"Scenic and circuitous route"

Helen described the ride on facebook in this way.  I was away, in the Algarve (cycling) but managed to propose a few routes for the Saturday.  

That is about all I know at the moment!

A couple of photos posted by Helen...

Spring Fever

OK, so not quite Spring in March, and it was a cold rather than a fever.....

I had been fighting with razor blades in my throat through Friday night, and on Saturday, much to my annoyance the pain persisted.  I came to the café (after a brief warning Friday night on facebook that I was not well) to meet all and dish out sign in sheets.  We were lucky to have 5-6 leaders, three with routes not dissimilar to mine, and I was able to send them off with a wave and a photo.  Alex did the ‘talky bit’ (with me prompting) – she said she was more nervous than she is in front of a bunch of schoolchildren! (and she is a teacher!)

So, I rely on the facebook comments of the ride, and photos thereon.

Ruth says:

Saturday ride. Friendly chatter at Kingsway....

Three groups.... 

Dry but cold! Despite 4 layers and three pairs of gloves, I was still cold...the warmth of the cafe at Delamere station was very welcome! 

Safely led and guided by Welna, we were a group of ?9 to the cafe...  Cycling along I thought to myself I really need to do more rides east of Chester as I didn't know the lanes so well! Maybe this summer - but it's rapidly filling up. I thought retirement was meant to be peaceful and quiet, far from it.  

Four of us returned to the Dee Miller and home in time for Wales v Ireland!! 

Take care and maybe see you at the spring 50! That will certainly be a test and challenge for me as Saturday was my first or second ride out since Dec 25th...and no time to get much of a ride in before the day! 

from facebook....

Thanks to Alex for leading the ride to Delamere Stn Cafe . Hope you're feeling better Sue Booth 

·   Sue  Super dooper girls.

14 March at 14:09 · Like · 2

·          

Elaine lovely ride! Thanks Alex

14 March at 14:11 · Like · 2

·          

Collette  It was lovely to see you again Elaine & you look great! 

14 March at 14:12 · Like · 2

·          

Alex Great ride. Thanks for the company girls. Just had hot soup at the zoo and contemplating my ride home:-(

14 March at 14:49 · Unlike · 3

·          

Elaine  Thanks Collette! Are you feeling better now? X

14 March at 15:15 · Like · 1

·          

Collette  Much better - put it down to middle age! Cuppa & a few paracetamol & I'm as right as rain. Thanks x

14 March at 16:35 · Like · 2

·          

Alex  Home now....thank god!

14 March at 17:30 · Unlike · 2

·          

Sue  Have you been out having adventures?!

14 March at 17:41 · Like

·          

Elaine  Was the ride back ok?

14 March at 18:07 · Like

·          

Alex  Just riding home, Sue, after meeting the boys at the zoo for a bite of lunch. Trying to get the miles in as doing the Sea 2 sea in a couple of weeks. Elaine, the ride home was fine....shame it was mostly uphill

14 March at 18:28 · Like · 1

Sue Alex ...?!!!!!!

14 March at 15:46 · Like

·          

Alex  what, Sue???

14 March at 16:38 · Like

·          

Sue  Your face....are you about to say something!!

14 March at 16:54 · Like

·          

Alex  Probably...that's why I kept missing the Turnings!;-)

14 March at 17:29 · Like

·          

Sue  There is a story unravelling with all these Facebook comments!!

14 March at 17:37 · Like

   Sue  Christine  you look like you have a halo!

14 March at 15:54 · Like · 4

·          

Christine  Indeed I do. Maybe it was because I only has ONE piece of cake!! Ha ha

14 March at 16:53 · Like · 1

·          

Sue  Was it cake in a-bun-dance?

14 March at 16:57 · Like · 1

·          

Sue (That just snuck in there! !)

14 March at 16:57 · Like · 1

Welna Thanks to my regular group today you did great! Pity no more photos. Only one of the breakaway group on our way back to Chester via Platts Lane

·Louise  Thanks Welna, it was a lovely ride.

14 March at 15:23 · Unlike · 3

·          

Ruth  Great ride, great company. Thanks Welna for leading us to cake and snacks and safely home again

14 March at 17:32 · Unlike · 1

·          

Sharon  Sorry you missed out Sue but you know when your body says " you can try but i'll make you feel even more worse tomorrow" Hope you feel better soon xx. To Welna a big thank you for leading and getting us to the cafe, had a lovely dinner there and then a great ride home. About 44 miles for me today the furthest i been this year xxx

14 March at 18:20 · Unlike · 3

·                  

Welna  'only' 37.36mi for me today - Sharon 's definitely the furthest!

14 March at 18:38 · Unlike · 1

·          

Welna  Sharon I like the way your bike light blinked just when I took the photo!

14 March at 18:39 · Like · 1

Thanks to Collette, Welna and Christine for the photos.

Birthday Belles

Fab ladies had a late invitation to join Janet and the Wirral Bicycle Belles to help them celebrate their 5th birthday.  A good turn out of about 20, but only me from our group - but at least we were there!  I had a heck of a head wind heading out, it was also quite cold, but it did stay dry for me which is suprising as the lanes were very wet and rain preceeded me and also fell afterwards.

I met the Belles at The BurleyDam garden centre, despite some main roads it is only 10 miles out so could be a venue for us next year?

                    Create Maps

                    or Search for a route

                    from millions at MapMyRide

               

Janet lighting the candles

Orchard cafe at Burleydam

Just about everyone - and look at that blue sky!

I headed home alone, as I wanted to call in on some friends (but they weren't in).  So I made my way back - I cut out a loop and followed the Welsh Road for a mile - not advisable but just useful to save the extra mile and muddy track.

                    Create Maps
                    or Search for a route
                    from millions at MapMyRide

               

50 shades of grey clouds

Another ride on Valentines day!  Our last one was in 2009, when we went to The Eureka cafe for the first time.  25 ladies gathered this morning, and after a little deliberation between routes (Alex and Sue had both produced diverse routes) and cafes (Yvonne's will seat 17 at most after that we are sitting on knees!), we managed to set off.

apologies to the two on the left of this pic - hard to see if we are all in!  My new Selfie Stick!!

Kate led a couple of the slower ladies directly up the Greenway to Shotton - but this ride was not without incident.  Faced with the blue bridge (over A494) Kate claims she did not get lost as such, but just a little unsure of her bearings!  [no photos]

I led a regular paced group out to take in some hills.  Starting off along the Greenway we left at Blacon and crossed at Saltney Ferry Bridge. 

The back road was unfortunately busy due to road closures and this has the effect of making the odd driver  more inpatient.  We left the road to climb up to Mancot...

Waiting for the group at St Davids Park

....and then Hawarden (I very sadly did not have my camera to hand in time to capture the sign outside the hairdressers in Hawarden 'Love is in the Hair' - groan!), before negotiating Ewloe roundabout (actually quite easy - we went anticlockwise using footpath)...









....and then dropping down some superb little lanes and crossing the Wepre Brook.  




Arriving at Yvonnes we met with the first group, and enjoyed 65p mugs of coffee and the largest bacon bap for £2!

Yvonnes van - last visited in April 2009
on a much sunnier day!

Not one of our largest cafes - but fab historical
photos adorn the walls.

It isn't all about the cake!

We headed straight back (bumping into Alex's group - see below) clocking a neat 23 miles.

Corner cafe in Shotton.

Alex took a faster group a longer way around, over to Capenhurst, along route 56 including the seven gates alongside the railway.  They fell foul of a puncture, which although was fixed with no problems, somehow the pump got stuck/wedged onto the wheel and could not be released; so rider, bike and pump had to wait for rescue whilst the rest of the group carried on.  This caused an unfortunate delay and meant they did not make it to Yvonne's in time, as she shuts at 12.  My group met them on route 5, so they were able to turn around and find another cafe in Shotton, The Corner Kitchen.  Another one to add to the list!

23 ladies; 18/23/27.5 miles; 2 cafes; 1 puncture.

Although a day early, this ride is listed as a 'Ride like Billie Day' - please see website for other rides around the country.