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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

Comments

  • Defo up for this again after a couple of covid hit years.
  • Great. I have put this in the diary.
    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!!
  • edited June 2022
    Holly at the Garden City Brewery has confirmed they still have the TV tuned into ITV4 and a table with our name on it for our post ride refreshment and Tour de France spectacle!!… Amazing she remembers us after 3 years.

    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...
  • Matt S
    Martin L
  • paul s
  • I’ll be there…for the ride and a few beers…
  • I may be able to attend this, I just need to line up a few dates first but I am hopeful I can attend. Just as an FYI Matt the route link isn't working.
  • Link should work now…
  • Matt S
    Martin L
    Paul S
    Phil K
    AlistairMc
  • edited July 2022
    Hi - I'd like to join you if I can, although may require your patience on a couple of the hills and assistance if the keepers at the zoo try to recapture me!

    is there a RWGPS or Garmin version of the route available anywhere?

    cheers
  • edited July 2022
    Looking like a perfect day ...23c and a very light wind.....just what you need for watching the Tour with a beer !

    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 ?
  • So, Monday again and another full week at work remains… or does it?…

    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
  • Depending on how the chaingang goes now, I'll see how I feel. Fingers crossed.
  • Unfortunately I have a bunch of things to sort out Friday morning. I've taken a half day and will ride over to the brewery for Stage 7 🍻 😀
  • Cheers Toma, MC, see you there
  • Is anyone riding from the Tuns in the morning? I'm thinking of leaving at 8 for plenty of time to battle into the 4mph cross head wind. Then riding back or train back to Ashwell depending on state of legs (and sinuses).
  • I'll be riding over from Biggleswade and train back :)
  • Riding over…from NOBhilll…
  • See you all at 8.45ish for a 9am departure. Weathers looking perfect.
  • Might want to bring a lightweight lock for Tring and GCB

    Weather is looking too for tomorrow. Plenty of fluids required
  • I’ll head out for 8-8.15 at the tuns if I can make it.
  • edited July 2022
    An action packed but glorious day had by 8 of us yesterday. Kick off coffee in the Wynd before heading westwards and into the Chiltons.

    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!
  • All good thanks Matt - hope you are okay - them chimpanzees know nothing about BB30…
  • Brighton next year or all the way for a night in Calais?
    Did it. Let’s cycle to Ireland
    Wonderful and tough day. Watching Martin. Smashing it around Biggleswade grass track today was inlressive
  • Impressive even
  • Great report Matt. I enjoyed the vibe in the Brewery a lot. It was a great escape.

    A good discussion to be had on an alternative Summer route. So many options.
  • thanks everyone for the company & RIP the glasses and crank bolts that died for us #WivDaAngelsNow
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