When did a Cafe and back ride become a 50 mile spin?

Summer has definitely gone. Not that it was ever really here! Knee warmers, Arm warmers and even the winter jacket have had outings this week! What is good though is that there are still a high number of riders out in the cold wet windy dark night rides.

Mrs Palefish was working all weekend, so I had to rely on my fantastic in laws to look after the boys this morning. I promised to be back before lunch, which meant a 7am start for the club ride today.
There was a definite nip in the air this morning, in hindsight I should have worn some overshoes too, but I was only planning a quick Cafe and Back spin so didn't think it was necessary.

I was joined at the 12th Man by 11 other mad riders in the 4 degree chill. We rode up to Irby, then on to Thornton and Raby where we met up with Tim. We had an hour to waste until Eureka opened, so we rode through the lanes, including the Missing Link, or "Sh1t alley" as it is locally known, and on to Little Sutton, then back to the Cycle Path and never Ending Lane reaching Eureka just on 8.30. Anne questioned our mental state for being up so early, and was a little worried as she hadn't expected to have 13 people turn up at opening time, and had given her staff a lie in till 9o'clock! She coped fantastically and we were all warming up with steaming cups of coffee and the best pick of Cake in no time at all!

Palefish CC first at the bar!

Any excuse for an Instagram Photo!

We left Eureka as it started to fill up and headed back through Puddington, Burton and Ness, including Denhall lane climb, just for fun! After a dip down to Park Gate and the climb back out up Boathouse, we headed into Lower Heswall and decided it would be a good idea to go up School Hill, a jolly little bump that climbs up out of Lower Heswall!
From this point we started to shed riders peeling off as we rode near to their homes, and after a fast run from Heswall to Caldy and then a ride into the wind along the front at Hoylake 6 of us arrived back at the 12th Man, as planned at 11o'clock. It is a good measure of haw far we have come as a group of riders. When we first started, 25 miles was the cafe and back distance. Today we did more miles after the Cafe stop than before and the whole ride totalled 50 miles!

I popped in to the 12th Man to let them know that the noisy bikers who disrupt their car park three times a week were actually going to spend some money in their premises on Tuesday night, for the 2nd club social. They have kindly agreed to reserve a quiet corner for us to be rowdy in! If you are around the Greasby Area on Tuesday night why not pop in and join us?

It looks like next week will be a quiet week in the saddle for me. Social on Tuesday, Going to Newquay and back on Thursday, so I don't think I will make the Club ride, and the Cycle Show on Sunday in Birmingham! I wonder what goodies will be on display this year? Photo's and thoughts in the next update.

I have been messing about with a free web builder this week, as I think eventually the club will need a site, rather than the FaceBook group page. Have a look and feel free to comment, and offer advice. http://palefish.moonfruit.com/ (it needs Flash player so don't look at it on your Phone or iPad)
You will have also noticed the new Blog format. I really liked the old one, but it somehow became corrupted and didn't layout correctly any more. Again, any comments or ideas please let me know.

A Video Tribute To The Eureka Cafe

Beans and a Spare... from Jon Derricott on Vimeo.

The last throes of Summer?

I had the weekend off from the bike last week to go back to Scotland for a family wedding. We stayed in a fantastic lodge, and discovered some great roads and routes to explore in the future. Possibly the first Palefish CC tour next year?

The week night club rides are still well attended, even though the light is rapidly disappearing. I think some of the lads have taken it as an excuse to indulge in some retail therapy. Lots of new bright lights on show last week! The temperature is also disappearing, not that it was ever that high through the summer. I even dug out my arm and knee warmers on Thursday night!! 

The weather forecast for the weekend looked good, so to celebrate possibly the last dry, warmish day of the  summer I planed a route into Wales that would be a challenge and offer us some stunning views.

There were three rendezvous points, the Twelfth Man at 7, The Glegg Arms at 7.25 and Eureka Cafe at 7.45. We must be getting better at organising ourselves as we met each time nearly dead on. 

So, 14 of us headed down towards the Dee path and into Wales. This was the first trip into this area for a couple of the lads. 

regrouping on the Dee Path

It wasn't long until we started to climb up into the hills. The first sections up to Hope are nice and steady, but then the first of the real climbs comes up quickly.
The Steps rise just over 500ft in three and a half miles. It is difficult to get into a steady rhythm, as the name suggests, the climb rises in stages, with some false flats in between each ramp. Using the new found climbing technique I discovered in Scotland I didn't break any  speed records but I did get up without using up all my energy!

Laz at the top of the Steps.

From the Steps we rode on to the Worlds End climb. This is another tough climb, over 600ft in just over 2 miles. But the views are worth every square pedal stroke!

The start of the Descent

Palefish on top of the Worlds end

The descent into Llangollen is a tricky one, with some loose gravely single track roads, and even a ford right across the middle of a bend at the bottom of the steepest section!

The last big climb of the day was the Horseshoe Pass. I have ridden this a few times before, and never made it up without stopping for a breather! I was determined to make the 3.0 mile 1000ft climb in one go, even if it was at a snails pace! I did it, and even got a PR on strava!!
I think that I am actually getting to like climbing, and if I keep practising, and not worrying about how fast I make the distance, in time I will get quicker by default! (there is always hope!)

At the top of the climb we stopped at the Ponderosa for a coffee and to refuel ( Chip butty was the order of the day for most!) However, Laz showed us how much effort he had put with an exceptionally large refuel!! 

The benefit of all the climbing that we had done to get to the Horseshoe pass, and just over halfway round the ride, was that for the most part, it is all down hill to get home, except for the up bits!
We got back to Eureka, where we had planned to stop for a quick pit stop, but everyone, except Laz who needed to charge his phone, and himself as he had decided to go on and do a hundred miles, chose to continue and get back home.
I am very happy to say that Laz exceeded his goal and rode 127 miles, a fantastic achievement, especially with all the climbing in the morning.

I can also report that Palefish CC rider Dave Lindesay has successfully completed his Lands end John O'groats ride. Now that's a challenge I may have to rise to one day!