Avoiding the wind

It is still windy!  I led the short route today, as people were a little nervous riding in the wind.  We are lucky in Chester; our lanes twist and turn, and we have plenty of hedges giving shelter - just watch out for those gateways!

A very colourful gathering

With a short ride around very familiar lanes, there is little to report.  No baby cows yet, but daffodils adorn the verge and that's about it!  I added a small hill via Dunham on an otherwise straightforward route, short up and lovely down.

One funny moment, not captured on film as I was coming down said hill; a horsebox had set off up the lane, and three or four horses ran along to the gate (we presume it had just left) as if to say "hey! where are you going/ what about us?!"  Cute.

Despite the wind, the sun came out in time for our arrival at Manley Mere, which was the most beautiful blue I have ever seen.  When I asked inside, I was told it has been treated to block out light and prevent weed growth in the mere.  They have a lot of open water swimming here, as well as watersports, so they have started to do this now.  That explains the colour.  But it does look lovely!

Arriving first, we treated ourselves to cake and comfy seats around the open fire.  Which was very warm!

...I always like the throne chair, as I call it!

We waited for what seemed like a long time before the other two groups arrived.  The cafe had set aside plenty of seats for us, it is not too busy this time of year.

I may need to photoshop out that cone on the right!

After a quick catch up with the other groups, I led my group back around the back of Barrow, to pick up the Greenway via Stamford Bridge.

Great Barrow Church - St Bartholomew's

Both groups this morning had to re-route, as the Guilden

Sutton road was closed for re-surfacing; however, by the time we came through it was re-opened, although rough and surprisingly busy!

Finally up the Greenway, Mary stopped to hide a geocache for her friend to find, she was very excited about it!

Whilst the others were waiting, Helen had noted her wheel appeared to be rubbing.  Bike upside down, we spun the wheel and looked for what was causing this, but the mudguards, brake blocks and frame did not appear to be to blame, so we carried on.  I was not sure if it was a spoke, as she said she had heard a noise, but not been on anything too lumpy.  She called to the bike shop, and later reported that it was indeed a broken spoke, near the hub.

24 riders, 16 miles for the slow and steady group.

Blustery Gusts

It is often a bit windy, and sometimes it can get very windy.  With high winds forecast over the end of the week including Saturday, there was some reticence from the ladies about coming out for a ride.  And it did indeed sound a bit wild when I first got up, with rain lashing against the window.  However, it can all change by 10:00, and as I live very close to the cafe I can always get there -whatever the weather.

This month, instead of an 'event' on facebook I put a poll:

Who is out on Saturday?

No, sorry I'm busy

Added by Chester Fabulous Ladies

Voters for this option

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• 
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• +12

Yes, me, can't wait to join in with the ride!

Added by Chester Fabulous Ladies

Voters for this option

• 
• 
• 
• +6

No sorry. I’m away this weekend

Added by Karen

Voters for this option

• 
• 
• 
• +5

I may come, but a bit worried about the weather!

Added by Chester Fabulous Ladies

Voters for this option

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• 
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• +2

On the morning several people dropped out, but when I got to the cafe, Jane was there, and by our time to leave there were 10 of us, a perfectly honourable number.

Look at that sky!!!

After our photo gathering, we set off to the river and round Handbridge, keeping to side roads where it seems a bit less windy.  We headed to Eccleston and the Old Wrexham Road (a close pass from an Iceland van, reported to police later), Darland and a sneak around Hoseley, again avoiding the wind.  We had one moment of difficulty, as we re-joined the B-road (after fixing Jane's puncture and entertaining the two small doggies), which was particularly

tight tyres and big thorns

windy - but then a fantastic tailwind to push us into Holt, up Esp Hill which can sometimes be a bit of a drag!

Helen looked after us admirably at Cleopatra's coffee shop, with very nice coffee. 

Our table booking for 11am
(not "I am fabulous"!!!)

We split a little after coffee as Mary was heading back the way we came, and the tandem set off in front; I dropped down the little back road - which is now one way (darn it - the wrong way!) and over the river which looked quite high.

We enjoyed sunshine for most of the day and it was not really cold.  Another tailwind up Saighton Hill, what joy!

Snowdrops - first flowers of the year!

Girls in the Gales

Janaury, and a happy new year to you all.  Last month was cancelled, so when this month's ride date approached and the weather began to turn windy, with stormy gales, I did wonder if we would be able to ride.  Several people dropped out, including a few leaders; but a stalwart 12 made it to the cafe, and I changed my plans according to the weather.

The original plan had been to go to the Boat Museum in Ellesmere Port; but the direction of the wind would have been across us there and back, so with the aid of a rather groovy weather app I found the prevailing wind direction and speed (and with the help of some facebook friends I worked out which way to head - if it is a NNW wind then we need to head in a NNW direction); so our destination was changed to Eureka cafe, planning to be blown home again.

Feeling windblown already at the start!

We set off along the Greenway - I figured that as it was off road it would build our confidence in the wind, and takes the traffic element out of the equation for handling our bikes.  

It was fine, and easy going. 

We left the Greenway at Blacon, although I was a 'stop' too early so we had to wend through a couple of streets to pick up my route again.

As we were now 'rolling', the wind was not too bad at all.

Gusty on some bends, but with warnings everyone did really well.

We went down a 'private' road past a few farms, I remember this being closed off during the foot and mouth outbreak several years ago.

I did worry a bit (and warned the ladies) that as we climbed the bridge to cross the main road that it may be worse on top as it is more exposed - but it was not bad at all!

At the end of the road we re-grouped for a photo, and then turned along the lane to Woodbank and the main road.

On reaching the main road I did explain how we were going to ride safely along it, as it is fast and can be busy.  

In a short while we all made it safely to the Eureka cafe, which except for two gentlemen was completely deserted!

Another group photo outside the Eureka cafe!

Capenhurst - and a 'pinfold' visible on the left of the picture.

Now, after a short re-trace back up the A550, we again joined the lanes - but this time with a roaring tailwind!!!  Brilliant, and so worth the mornings efforts.  So much so that Collette at one point considered that the wind must have dropped now - but I pointed out that it hadn't at all, and this is because it is behind us.

Following route 56 back meant we had to negotiate the gates - but taking each gate in turn (one person holds as the rest of us go through) smooths the flow of the group. 

Crossing the A41 near Backford/ Mollington

All in all a very pleasant morning, 18 miles and 12 riders.  It was a bit like 'the olden days' of the Fab ladies as there was just the one group!  And what beautiful sunny weather again :-)

Good drying weather!

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