First of all, thank you to our estimied yellow leader for giving me the honour of writing today’s report. It would have helped if he’d told me earlier and I might have made more of an effort to remember what actually happened today.
A beautiful sunny morning greeted us and, after the previous day’s exertions, we were all looking forward to a slightly more forgiving ride. We met on the riverside and followed the cycle path along the river eastwards.
Today’s sporty group was reconfigured as Peter, Adrian, Frank and Steve. Mike dropped back to join us others and we split after the cycle path ended.
The morning was spent on lovely, gently rolling roads, working our way towards the lunch stop. No need or time for a coffee stop, which was just as well as we didn’t pass anywhere suitable, though I was accosted by a farmer in a pickup wanting to know if cyclists were a good target market for his coffee barn. We did see Maggie and Adrian’s old base at Shawbury.
Lunch was at the Boathouse on the mere of Ellesmere. We were looking forward to meeting Peter’s imaginary friend and top cyclist but, unfortunately, there was no sign.
Fast service and good food at the Boathouse. Ken went mad with a heart attack on a plate double bacon cheeseburger. Tony had soup, for a change!
More gentle riding including through the oddly named Ruyton-XI-Towns and we slipped back into Shrewsbury for an early bath with the football fans among us looking forward to the FA Cup Final.
Steve the hacker (geddit Peter!) made an attempt to hack the Lion’s computer system but was foiled at the last and probably got the assistant manager the sack.
The evening finished with raucous goings on in ASK Italian, culminating with Rob’s hilarious scouse/cockney report on the cup final.
Tomorrow we go our separate ways with some foolhardy types cycling back to Glos in the rain and others doing one more short ride from Shrewsbury.
Thank you to everyone for being so welcoming to my mate Tony (the 4th shire) – he never knew cycling could be such fun!
David
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