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Save the Date.. Summer Social Ride Letchworth - Tring Fri 8th July
Summertime classic, starting in (and retuning to) Letchworth via Chiltern Hills and Tring Brunch Stop.
Back to the Garden City Brewery for drinks and to watch the final km of Stage 7 of the Tour de France on the climb up La Super Planche des Belles-Filles!
All welcome. Steady club pace
Back to the Garden City Brewery for drinks and to watch the final km of Stage 7 of the Tour de France on the climb up La Super Planche des Belles-Filles!
All welcome. Steady club pace
Comments
It's the Biggleswade Grass Track Omnium the next day so will likely take it easy in the brilliant Garden City Brewery and/or leave soon after Stage 7. Famous last words!!
The day starts with a classic club ride across the chiltern hills (including our own beasty climbs... Invinghoe Beacon and Bison Hill) to Tring where a welcome break is to be had at The Cog cafe link for coffee, bacon sarnies, cake etc etc.
It's then the run back under the Luton flight path to Letchworth and the Garden City Brewery to watch Stage 7 of Le Tour, and partake in a few local ales. 110km all in.
Everyone is welcome, either to ride, ride and drink, or just turn up to watch the racing.
Let’s meet at 8:45 to allow for a depart at 9am sharp from the Garden City Brewery, The Wynd, Letchworth, returning for approx 2pm.
It is likely I will have a car nearby to store any bags with change of clothes.
Route https://alltrails.com/explore/map/cca_social
Stick your name below to give an idea of numbers...
Martin L
Martin L
Paul S
Phil K
AlistairMc
is there a RWGPS or Garmin version of the route available anywhere?
cheers
Matt or Martin will have a link for the route, and nobody gets left behind on the hills.
You might be able to get the route from my Strava link Simon.
https://www.strava.com/activities/2564641932
Anyone else up for this ?
Max out your hybrid working flexibility, call in sick with Covid, or just take a days hols and join in the fun!
No problem Simon, you be waiting for me I’m sure. Serious lack of miles this year.
I’ll share a gpx route later this eve
https://ln5.sync.com/dl/972f66580/yft62z9m-3rw4tkxx-v44jyihy-ci5a6mfe
Weather is looking too for tomorrow. Plenty of fluids required
It wasn’t long before the first bit of action; backroads between Hitchin and Luton seem to have been gritted by the summertime gravel lorry and was cause for myself to get up close and personal with the road… no damage done, just left some Scales DNA behind.
Onwards to the beacon, with a polka dot battle brewing between Matt P and Martin. Across the top of the beacon and down the other side into Tring, with demon descender Vince putting his namesake Nibali to shame!
FYI, The Cog cafe in Tring is now shut… Paul doing a great job at finding us a makeshift lunch stop at the Akeman… it was OK I suppose! I could be tempted to head back there another time!! (It was rather nice really but don’t tell Paul)
Tring obviously gets it’s fair share of cyclist.. there always seems to be a rather hostile welcome with the vehicles on the road in and around! Hostilities that continued later on with XL Bentley… one for another time.
Bison Hill laid on the horizon and we all agreed to go our own pace and regroup at top. At front it was another Lawless Palmer head to head, I believe Matt came away the the points to take the jersey for the stage. Further back all hell was breaking loose. As we wait at the top for Simon and Phil, Simon arrives of news that Phil ‘ the power ‘ Keen had put so much power out he managed to rip his crank clean off its shaft. We ride back to see Phil cresting Bison on foot with a crank and pedal in his hand and a load of bolts and washers in his pocket! A phone call to Mrs Keen for an emergency pickup, we left Phil having tea with the Chimpanzees in Whipsnade. Hope you got back OK Phil.
It’s hard going back to letchworth, the constant ups and downs, along with the heat, did a great job of sapping any energy you had. We finally arrive back about 3pm to take over the bar at the Garden City Brewery (along with the remote for the TV) as we take in the final 30k of the Tour.
Great day had with stonking weather. Thinking we shake up the Summer Social next year… I have a feeling we might have outstayed our welcome in Tring!
Did it. Let’s cycle to Ireland
Wonderful and tough day. Watching Martin. Smashing it around Biggleswade grass track today was inlressive
A good discussion to be had on an alternative Summer route. So many options.