. . . . one Café and some punctures. Due to pressure on my time since Wednesday the detail of this ride in largely good weather is a little hazy. Because we were (probably) over twenty riders, and because last week's ride was a tumble-strewn fiasco largely caused by similar numbers, it was decided that we should split into two (I seem to remember being the last to be selected) and that we would all go to Hollow Trees, but not necessarily by the same route. Justin and Peter's group rolled out first followed by us. We were fortunate in having TT on our side (we wouldn't get lost) plus Glenn Morris to assist with punctures.
We had a couple of punctures en route, most notable was the one suffered by Dawn which was caused by a huge flint. So huge was it that Glenn insisted that I take its photo. The result was out of focus, so won't be displayed - but rest assured that it could have been mistaken for a Saxon arrowhead. It later came to light that Glenn had lost his plastic wallet containing credit card etc. There's no sign in my photo of anything similar lying on the ground, but we could have a 'spot the plastic wallet' competition. After realising his loss while standing in the queue at Hollowtrees, Glenn went back to have a look - without success. He didn't seem to have been away long enough to have reached the spot in the photo. What an unfair thing to happen to one who is always so ready to help others.
The puncture had happened on a section of road that was a new experience even to TomTom! We took a left in Boxford, before Cox's Hill, that looks like a footpath in front of a row of very old houses, which then widens to a lane, then narrows again to - what do you call the next size down from a lane? Then becomes a lane with very tall grass down the middle. We reached a T junction, went left. I assumed that we had met a more substantial road. I was extremely wrong. It got smaller again, and extremely steeeep. Then went down, then up and then Dawn had her puncture. Which brings us back to the café in the previous paragraph. The other half of the ride left after about 15 minutes, and we stayed for the usual 'slightly too long'. Tony Panting put some more air into his tyre, stopping short of admitting to possible puncture - which, inevitably, it turned out to be about five miles later. We are entering that part of the year when puncture-prevalence is at its highest. It will last until April or, even, May. Time to buy new tyres.
SJH
We had a couple of punctures en route, most notable was the one suffered by Dawn which was caused by a huge flint. So huge was it that Glenn insisted that I take its photo. The result was out of focus, so won't be displayed - but rest assured that it could have been mistaken for a Saxon arrowhead. It later came to light that Glenn had lost his plastic wallet containing credit card etc. There's no sign in my photo of anything similar lying on the ground, but we could have a 'spot the plastic wallet' competition. After realising his loss while standing in the queue at Hollowtrees, Glenn went back to have a look - without success. He didn't seem to have been away long enough to have reached the spot in the photo. What an unfair thing to happen to one who is always so ready to help others.
The puncture had happened on a section of road that was a new experience even to TomTom! We took a left in Boxford, before Cox's Hill, that looks like a footpath in front of a row of very old houses, which then widens to a lane, then narrows again to - what do you call the next size down from a lane? Then becomes a lane with very tall grass down the middle. We reached a T junction, went left. I assumed that we had met a more substantial road. I was extremely wrong. It got smaller again, and extremely steeeep. Then went down, then up and then Dawn had her puncture. Which brings us back to the café in the previous paragraph. The other half of the ride left after about 15 minutes, and we stayed for the usual 'slightly too long'. Tony Panting put some more air into his tyre, stopping short of admitting to possible puncture - which, inevitably, it turned out to be about five miles later. We are entering that part of the year when puncture-prevalence is at its highest. It will last until April or, even, May. Time to buy new tyres.
SJH
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