Girls on Cogs

So it’s the last Friday of the month again and time for another Critical Mass ride around Leicester – this time with a Royal theme since it coincided with a certain big Royal wedding.

Emma, Claire and I met outside the Curve theatre at 6, having made the effort to put on some bridesmaids dresses for the occasion! They were a little long for cycling so a couple of clothes pegs to ‘ruche’ up the sides did the trick! Several others were wearing wedding dresses, veils decorated with flowers, royal crowns or top hats and had union jack bunting wrapped around their bikes.  Not a bad effort!

It was quite warm and sunny as we set off up London Road as a large, strangely clad cycle trail of young and old, in an odd mix of royal fancy dress riding various road, mountain bikes or tandems with bells ringing, waving at the bemused drivers. We moved through Clarendon Park and onto Victoria Park past the memorial then down Regent Road into town for the traditional few laps around the Clock Tower before the final stop at the Phoenix for some refreshment.   Everyone was in good spirits and another successful ride!

Another sunny Tuesday and the gang met at 6pm on Great Central Way and cycled along the familiar Guthlaxton trail to Countesthorpe, then through Willoughby Waterleys and Peatling Magna, taking a gated road to Bruntingthorpe and arrived at the Chandlers Arms at Shearsby after 19 miles. It’s so nice to be able to cycle out in the light, sunny evenings, you wouldn’t believe it’s only April! We ordered some fine ales (a bitter shandy for Emma!) and cod and chips to fuel us for the journey home. We set off at 9 (after only 1 beer – not sure what’s going on there but people seem to be wanting earlier nights these days..) and headed back picking up the main road through Aylestone and home. Another pleasant evening, completing around 32 miles and home just after 10pm!

On a sunny saturday, which was more like summer than the beginning of April, Claire and I set off for a ride out to the Ferrers Craft Centre at Staunton Harald. Being very organised Claire had a route already planned, looping round to the craft centre then coming back by the more direct route. We headed west through Kirby Muxloe and Barlestone towards Barton-in-the-beans and Newton Burgoland (mainly because the names sounded interesting) then made our way north through Heather, Normanton-le-heath to Ashby. The villages were only a couple of miles apart so we were ticking them off the list quickly on our way to Ashby, uplifted by the lovely weather and the fact that we were out enjoying it on bikes and singing the Levellers ‘What a beautiful day’ in our heads. From Ashby, it was a short distance to Lount and Staunton Harald’s Ferrers Centre. We’d done 28 miles in 2 ½ hours, so feeling very pleased with ourselves, we obviously deserved some nice food. We sat outside in the courtyard, watched the visitors making garden obelisks from willow and had a big piece of homemade camembert and broccoli quiche with a jacket and salad! Lovely! Then, since we were at a craft centre with shops, we had to indulge! Being on bikes didn’t deter us, so we shopped away, and would then have to drive back later to collect the goodies which were obviously unsuitable for carrying back on bikes!

Time flew and realising we had been there for two hours, we decided we should head back by the more direct route through Whitwick, Copt Oak, Markfield, Newton Linford and Anstey. It wasn’t as pretty, and had many up-hill sections (about 10 miles worth which disappointingly reduced our average speed a little). However, we managed a total of 50 miles with a good overall average and commended ourselves on a very pleasant day out managing to build in a good cycle ride and good shopping!

Wtth the lighter evenings, it’s about time to start up the evening cycle rides, and sunshine promised for Wednesday, we met up at 6 for our first one. There’s a nice little chippy at Cosby so we agreed this would be a good place to head for. We cycled out along the Guthlaxton trail to Countesthorpe, and soon saw a sign to Cosby for 2 miles. It was still early and only 8 miles in, so we thought we’d take the longer loop round, and enjoy the evening sunshine. Charlie estimated around 5 miles – ish! We cycled on through the little villages, and at Leire, still had 5 miles to go! So probably nearer 10 then! We arrived at Cosby around 7.30 ish, after completing nearly 18 miles. Still we’d made the most of the evening and got some extra miles in! We sat on the village green to have our fish and chips from ‘the Nook’, then feeling very full and with the sun starting to fade, we made our way homewards. I was back by 9 so still time in the evening to pop out for a beer or two!

As Hels previously mentioned our 2011 venture takes us from Newcastle to Edinburgh on the Sustrans Coast and Castle cycle ride. 14 of us have signed up and as usual Hels and I not being satisfied with that, have decided to set out from Leicester……’We have cycled from Lands End to John ‘O Groats you know……blah, blah, blah!!!!

Anyway also as usual, our training seems to be in short supply, so this weekend we have decided to head out with the gang and cycle near to where our friends Phil and Jo live. So the 7 of us headed out into the beautiful Hertfordshire countryside and immediately felt lifted by the spring weather.  It was nice to see so many other cyclists out on the roads,although only boys we noticed, girls only seem to go out with male partners.

We past through some beautiful country villages, tackled a few hills but it was a fairly flat route and we rode a total of 40 miles, after cyling up and down Phil and Jo’s road, for fear of only riding 39.6 miles!

We had a lovely lunch sitting outside the farm shop at Audley….although there was some disappointment regarding the portion size of the food. Luckily Stav had brought his Birthday cake to share and we managed another stop at the pub in the last mile for crisps and a pint.

In the evening we had the first BBQ of the year. Everyone seemed a little tired in the evening and headed to bed fairly early. A little worrying after only 40 miles!!! ……..oh well, we have cycled from Lands End to John O’Groats you know!

Route details:  http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/31170328