C ride. 99k/61 miles. Sunday 18th. 9:00 departure. Hill race "celebration"

[CeGi]

Tradition, tradition.
George's ride will end there. Phil's ride will start from there. So to make my contribution to the 'Hill competition' tradition, I'll mix both and propose this hybrid solution:
We'll start from the BH at 9:00 with George's lot to reach the race site by about 10:00. We'll go halfway down Winwood hill to admire the masochists suffer where it's steepest (you can stay at the top of the hill if you prefer). Once over, we'll follow the route from Phil's A ride towards Broadacres but at a more reasonable pace (hoping the A group will not completely wipe out the cafés stock of bacon and bread and will leave some behind for us). On the way back, there'll be the option for those who need to back back early or who have had enough to cut short via Barn green. For the braves, and because it's the 'hill race celebration', we'll have Rowney Green Hill and Weatheroak Hill as a final treat to top up an overall deceptively hilly ride.

Long story short, route will be: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40919179
Expected average speed 13.5 mph average.
Return in Northfield expected around 15:30 for those following the full route (and bearing in mind possible waiting time at the café or unexpected mechanical)

Ian Gannon
Ced G
Mariana Sorrill
Mark Stammers


NB1: Please note that due to medical reasons I use a handle-bar extender, a bit like TT-bars. I use this to relief the pain of NHS diagnosed trapped nerves in my wrists and elbow. I do NOT use these to ride like a TT racer, to draft behind others or similar performance seeking stunts.
Every bike ride, be it commute, ride alone or in group, entails its share of risks (bad road surface, motorised traffic, natural elements, our or other riders' mistakes or inattentions...). This is common knowledge and we all ride at our own risk. Nevertheless if my use of this extender this makes you feel uncomfortable, please do not join my rides.

NB2: Please also note that due to a combination of overloaded bike, love handles and betablockers, I am slow going uphill. Do not expect Alps climbing performance from me. So do not be surprised if you'll probably all overtake me during climbs. We'll regroup at the top and carry on from there.

[Mariana278]

Count me in, I haven’t been on my bike for 4 weeks só O’Neill try to keep up with you guys

[IanG]

I’m in

[CeGi]

Count me in, I haven’t been on my bike for 4 weeks só O’Neill try to keep up with you guys

No worries Mariana, you know that when uphill I am a . You'll have no issue. On top of that, lengthwise, the escape route in Barnt green was built in on purpose and might actually be tempting even to myself

[MarkS]

Sounds like fun, I'm in.

Mark

[CeGi]

Nice ride, with quite a bit of hills.
Nice atmosphere at Winwood heath hill and even nicer one at the café where I never saw that many Beacon tops on one outing.

On our ride we unfortunately lost Ian just after Winwood because of a pain in his Achilles' tendon, and the party animal Mariana did very well for her return on the saddle after 4 weeks and stuck with us for all but the last 12 miles.
Ian Gannon
Ced G (L)
Mariana Sorrill
Mark Stammers

All in all a great day out