Plemstall, Ponies and Plegmunds Well!

Yet another sunny day and 11 ladies left Kingsway Cafe, promising to return! It was a little blustery, but not as windy as previous days. After not getting lost through Upton, we wended our way through the quiet country lanes, stopping only to let the Birkenhead North End Racing club pass by - I'm sure they would have struggled to pass us otherwise!!! :-D

A small pony came to say hello to us - hence part of the title of this blog. Then we went to Plemstall - is it making more sense now?

We also visted St Plegmunds Well - apparently Plegmund was a hermit who lived here over 1000 years ago. He was called by King Alfred to carry out reforms and eventually became Archbishop of Canterbury. You can read more about him at http://www.mickletrafford.org.uk/history.php

So, after a few photos, we re-traced our steps (wheels) are also didn't get lost in Mickle Trafford on our way back to the cafe. We nearly lost Lesley and Maxine who, deep in conversation about the Ice Cream Farm, inadvertantly turned their handlebars in that direction - returning when they realised no-one was following!

So we all returned in one piece to the cafe for tea, coffee and chinwag!

A pleasant and sociable 11 miles.

Sunny April ride to Yvonne's in Connah's Quay

A very sunny day saw eight ladies meeting at the usual venue. Following introductions and the mandatory photograph we set off - using the cycleway for the first time since we started riding as a group. We picked up Milly en route in Blacon, near a whole bunch of people digging? planting? something on the bank.

As we approached the Sealand bridge, I shot ahead to try to take some photos - which caused some vying for the back of the group to avoid being in a picture. We will have to work on this shyness, girls!

Yvonne's cafe in Connah's Quay was our destination, and we all sat around a table to chat and drink tea and coffee.

Our return was along the river, losing the occasional cyclist as we drew near their homes. By the time we got to Chester we were down to six as Nosheen went home to her assignment - although I think she was going out on her bike again! Maxine lost count of how many we were, and we had to recount who left us where to reassure her we were not leaving anyone behind!

I had an urge to continue on the riverside route so we followed the river all the way around the racecourse, along the groves and then up Dee Lane. Maxine decided to peruse the local cycle shops and four of us returned to Kingsway - where Kascha asked 'is that it?'!!! A grand total of 21 miles, mostly very flat, and back to the cafe for nearly 2pm.

More Photos on the Facebook group - Chester cycling - check it out!

The Fabulous Ladies go to the Boat Museum and mend some punctures!

March saw the fabulous ladies in glorious sunshine, if not a bit breezy! We headed slightly into the wind, through the zoo and down to the canal. Heading left I could not get far enough in front to take any photos - these ladies can't half move sometimes!

We joined the canal - after much reassurance that the wind would not blow us into the canal but actually keep us from falling in - and headed towards Ellesmere Port. I will admit it was quite a tough battle, and more reassurance that 'on the way back it will be behind us' was given!

We met a few ladies at the Boat Museum Cafe - Louise, who I had dragged out of bed, had made her own way all along the canal; Janet joined us from Heswall and I even had a phone call from another lady (Pauline) who came out to meet us too!

The return journey, despite the glorious tailwind, became quite eventful. Within a minute of waving goodbye to Louise and leaving the canal, Nosheen developed a very flat tyre. Not to be

detered, Maxine and I leapt into action and with the aid of the multitude of spanners, tyre leavers and a big bag of patches, we set about fixing the flatty.

Moira and a few carried on - she had to get to work - only to phone me a minute later to say "you will probably catch up with us - Lydia now has a flat tyre too!"

I could go on, suffice to say I think we finally totalled 6 punctures; including my daughter who - by this time I was bored of fixing punctures - I phoned my husband to come a pick her up!

Moral of the story - always have a spare tube to fit your tyres, or patches at least; a pump to fit your bike, and means of getting your wheel off!!!!

Valentines Day on the bike

Just the three ladies came to the Cafe this morning, despite being February it was not too bad on the weather front - Lesley sporting her new gloves!

We set off through the Zoo and lanes and went to the Eureka world famous cyclists cafe, at Two Mills. Little to report about the day - although the ladies did express that they felt like 'real' cyclists now they had experienced the cyclists cafe.

We returned along the cycleway, and I am sorry to say I have no photos from this day! I will be repeating this as it was a gentle 18 miles, with nice combination of lanes, track and cycleway.

Frozen January

A hardy two ladies turned up on a very frosty cold January day. We set off up the cycleway. I was marvelling at the icicles under the bridge on plas Newton Lane - only to realise nearly too late that underneath them was a corresponding large patch of ice! Stopping just in time, we all tip-toed across the rink safely before continuing.

We left the cycleway in Blacon, and headed down to Saltney Ferry. I had in mind to meander back to Chester to find a cafe near the river, but as we approached Saltney Ferry bridge, I realised a light but bitter wind would have frozen our cockles off if we headed back towards town, so in an effort to warm up we crossed the bridge and turned right.

Circling the Hawarden airfield and Airbus factory we had a small climb which warmed us a little, before dropping towards Broughton. I had in mind a cafe I knew of, and we cut across to the Warren through what would've been a very muddy track - but as it was frozen it was just a very lumpy track!

Someone had moved my cafe and turned it into a chiropodists, which was no use to us - but there was a cafe in the corner of Broughton Park - where we sat for a not insignificant time, warming up and drinking coffee and eating sticky delectibles!

We returned to Chester and went our own ways by the Old Dee Bridge, having covered about 23 miles.

Motto - ski-mits are the best hand protection in cold weather, wrap up warm with lots of layers and definitely head for a warm cafe!