Today’s ride was a car assist (well for some anyway) from Meriden. We met at the café from ten o’clock onwards so that we could move to the Village Green a few minutes before eleven and observe the one minute silence for Armistice Day, next to the Cyclists Memorial. The seventeen riders (including two new members ….and four others, all called Rob) then followed the route that we hope will be the new 50K addition to our Meriden Audax rides we organise every May. Jon P was our leader as he wanted to check out the Audax controls and any potential hazards. The morning ride went smoothly, with the exception of a rear puncture for Joan. After much convincing Clive eventually did his duty, as Joan’s husband that is, by riding back to help Nigel (who had stopped) to fix it. The rest of us meanwhile, waited for them at a junction and chatted….well there was no point in us all getting our hands dirty was there? Lunch was at The White Hart in Ridge Lane, where we were joined by Linda and Keith. We had all ordered our food and were sitting down when Clive received some complimentary (but expensive) news from the waitress. Something like, ’Nice try matey but there’s no way you are old enough to order from the OAP menu’ and promptly charged him the extra money. Following lunch, those who had cars at Meriden went back there, while the rest of us super fit, hardnosed, top athletes who had ridden all the way, headed for home.
