Club runs - Tuesdays & Thursdays (in British Summer Time!): See below for reports on Chain Gangs

New Meeting Places!!! There is a set circuit - Tuesdays: meet on A49 after junction with M56 to leave at 6.30 p.m.; Thursdays: meet at Daresbury village intake lane to leave at 6.30 p.m. If in doubt about where we're meeting, e-mail Darrell with a telephone number and I'll call to explain it! The route runs clockwise one day and anti-clockwise on the other, always the same route on the same day. We're usually back in Warrington for 7.30 / 7.45 and it's roughly 35 miles. There are shortcuts on these routes if you get dropped, so you can pick up the chain gang again to finish off, - don't worry, lots of the lads know the shortcuts!

Wednesdays (all year round): a number of riders meet at Weaverham Bridge (North of Frodsham) at 11.00 a.m. and amble through the lanes to the Eureka Cafe at Two Mills, The Wirral. At approximately 1.00 pm  they meander back through the lanes to Warrington, arriving around 4.00 p.m., with a mileage of usually 60 miles.

Saturdays (January/February): meet at Bridge Foot Memorial at 1.00 p.m. for a chain gang session. Roughly, the route comprises neutral zone on the A50 up to Poplars Truck Stop, at which the chain gang starts, proceeds along the A50 through Knutsford and on to Holmes Chapel. Short of Holmes Chapel, a right turn down Pennys Lane leads to Northwich and then a calmed, neutral zone to the Slow & Easy Pub. From Northwich the route returns via Great Budworth to finish at the motorway island at Stretton. This is roughly 40 miles and takes approximately 1.5 to 1.75 hours.

Sundays (all year round): meet again at Bridge Foot Memorial at 9.00 a.m. for the Club Run. The route depends on the weather forecast and numbers, but this year on average we have had 14 riders out, with half turning back to be back in Warrington for about 1.00 p.m. The rest head for a cafe stop around lunch time and set their sights to be back in Warrington for around 4.00 p.m. In Winter it's around 80 miles and in Summer tops 100+ and is back later.

The Saturday Chain gangs started again on , 5th January 2008

Steve Hankey Wrote:  Dear All, Hope Xmas and New Year went well.

Sat. Chain Gang:

 First Saturday chaing gang went quite well, everyone got round despite a 24 mph run out ('tail wind assisted') so it can't have been too hard. Think there were about 12 or 13 out, including a rare appearance by Mr. Giddins. As predicted (by yours truly) a vintage display was provided by Mr. Hilton despite "not having touched the bike since September", we can all only hope that some of his magic rubs off on us all.

 Same again for next week, the more the merrier. Meet at 1.00pm in town, leave no later than 1.15pm. Its about a 32 mile round trip from Town to the 'Finish line'.

Saturday 12th January 2008

Steve Hankey Wrote.

Saturday Chaingang:

I can’t remember exactly who was out but do remember there were 13 of us once we picked Andy up on the A50, not bad but it was a sunny day with not much wind. Mr Giddins and Mr Horton were conspicious by their absence though. Nice and steady again, don’t think anyone got dropped all the way round to Pickmere and everyone was coming through until the end of Penny’s lane. Same old story after that, Alf Pantani powered up the hill and everyone fought for his rear wheel. Think there were about 4 or 5 pretty much together at the end Alf H, Ste H, Bob B, Nick H and Darren P. Alf again took the winner’s bouquet. Think Sicknote and Darrell may have snook off to the ice cream farm in Budworth for a ‘99’ though.

Sunday Run:

Bit overcast, which turned to drizzle by the time we got to Audlem. Block head-wind all the way for 35 miles, 4 stoppped at the cafe and 4 came straight back. Two turned off before Audlem. At least it was fast all the way home, 24-27 mph according to the speedo following Alf’s wheel. To prove there is a god though, Mr Hilton punctured before Winsford on the way back and got covered in s**t. At least 3 people found this slightly amusing. Back for 1.30 ish, on the sofa for 2.00pm (if only).

Saturday 19th January 2008

No Report:

Saturday 26th January 2008

Steve Hankey Wrote.

Saturday Chain Gang.

13 out in total, not bad again, quite mild for the time of year. Alf, Andy, Darren, Sicknote, Dave W, Carl (of the BBC blog fame), Bob, SH, Steve Hargreaves, Martin, Warren, sorry everyone else I can't remember them all.   Pretty windy all the way round but nearly all got through and off as far as Penny Lane. Once into Pennys Lane the head wind made it a little tougher and the number of workers soon dwindled to about half a dozen by the end. The suicide attacks from 'Marco' Webster and 'Claudio' Wright only served to act as a couple of big carrots for everyone to chase down through the dip and up the other side near the 'Slow and Easy Pub/Wincham bit. A counter from 'Eros' Hilton soon took him and me away for a bit of 2-Up action all the way to the top of the hill where we almost crossed the line hand in hand a la Hinault / Lemond, didn't have the heart to jump him for the sign after hanging on. Not sure what happened behind with the chase, apart from Sicknote and Darrell going off for a meander through Budworth.

Saturday 2nd Feb 2008

Steve Hankey Wrote.

Saturday Chaingang:

Cool/fresh and windy but dry.

Despite the above, Carl was out on Saturday. Pace was pretty steady again all the way out (only coz we hadn’t read the above at that point) despite the roaring headwind. Darrell disappeared at Knutsford as he wasn’t feeling ‘in the zone’. This left about 10 of us which worked quite well until about half way down Pennys Lane. Usual story from then on, DW jumped the lights at the Slow and Easy Pub, everyone chased down the hill and up the other side, everyone was then too tired*/scared* to come through (delete as applicable) until we reach the Col du Budworth. Steve ‘not been on the bike since Xmas’ Jolley went through and then there were only 4. Bit of firm pacing followed to the next incline which was followed by a bit of a mini-jump which then reduced this to 2. Again there was no sprint at the top, think we must all be mellowing with our old age.

Alf’s Sunday Chaingang (previously known as the Sunday Run)

Cool, even windier than Saturday, abour 11-12 out. (AH, SH, TH, SH, DE, DW, MC, SJ, SD, KJ, BB, DT.....)

Riding out into the wind Alf went from the gun and Darren regretfully/foolishly (for him) got alongside him. After about ½ a mile he was less alongside him and more half-alongside him (visually estimated to be approximately ½ a wheel behind). After 30 minutes of this and with the deafening blast of Steve Davies’ pulsemeter hitting the 180’s in his ears, Darren decided to make a tactical withdrawl to the back,............. followed by a tactical withdrawl back home. I haven’t got Darren’s e-mail address but if we ever see him again I’ll make sure I get it. Then, with a satisfied glint in his eye, Alf then turned off knowing his work was done, allegedly he had some work to do, no doubt this a euphemism for “2 hours level 5 on the tubo in a big gear”.

For everyone else the plan was to beat the rain and make it home by 12-2pm, it was out through Frodsham, Helsby, Christleton, Tattenhall, Beeston, Oulton Park, Sandiway, Acton Bridge and home. Totted up to about 60-70 miles depending on where you live. Never saw the promised rain till tea--time though !!

 

 

Tuesdays & Thursday Chaingangs started on April 4th.