Cappuccino Ride: Nowton Park to Monks Eleigh - Sunday 20th February 2011

Route - Lt Whelnetham - Cockfield Green - Lavenham - Brent Eleigh - Monks Eleigh - Semer - Thorpe Morieux - Lt Whelnetham - BSE

Distance 46 miles

Average speed 14.6mph

Present: (see team photo excluding me) Kim Muchmore/ Joshua Stuart/ Viv & Jackie Smith (Team Ricoh) / Brian Alldis/ Neil Grimmer / Darren Baker/ Nathan Colman/ Jonathan Howe

An overcast, damp, misty Nowton Park and about 3 or 4 degrees C greeted 9 intrepid Cappuccino riders last Sunday. The wind was a deceptive North Easterly, which had already caught out the Espresso run which had been spotted headed in a rather odd direction. I had just been hanging on from Bridge Street up the A134 into the wind, so I was pretty confident I was right.

North Easterly - "Harleston, Attleborough, Diss, Bressingham ..." I suggested. and Nathan completed my chain of places with ".... Monks Eleigh". ??? A little confused by this, I remembered my argument in favour of club runs with a set route and a good coffee stop, irrespective of wind direction. "Great idea! - Let's go". I was a bit concerned about Rushbrook Lane, but Nathan assured me everyone had good tyres, which were words he would later eat whilst mending a puncture.

Off we set, up the 4% incline from Nowton Park heading south, at a steady 12 to 14mph to warm things up, or try to. Fairly early on it became clear that this route was an undulating one and there was a very polite request for things to be toned down just a fraction. Communication in the peleton is always a good thing, so things were toned down on the up, and we gave it a bit of welly on the descents while our teeth chattered.

At Cockfield Green Nathan decided we should head for Lavenham directly, presumably searching for the tail wind after the few little bumps. Right - I made a snap decision for the A1141 due south road, completely forgetting about the nasty gradient I think is called "Likely Hill" up to the Water Tower. Sugar. I was glad to get some blood flowing, but I suspect our hill struggler was starting to make a voodoo doll of me at the back of the peleton.

So it was going to be A1141 all the way to Monks Eleigh and we held a steady pace, whilst mooting the coffee stop. Nathan said "Clay Hill", so I said I would see his "Clay Hill" and raise him a "Semer Hill". Bit of a lead balloon, but gauntlet thrown down there was no going back. As a matter of courtesy we consulted. Two said they would stop at Corncraft and allow the rest to do the extra loop; obviously wise people. The others were ambivalent or Brian who on this day was up for anything.

7 continued up Clay Hill and the pack was blown to bits. We reformed. Just a taster boys. We got up a fair pace along the top as we flew past Hollowtrees, unaware that the Espresso run were probably having their stop there. There is hard evidence of the loop we took on the image courtesy of Garmin. We took a left turn off the A1141 on the tiny road to the B1115, and down the main road, past the 11% gradient sign, and flew down the descent. Then it was nose on the front wheel braking for the left turn to Semer Hill. I had planted the seed of 11% as a warning. The boys had no experience of Semer Hill and flew past me. "Take it steady". I warned. The last time I had climbed Semer Hill was with an in form Peter Stephenson-Wall at 18mph, full gas, and it nearly killed me. I was not about to shoot my bolt - so I went to the back and made my way through the field to check all were okay. The boys were awesome. Brian was amazing in what (with apologies) I inadvertently called the "Hand Job". I was called a few names I have yet to look up in the dictionary, and one person called the hill "quaint" (at least I think that's what he said :-)). We reformed at the top, and I think there was a sense of achievement. Red polka dot jerseys all round, now let's give it some down to Coffee and Cake ....

Exhilarated ... I went on the front and tried to pull everyone at 20mph. Those those came with me had a super descent to Corncraft. I was max speed, desperate to find my hands again. I had lost them back in Lavenham, even with 2 pairs of gloves.

I went to Corncraft on my very first Cappuccino ride in the Summer of 2009. We should go there more. We took over the back half and thawed. Eyes too big for belly Howe got a caramel slice and gave half of it away, and we all felt better after the stop. Viv introduced himself to myself and Darren Baker, then said we looked like two cyclists he often saw in Caffe Nero on a Saturday. "Not us" we said. Then Nathan piped up and said something perhaps only he could come up with "That's probably Sharon and Dawn". "What?" "Sharon and Dawn from the club". I pointed out that this was amazingly offensive both to Sharon and Dawn (who he implied look like two dudes), and to Darren and I (even though if I were female I would quite like to look like either of them :-)). With that belly laugh we were off.

Team photos and heading home. "Any hills on the way back?" asked our hill phobic. Er no, apart from that little one 50 metres out of Corncraft... honest. The topography will be seen from the Garmin image. It wasnt flat.

We had one puncture. Jackie. At that point Brian had his wings and was flying about 1/4 mile off the front. Nathan got his pump out, and I went off to get Brian. By the time Brian got back, Nathan had fixed the puncture - about 4 mins. Slacking .... Jackie's tyre was hanging on by a thread and it was thought anything about 40psi could destroy things. The worst tyre I ve seen since Peter S-W on the Aldeburgh ride in the summer. So Nathan - everyone is on good tyres eh .... mmm.

There was a bit of a struggle at times on the return, but it was relaxed and friendly. We dropped noone, and I had one of the most enjoyable club rides I can remember. Others remarked on it too. Having said that, it did take me an hour to thaw out properly when I got home.

Thank you crew. You were all brilliant and well done. 46 miles at 14.6mph average riding as a team - that's what I m talking about ....

JH