A Non Carbon day!

I am feeling better this week, and have managed to get out on the Tuesday and Thursday evening rides with the Lads, and Lass. We haven't been pushing the distance but the pace is coming back. Hopefully normal service will soon be resumed, and will need to be as next Sunday I am attempting the Broken Spoke sportive, online registration is closed but they will accept registrations at the start on the day, if you fancy 85 miles and 1300m of climbing including the Horseshoe Pass.
When Zel told me this weeks ride from Vita Cycles was going out to Helsby and beyond, I decided that I wasn't ready for that yet, so I planned to ride out to Eureka. I sent Ade, one of the original Wirral Mamils,  a message to see if he would like to join me. Tim said he would join me as he hasn't done much in the last month and Paul signed up too. As the weather forecast for today wasn't great I decided to take the Giant out. I rode up to Paul's then on to meet Ade and finally Tim. Everyone had made the same bike choice, and for the first time in ages I wasn't surrounded by Carbon!

Low Carbon ride!

We rode out to Eureka via the lanes, through Parkgate, Neston, Burton and Puddington, and being spurred on by light drizzle we were there quite quickly. I had made the wrong clothing decision today! As I thought it would rain I wore my Santini Winter Jersey with my rain cape. It wasn't that cold though and I did overheat a little!!
We managed to beat the rush at Eureka and were sat drinking Coffee and eating cake, their rocky road is a particular favourite of mine and was calling to me to eat a slice today, when the Mersey Tri lads arrived and the Cafe filled up.

Busy day at Eureka

Once the caffeine and sugar had been taken on board we headed back. We were joined by Steve, a rider from West Kirby who was out for a ride on his own. It turns out he knows Ian and Carla and may join us in the future. Cycling is definitely a social sport. We meandered through the lanes again, this time via the missing link, Willaston, Thornton Hough, Barnston, Upton, Moreton, then round the coast to West Kirby, where Steve turned off, and then over Caldy and a final Climb up Thurstaston Hill back to Pensby.
After we had left Ade we rode back to Paul's where we indulged in another coffee and some excellent Bara Brith.
When I got home and put my bike away I was shocked to see how dirty it was! I hate to think how much worse it would have been if I hadn't had mudguards on!!!

Dirty Bike!

 I am hoping that this week I will get some longer hillier rides in on Tuesday and Thursday before the Sportive on Sunday. If anyone would like to join us we meet at the 12th man on Greasby Road at 7.45. Tim and Jon are picking up their new bikes this week so if you want to drool over some new Carbon you need to be there!

Todays ride details