Birthday Belle

Everything stopped in March, there was a worldwide pandemic (Coronavirus), we have isolated, social distanced, washed and gelled our hands, wiped down handles and equipment, worked from home and all sorts.  

Cycling in groups also stopped, and although there was a huge increase in cycling (you were allowed to go out to exercise for half an hour or so at first) it was solo riding or with members of your household.

Lockdown restrictions are now however beginning to ease.  Shops opened, with mitigation's (distance, masks and handgel), pubs and restaurants finally reopened at the start of July, and some cafes are also back open.

Against this backdrop, Janet from our sister group the Bicycle Belles, invited me with a couple of others to join her for a little ride today for her birthday.  The weather was not inviting, but despite damp drizzle I donned my waterproof and made my way to the Boat Museum.  

No photos I'm afraid of the tiddley baby moorhens, or fluffy large teenage moorhens, or the heron, who stood steadfastly by the side of the canal, even as I carefully passed him.  What a magical experience!

Socially distanced photo.  Yes I am very grey ('Lockdown hair'!)

Janet arrived with Sonia and Ruth, and after a chat and a photo (sporting their new Belles tops - even more purple than the originals!), we set off back along the canal.  Mr Heron had left now, and we also left the canal to follow route 56, where we basically made for the Burleydam Garden Centre cafe.

The return journey was shared for a few miles, through Childer Thornton, but we split shortly after that, as Sonia and Janet headed up the Wirral, and I returned via Oaks Farm, Ledsham and Capenhurst.

Janet had mentioned there was a scarecrow festival in Capenhurst, so, despite the rain I stopped and took a few pics of the installations.

Of course

Note the little doors in stump!

fishy theme

Litter picker? Is this saying he is a fruitcake?!

Corpse Bride, and what looks like
the baby from Fairy wash up liquid!

Back to the Future I think

I also noted a carved tree stump - with lots of forest animals and the mandatory owl.

Foxy, looking up (and hedgehog poking out)

Squirrel

The artist

I also took a couple of photos to send to Janet of the Pinfold, as she claimed she had not seen it before!

I was wet (damp) but not as bad as I thought.  Nice to get home and have a shower though - and think how I will enjoy my next sunny ride!

Before the Pandemic

The Covid-19 Coronavirus, which started in China late last year, is turning into a global pandemic - information changes on a daily basis but at the time of this ride we had moved from advice if you have recently travelled to a long list of countries - including Italy - to staying at home if you were experiencing symptoms.  But, today's ride was not cancelled although we are becoming much more aware of the risks and recommendations.

Undaunted, 15 of us met at Kingsway cafe, for the usual chat and refreshments.

We had a visitor to the group this morning, Shannah from the Chester Neuro Centre.  Eileen had invited her, as we are planning on a charity ride next month in support of this local charity.  We had a brief talk about it, and Eileen shared her personal testimonial, before we set off (with plans for next month).

Two groups left the cafe; Rick took one and I had a slower group.  Only a couple of hills!

My group navigated all the off road routes, along the Greenway - canal - riverbank, and then the cyclepath to Bretton along the main Saltney straight.

Joining the Canal

Change Bridge, near Telfords

Two canals!

Riverside

Finishing with a small climb
up The Old Warren

It was busy at Susan's coffee shop, in Lesters garden centre, as if no pandemic was on the doorstep.  At least I had booked ahead, although we were in the greenhouse bit!  Lovely breakfast for me, before we packed up and headed back down the hill (there certainly seemed to be much more down than we had done up!)











I tried a few side roads in Shotton until I found the right one, and we arrived back at The Blue Bridge, where we turned left to pick up the Greenway back in, a nice and simple route.

It's a nice track - but the wrong one!

Homeward bound now!

Check out all our photos on the Fab Ladies Flickr gallery .

First signs of spring

You have to love sunshine early in the year, it just promises those spring and summer days and evenings on the bike, after all the rain we have had early this year.

The plan was to head to Cafe Fresh, Dunham, and I did phone ahead but it did not sound promising.

We had three groups out, into the lanes.  Late writing blog up, so memory faded (I had a lot of my birthday celebrations this month!).  Just photos then...

Welcome to 2020

Welcome to a New Year - and also a New Decade!  Wow, looking back on the blog ten years ago (useful for this time-hopping business) New years day was a bit snowy, and ladies ride in Jan was cancelled due to snow.  2010 was our first ladies weekend to Bridges, and we return in 2020 to Shropshire in June for our 10th weekend away.

No snow today, damp and dismal, and, if heading the wrong way, very windy!  We had four small groups, as only 25 riders (New years resolutions already worn off?!) and after a photo (I'm taking it, no Mr Rosie today) we all set off.  Three new ladies did join us, and a few returning.





My group of eight on the steady ride set off along the Greenway, and around to the A51 to follow footpath to Stamford Bridge.  A quiet day out in the lanes, and with the wind predominately behind us until we paused at the top of Dunham when we realised how windy it was.

My camera is not charging / holding charge very well, so no photos until we got to the cafe, as I had to rely on my phone.  We also did not pop outside to see the goats and menagerie, as you have to pay (I had visited last summer, and the door was open, you just went out).  The lady was not for negotiating, so I settled for a pic of a couple of the goatees through the window.

Christmas ramblings

When walking the dog first thing (my best weather checker before a ride), it was cold, dry, and not icy (bonus).  Literally minutes later I was about to set off to the cafe, and had to bob back for waterproofs, and had a very cold, wet, windy and dark 1/2 mile ride to the cafe.

I parked up, and joined the few ladies assembling.  As people arrived, they asked if we were riding - my reply is - lets see what it is doing at 10.  9:50, and the clouds had blown over, leaving blue skies and even sunshine.

When we were finally ready, we had our photo by the tree, and this is the only photo as my camera battery was dead.

Sue joined us in the cafe, but as she is awaiting ankle surgery she is unable to ride.  As is Rosie, but Ken and Rosie met us at Walk Mill instead (complete with Christmas jumpers).

We sent off the 'further' group, then I led the rest on a little tour of Upton, dropping through Wervin and back along to Mickle Trafford.  Crossing the A51, we just followed a basic route to Walk Mill, managing to avoid suspicious clouds which nearly dropped rain on us.  

The further group arrived back in two waves, first the further group, and then the further further group!  People generally made their own way back to Kingsway; Gill and I stopped at the Ring of Bells in Christleton for some mulled wine and to tackle the Tarvin quiz for this year.

A very Happy Christmas to you all, see you soon!

All together

This month we had more leaders than riders - and a group of eleven gathered for quick photo in the bitter cold.  There was snow across North Wales, although we did not see any, and although we had some rain it was not sleet.  The early morning frost had cleared, but we were not lucky enough to see any sun.

Despite a few routes being planned, we set off together up the Greenway, and by the blue bridge we debated whether to split or stay together, agreeing on the latter.

The autumnal not-so-greenway!

We continued alongside the main road, on a cycle path past the old Sealand Army Camp, until I had a brain freeze about the route.  Lisa stepped in and we crossed the roundabout, and the course became obvious again, passing some flooding in an adjacent field.

Hosta cafe is within a garden centre, and as with most garden centres this means you have to trail all the way through the displays to get to the cafe.  There was not much out, but there was a fabulous display of large cyclamen.

If you are good at anagrams,
they have some letters for sale.
I managed 'Lost'!

We warmed up in the cafe with drinks and a selection of breakfast type victuals, before wrapping up and heading back out into the cold.  Despite extensive rain recently, I was surprised that the lanes were not flooded.  A final ascent through the zoo which was very leafy, and returning to Kingsway cafe with 20 miles covered