After just finishing my porridge and bananas I (@bcfcboz) look out my front window to see Kevin (@benno112) staring in at me. The usual 15 mins early! Closely followed by Brownie (@brunone1), Ray (@heathy79), Steve (@larks99) and Will (@will_coyne).
Early bird Brady (@davejbrady) pops up after already being out. The nutter has been out since 07.30 and squeezed in a quick 23 mile before graft. Great stuff mate.
So I got my stuff together and headed outside to find the lads tackling a puncture to Will's back tyre, this is a disaster as we were due to meet people at certain times at the start of the cycle. Bike pumps at the ready we start pumping, no air is going into the tyre, we take the inner tube out to find a big split at the bottom of the valve. Knowing this cant be repaired and no spare inner tubes we find ourselves in a pickle!
All this time, Will's is just standing watching us try to fix his bike (Kids). The decision was made for Will to ride Steve's bike back to the Larkin household to pick up ill Mick's (@l4rk1n) bike, throw both bikes in the back of the van and then drive back to my place. In the meantime, the others have been made aware of our delay via text.
Albeit late, Endomondo is on and we set off. Eager to meet the others, we are making good ground, well at least I thought we was. Leading the group with Brady, I assumed everyone was keeping pace, crossing the Wheatsheaf lights, I looked back and thought all was well, but upon reaching the Ice Skating rink we stop realising that we are missing half of the group. Kevin, Steve and Will are nowhere to be seen. Myself , Ray, Brownie and Brady, are wondering where the hell they are as we are already late. We give them a couple of minutes, thinking that they are stuck at the lights. Worrying set in a few minutes later, so I phoned Kevin, who tells me that he has rode into the back of a parked car! Ha ha ha. We eventually see them riding towards us, and Kevin fills us in on his mishap.
Upon breaking, his back brake locked which caused him to loose control of his bike, so the only way to stop was to use the aid of a parked car!!!!!
Concerned, we asked him if he and his bike were okay to carry on, and offering him some Calpol 6+ we set off again.
We met up with Allen (@allenjamesuk), Frank (@frankmorris) and Andy (@primal2001) at the Olton Tavern quick intro to the lads and telling the story so far, we head off. Next stop, The Greville Arms (notice all the pub stops) there we meet Simon and Matt Barnes and the Iceman Machine that is Ben Frost (@icemanblueboy). Bored of waiting for us, Ben informs me that he had cycled round the block three times, whilst waiting. Further intros made as some of the lads have never met each other before in person, only through Facebook and Twitter.
Ready, and finally all together we head off for our training session.
Frank who has not been well of late, ducked out of the session and headed home.
Enjoying the Winter sun, out in the Countryside we are all doing good, Matt and Si are keeping up with the group considering this is their first time out on a long cycle ride. Reaching the 10 mile mark, I think some of the lads are starting to feel the pinch. The young man Will is starting to flag, asking if he is okay, he said he was struggling due to lack of sleep from the night before. Considering he doesn't drink or smoke I can only wonder why fatigue has set in ???? (Kids)
Another stop to tighten Kevin's handlebars from his earlier collision with a parked car. Ben and myself realised that some of the lads seats were not set correctly. Not that we were looking at their battycreases! This causes unnecessary pain in the knees and makes you work harder, so at 16 miles we stop near Hay Wood to make the necessary adjustments.
Not only is Alan James our Sat Nav he also carries Alan keys and other biking equipment (Pro). Also as Alan has just Tweeted "Comdey moment of the day whilst adjusting saddles, @bcfcboz (me) asks the identical twins if they are the same height ?" Setting off again everyone is happy with their new seating positions.
One mile later and at the back of the group with the twins. Emerging over a bridge to find the rest of the group in the gateway to a very posh house, Wills bike is in bits yet again - he has only got another puncture!
One mile later and at the back of the group with the twins. Emerging over a bridge to find the rest of the group in the gateway to a very posh house, Wills bike is in bits yet again - he has only got another puncture!
All the tools come out yet again. All hands to the pump whilst Will leans up the gate and moans at the fact he has no chocolate to munch on (Kids).
Thinking we had the situation under control with the inner tube patched up and back in the tyre, we head off again.
30 seconds later we hear a scream from Will "its gone again". Well with words to that effect anyway.
We managed to get at least 20 yards. LOL
These are in someones back garden!!!!!!
Checking that everyone was ready we set off again. Only to see that we are faced with the steepest hill yet. OH JOY. We all struggled to get to the top. This hurt first time outers Matt & Simon. They reached the top and thought it was time that they should head back. I think they had well and truly "hit the wall". We parted ways and headed off. (Around 18.5miles)
Will was suffering and shouting "We need to stop at the next shop for chocolate. I need a Mars bar" (Kids)
A few miles pass and we get on to a main road. Wills eyes lit up when he saw the One Stop Shop. Resting the bikes up outside everyone bar a few of us athletes race into the shop and emerge with chocolates and energy drinks.
There is Will and Steve with 2 King Size Mars bars each and a large can of Red Bull. At this point Will decided it was best to pour his Red Bull into his drinks bottle. Loosing half of it on the floor due to the fizz (Kids ay).
About to go again, I look back to see if everyone is ready and see Matt & Simon on the other side of the road. HAHAHA. We were all in bits. They nip to the shop and get there munchies and pop. Fair play to them both. They were hurting but kept at it, so with all the group back together we are on the way home.
The plan was to get towards Solihull and everyone can take their preferred route home.
Ben shot off first - Great to meet up with him and have a great chat on the way round.
Heading past Arden Oak Golf course I'm at the back of the group with Matt & Simon only to here a screech of "FORE" and a stray golf ball whizzing past Simon's front wheel. LOL WHAT ELSE COULD HAPPEN TO US TODAY? hahaha
We get to Solihull and Matt & Simon have gone. No where to be seen. Lol (we got a phone call to say they are home.)
The rest of us heading towards the Wheatsheaf started peeling off with shouts of "See ya laters boys". Allen goes first followed by Brownie. Myself, Steve & Will leave Ray outside an Off License getting his beer for the remainder of the day. Lol
1.5 mile from base we push on gladly with no further incident.
We are back.
Just in time for me to carry the shopping into the house that my Wife Emma has just done. (how about that for synchronisation?)
A cracking, funny, eventful ride out by the boys yet again. WELL DONE ALL!!
More pictures on Random pictures of our Training
Time for a brew.
Cracking blog mate.the whole experience just gets better all the time.. Loving it.. :)
ReplyDeleteOUCH!
ReplyDeleteWell done to All, you might need to check the inside of that rim if it keeps getting punctures. keep it up (pun intended) ;D
ReplyDeleteThis latest entry once again confirms that patience and persistence are omnipotent, or at least required, as well as a sense of humor when it comes to cycling, or much of anything. A large and colorful vocabulary also comes in handy.
ReplyDeleteI've had tire problems in the past where some sort of flaw in the rim kept causing punctures, where my own abuse (bending) of the valve stem did, and where some sort of embedded debris (glass?) in the tire did. Thicker rim tape, gentler inflating, and a new tire ended the !s#d%&**!! problem. However, I have much less hair now and it's much whiter. I also always ride w/ two spare tubes and a full tool kit. This in addition to my anti-Comanche kit (don't ask).
Press on!
It was a cracking ride, some nice hills and quiet roads. The tire was fine, just a crap attempt at repairing the puncture I think.
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, my spare tube saved the day and we got the boy back on his bike to finish the ride.
Looking at a nice route next to include earlswood, tanworth and knowle if the boys and gals are up for it :-)