Led the shop ride, bit of a rant, cake overload, all good in the end!

Fellow Evertonian, Big Steve, was freed for quick stuff today

So today I was lucky enough to plan the route and lead the social ride. I just recycled one of my routes from another time but that was ok because we did some stuff we don't normally do. Iain Tingle  led the faster lads. Rich McNab was my tail gunner, although he didn't have the best day at the back. More on that later.

I don't remember when I made this route or why but what I did was include tonnes of my favourite quiet roads. The road from Rushton to Pipewell, Church Lane Harrington, Mill Lane and Hannington to Orlingbury being my highlights. The best hill of the day was indeed the women's tour QoM into Harrington...except I didn't ride it. Unfortunately half the group went the wrong way and I went off to find them. Then people went looking for me and it all got confused. We were strung out because of a fast descent and for me this is the time I want some gaps in the group for safety. Because we'd gone the other way recently half the group turned off. When I caught up with them Rich was upset about people not listening to him and I was upset that people had turned where I would not pass a junction without a full group. So there was a rant. Sorry about that everyone but once rules were re-established the rest of the ride was a dream. We had some newbies and I really hope they weren't put off. 

Back at the shop my amazing wife had provided three cakes. Two types of beetroot cake, one of which was demolished by the quicks before we got there. The chocolate and beetroot was in my opinion a bit special. Because Andy doesn't like beetroot Lee also made him a vanilla sponge. However it was Justin Smith's 40th birthday and he provided cake too! Happy birthday mate, I really enjoyed my 40th I hope you do too. You're a lucky man to get a ride in on the big day. I'm guessing there will be so e cake left for the Sunday riders.

Nice to see Dave

Still boiling 

Mr McNab

Lord Vader

Andy had to man the shop today and I know he was disappointed about that but those are the breaks sometimes. If he wasn't at the helm in the Death Star we would never have got this great club. I did feel sorry for him though.

Cake ahoy

Finally I'm a jammy git so not only did I get a great ride with my club mates I also got to go to Franklins Gardens, home of the English Champions, Northampton Saints. It's been an emotional week with the death of Saints mascot Luis Ghaut. There was a fitting tribute with a minutes applause. The lads did not let Luis down, with a bonus point win over league leaders (not now though,) Bath. With Everton salvaging a point and Europe going well in the Ryder cup, this has pretty much been the perfect day.

The minutes applause at Saints

Happy Peddaling