Weekend Ride

My good and dearest friend Peter and myself decided to register with Skyride https://www.goskyride.com. it has been setup to introduce local riders to each other, for rides to be organised and riders then register to take part.
The site promotes all aspects of cycling with particular emphasis on the everyday rider, whatever their level might be. Go to the site if you are interested and there is something for all cyclists however keen you are..

This Sunday we took part in our first event, organised by a fellow cyclist Phil Holliday. It started from Salcey Forest (it is a dense wood, slightly misnamed) in Northamptonshire and took us around North Buckinghamshire, through the country lanes via Stony Stratford through Milton Keynes, stopping at Newport Pagnell and then onto Olney, returning to the car park at Salcey (just as well as the car was there!) In all it covered about 58 miles and it took us approximately 6 hours, longer than anticipated but there were a number of stops for riders who had "dropped" off the "peleton" and a couple of longer ones for so as we could feed and water. 
Eleven participants started all except one on road bikes and all of us wrapped up, as, though a sunny morning with a beautiful blue sky, it is October and an Autumn chill was in the air. 
I was a little apprehensive, as this would be my first group ride for 30 odd years and I was not sure how well I would keep up (I am slow going UP hills). Everyone seemed friendly, although it surprising how difficult it is to tell someones age, when they are donned in a cycle helmet!
I have done a couple of charity rides in recent years but in those I was on my own or with Peter and everyone goes at their own pace with no obligation to keep up or wait for any rider. A group ride by definition is exactly that and whilst it would separate from time to time the purpose is to start and finish together.
Without describing the route (mostly flat with the odd incline or steepish hill, nothing that would concern the average rider or tire them to much) in great detail and thus becoming a boring description of this road and that incline, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I kept up pretty well, indeed we both did. Don't make any mistake, we were not riding at tour pace or anything close (nor could we) but there were times when we were spinning along at a fair rate of knots. I am sure, as it appeared in the latter stages, that three or four, were able to ride quicker than I can but I did find myself, surprisingly, at the front quite often. I write this not to "big" myself up, I was genuinely, stunned! I will admit that on this particular day I felt great and that I could easily ride  the distance required. All cyclists will  understand that some days you just feel full of riding and this was one of those days. It all balances out, as there will be future days when the opposite will be true and a ride will become a real grind! You have to enjoy the days when the the legs are able to speed you along at a good cadence and of course the conditions helped, the morning was about as perfect as it gets in October, crisp and sunny, fantastic!I
On the way back from Olney,  four or five of us went ahead at a faster pace and I really enjoyed the comfort of being drafted along as the riders in front shelter you and punch a hole in the air. It had been a long time since I had experienced the phenomenon and it is amazing how it drags you along. I did not manage to hang on to the wheel in front the whole of the of that leg of the ride but it was great. Of course during the ride, there were times when I got dropped (up hills) and I hung back at one point to accompany Sharon, who was struggling and brought her into Olney where she phoned a friend to come and pick her up. She was the only female on the ride and self admittedly said she had not ridden enough miles recently to prepare.
We lost one more rider on the way home to Salcey but he had already ridden double the distance, than he had ever attempted before, so no shame there.
I had left Peter behind on this last leg and when we stopped in Hanslope and he caught up he professed that he was "knackered". We only had 5k to go and it was almost completely flat, so he tucked in behind me and we rode in tandem to the finish.
Everyone who did finish seemed very pleased with the days ride and we said our goodbyes albeit it a little later than originally intended ( I hope those words do not come back to haunt me).
I arrived home and my darling wife Wendy had, as promised, had conjured up some of her superb Lentil soup, which was very welcome and slipped down to warm me after the inevitable shower.
I felt tired but also a tremendous sense of well being, as only one can after a enjoyable physical effort. 
I would like to extend my thanks to all the riders, you were great company and I hope to ride with as many of you as possible again soon. special thanks to Phil for organising and to my best mate Peter for driving there and back.