Lark Ride to Whitegate

11 riders out at a jaunty pace for 60 miles to the tucked away old-world charm of Whitegate Station Cafe.

Larks and Larklings Full Base Camp Team: Kirsten, Sue, Russell, new member Rob (welcome Rob), Simon, Ian, Christian, Steve, Matt, Adele, Jochen, Mon, Andrew, with Dave and Carl meeting us en route and Phil at the cafe.

High points included:

Meeting the Saturday Social Ride tackling the dreaded corkscrew after crossing the canal at Fools Nook, demonstrating that the club has rides all over the locality.

Meeting the Larkling Ride in Kermincham, which enabled out-first-time-with-us Matt (welcome Matt) to trade in his free upgrade to the Lark Ride, making 11 of us.

Being towed along Twemlow Lane by a cadre of professional riders, graduates of Mon’s School of Racing Excellence.

Synchronising our lunchtime rendezvous with the Larkling Ride seamlessly: I just glimpsed Sue’s raspberry coloured jacket disappearing into the café as we crested the bridge (Larks having, to a rider, mutinied against my planned route along the Whitegate Way, opting instead for the security of the road, no idea why).

Taking a Dave H diversion (patent pending) through Hartford (along a new-to-the-ride-leader road) to avoid the planned muddy trail after Vale Royal Golf Club (the bit after the usually deserted high-end estate that, for some reason, always reminds me of the Stepford Wives).

Lower points included:

Group becoming a little ragged at times owing to a slightly higher speed than usual. Can I encourage everyone riding at the front to check back constantly to see that there is no one drifting off the back, and all riders in the middle to do the same and relay such information up the line? It is everyone’s responsibility to keep the group together, not the just the ride leader’s.

My senior moment battling with the technology to capture the ride in full glorious technicolour lycra. I’m sure Martin Parr doesn’t have these problems.

Eventually Christian steps up to the plate and saves the day for posterity.