and met up with Graham.  John had also shown an interest joining the ride so we waited for him to arrive before setting off.  The ride took us down some lanes running parrallel with the ship canal, past an estate of what looked like holiday homes and then out to Moore. We then followed the Runcorn road into Runcorn and out towards Frodsham.  It was here that the ride began its undulating ups and downs.  Flat ride my arse.

Hot Coffee and trains

The going was bloody windy and, to pay him back for organising a ride on such a windy day, John and myself drafted Graham, which made the miles fly by. We soon arrived at a busy Delemere forest, filled with brand new mountain bikes and idiot kids...with idiot parents in tow.

Delemere Station Cafe.

We turned into the Station cafe, stowed our bikes and entered.  I ordered two coffees and a pot of tea and stared at the rather large Victoria sponge that was in the glass display case next to the till.

The jam was glistening and the cream looked luscious.  The yellow sponge lightly dusted with icing sugar. This slice of goodness could have been mine for £2 but I had already eaten enough chocolate and cake over Xmas to feed a small Ethiopian village for an entire year so I refrained from ordering.  



We sat there, chatting away for what seemed like ages.  Other cycling groups turned up and said hello as they walked away from the counter with their cake and tea.  One guy came up to us and said

"How are you enjoying your new kit" he said as he pointed to my Clarion top.
"I did the Bioracer order for you" he smiled.
"The new stuff is good but mine is utter shite" exclaimed Graham as he pointed to his rather saggy and worn Endura top.  The guy gave us the thumbs up before returning to his table.

I must admit the new kit is really good and even though expensive should last ages. 

Cold Start

So, filled up with just coffee we left the cafe.  I'd never been here before and has always plumped for the forestry commision center just down the lane.  What a nice place and a place I think I'll use again.  We clipped in and rode back up the lane through the Delemere switchback, past more idiot parents with their stupid childen on their halfords bikes.  At Hatchmere we turned right towards Norely.  Numerous cars passed me really closely and one so close I almost started a conversation with the fuckwits passenger.  Seems Xmas is not just the season for peace and goodwill but also for a total lack of common sense.

It was starting to get colder and colder, our route now took us towards Anderton and Marbury then up to High Leigh and then through Lymm before returning through Latchford. At the A5061/A49 intersection we said goodbye to John.  It was here where Graham was nearly taken out by a white pickup truck....cockends.

I left Graham just before Morrisons and I continued up through Stockton Heath, passed all the stuck traffic before arriving back home for a nice hot shower.

Finished

Fantastic ride and probably my last of the year. This Xmas we have been gifted with some really mild weather which has made cycling in it a joy.  Today, as I rode back through the wind I could almost feel this nice weather leaving us, being replaced with wet and cold.  Thanks to Garmin's brilliant website I'm unable to get my yearly mileage up yet, which I'll do in another post. Suffice to say it's been a great year cycling wise. I should hopefully post my remaining two Coast to Coast episodes before the year is finished - What a fecking slacker I've been.


So now is the time for a hot mug of tea in my North Cheshire Clarion mug and a nice mince pie.