Endure the pain. Enjoy the glory!
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November 2012
The Guvnors Assembly started gathering at the King William Public House, head quarters for the weekend for a bite to eat and a few drinks, about 10:30 p.m. hurricane Sandy’s little brother made an appearance with a downpour that had us looking into our pints and muttering something about clearing the skies for tomorrow.
Saturday morning, our prophecies proved to be correct, in the short term at least as we set off into deep dark Cheshire. Some areas of Cheshire have houses that are a magnificent triumph of money over taste, for some reason the area outside of Wilmslow seems to have avoided this blight with the lanes studded with timber cottages and Georgian farm houses, fine Pashley country indeed.
Ten miles into the ride we nipped through Tatton Park on our way to the Courtyard Cafe in Knutsford, we did pop in here last year but the amazing collection of Ordinarys along with superb make the little gem well worth digging out (and it does take some digging). Unfortunately it was also around this time the clouds decided they had been carrying their loads long enough and proceed to open up on us.
However, the Ladies and Gentlemen of the Assembly do not dissolve in a little precipitation so onwards, we proceeded passing through Peover (chuckle) then along an old coach road. On previous reconnoitres the sides of the tracks were a little rutted however the centre of the track was laid with thousands of pebbles set on edge that provides a handsome riding surface, if a little bumpy. The downside as pointed out, is when the cobbles are covered with several inches of fallen leaves it’s a little hard to tell where the pebbles end and the muddy ruts begin. Fortunately we had Mr Charles blazing a trail and showing, with no thought for his personal safety exactly where not to go.
A pleasant lunch at the Church Inn at Mobberly saw us all fed and watered before the final short dark dash back to HQ.
Washed and brushed up, we met up again for enough Tapas to feed most of Spain and a few glasses of Rioja
Sunday morning saw us meeting up for a quick spin out to Tatton Park again, this time for tea and cake in the courtyard. Fortunately the sun was out in all it’s autumn glory complimenting the yellow and russet leaves in the park, it was all rather idyllic really. Drinks and cakes consumed we completed the loop back to HQ where the Ladies and Gentlemen who had to push on bid their fare thee well’s whilst the remaining Guvnors popped up the road for a final pint and a chat before making our collective ways home.
As always it’s always great to see new faces, wonderful to meet you Mr Lincstcq. Mrs Lincstcq you rode a blinder and thank you for not shouting at me when you had your little “incident” on the pavé.
Mr Booster, thank you for organising the accommodation and food on the Saturday, as I always maintain, trying to organise cyclist is much akin to herding cats.
To be honest I was a little surprised we ever managed to have a first Holly Run, but here we are a nearly a year later and it was still as much fun as the first time – Thank you for your excellent company Ladies and Gentlemen of the Assembly.
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Well Ladies and Gentlemen, it is that time of year again, well nearly, we have moved the Holly Run through to this side of Christmas not wanting to chance our arm with the Weather gods twice on the run.
We have a slightly different format this year to last year, hopefully you will approve?
On the Saturday we will meet at Wilmslow train station, looking to set off at ten ante-meridian as promptly as The Guvnors Assembly can manage, light is against us a little at this time of year and even though we should have plenty of time to complete the ride in daylight we may as well push on rather than stand around in a forlorn car park.
The actually ride is a little over thirty miles with a tea stop around the ten mile mark and a pub lunch just over twenty miles, as ever we will be pottering along at a steady pace, I think it is fair to say we have always managed to return with as many riders as we set out with, even gained a few on the odd occasion.
The route sticks to the Cheshire Plain, and while pretty is most certainly gentle riding.
We aim to be back in Wilmslow before dark (although it maybe worth packing lights just on the off chance). Mr Booster has been good enough to organise a table at the King William pub for us all in the evening for our tea. We dined her last year, unusually for a traditional pub they serve a really rather good Tapas with portion sizes to satisfy the hungriest of riders.
The Sunday is a little different, with a view to riders needing to set off home at various times we have a little plan.
Mr Booster has kindly offered to lead a slightly more strenuous route than the previous day, although having ridden the route we are happy to vouch for the quality of the ride with a few interesting little twists. Mr Booster has suggested a start time between 9:30 and 10:00 a.m. returning back to base around 3:00p.m. again the route is about thirty miles with a couple of well chosen pit-stops.
For those of us who will need to be off a little earlier, your humble writer will take anyone interested for a little potter, we can adjust the return time to suit but if possible Mr Booster’s ride is well worth doing.
So, Ladies and Gentlemen, there you have it. We look forward to seeing a few new faces and renewing old friendships, any questions pop over to the forum you may even get a sensible reply.
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