'Race' / Hooligan ride - Sun 27th

Bit of a new one for me as I took the rare opportunity to lead the 'race' group in the absence of our erstwhile leader, Wilko. Our group included Gareth O, Mark Hope, Dean, Clay, Darren, Ian G, Kev Evans and HMCC newbie Stuart Nisted, nice to meet you Stuart. Might have been others, shout out if I missed you out!

We set off at a steady pace in the rough direction of Ashurst Beacon while some off the cuff route planning took place with the general idea of completing the ride by about 11.30am. With Ashurst Beacon completed with no significant splits but having raised a sweat, we plunged down Crow Lane and headed off through Orrell to make the climb to Shaley but up the 'easy side'. According to Strava, several riders reached speeds of 50mph plus on the run down Shaley before a re-groupement in Kings Moss.

More off the cuff route planning at this point led to us heading north to Eccleston and then through and up to Ulnes Walton before making the turn onto North Lane where the wind finally felt at our backs before the final plunge down the A59 for the cafe sprint (for the minor places ).

It's worth noting that a 'race' group phenomenom known as 'speed creep' had begun to rear it's head on the run to Eccleston, with the pace beginning to get a bit tasty as we approached the turn onto North Road. A slightly devil-may-care left turn at a junction led to me getting away on my own although I did wait for the group to get back. 'Speed creep' then re-occurred and led to myself, Dean and Stuart getting a gap as the speed reached 25 - 30mph.

That gap was never closed by the time we got to the cafe with a rather flushed 'race' group arriving at Rufford in a somewhat sweaty state. No-one stopped for a brew (not the done thing for 'racer' types don't you know  ) so separate ways were wended. Not before Clay noted that the last 11 miles were ridden at an average of 23mph 

Now I know everyone's thinking how awesome it was that the 'racers' could ride at such a pro-peloton wannabe average speed, but the post-ride Twitter analysis was very much focused on at just whose feet the blame for speed-creep could be laid. After much debate, and decent swerving by Dean and I, it has been decided that the blame lay entirely with Kevan's cat 'who made him do it'. So there you go, never trust a cat.

And before I go, a couple of lost propery notices;

Ian Gallagher lost a pair of legs, unceremoniously ripped off somewhere near Tarleton.

Gareth Olley lost a lung, might be in a hedge somewhere, somewhere up a hill.

Distance ridden - anywhere from 50 - 80 miles depending on where you live / amount of 'secret' training before the club ride.