Riding High, Riding Pretty!: Bunny Hops and Cakes!

Hello blog lovers.

It's Monday morning and it's riding with the Panagua Ladies again. Just in case you don't know about Panagua, this is there shop in Hayes, where we all met this morning.

You can see Mhairi in the door way!

There was a nice group of us today, Mhairi with her offspring, he was being an honorary lady today (his school has finished already!). Then there was Louise, Debbie, Linda, Bims and me! Mhairi asked how far, or how many miles we wanted to do, but Bims has work issues (she has to go to work!), so annoying when work gets in the way!

Mhairi's little darling!

So it's off to Downe we go, we know we can do that in the time that we have. And of course there are those delightful hills! Always good to have a challenge in your rides.......right?! Mhairi took to lead and Louise took the tail end, sandwiched between the Panagua Ladies we snaked our way up towards Keston.

Mhairi's son was riding behind me, we had only gone about half a mile up the road (he was also in a Panagua jersey) and his mum called from the front of the pack "You ok son?" and the reply came back "Bored!" her son is a typical young dude! He is a very good rider, and when he was given permission to ride up to 'the bus stop and wait!" he zoomed up there like a budding Wiggins! Young legs! I have at least 40 years on him!

Of course I was at the back of the pack, on the up hills at least, I soon caught up with them on the down hills! And you know how I do love a photo stop, so when we got to the top of Downe village I just had to do it! This is the gang, with me! The young dude took it!

Louis, Debbie, me, Mhairi, Linda and Bims

And with the young dude!

So the next part of the journey is....up hill! We haven't finished climbing yet! Although, this bit I can ride ok ish. We went down Single Street heading towards Jail Lane and the took Berrys Green Road, except from me and Linda, we chickened out the steep bit of the hill and used the path way instead!

Going up the road towards curry corner we had a bit of a breather half way. By the time I had caught up with the others they seemed to have surround one of the residents! He had a letter in his hand, and was just on the way to post it! We were still all just chatting when he came back from the post box (it obviously wasn't that far from where we were!) and he was kind enough to ask if any of us would like a refill of our water bottles! What a nice gentleman he was!

As always on any group ride that I have been on there are always the 'call outs' "Car back, car front, drain left/right" but along Grays Road, the most frequently call out is "HOLES" There are just so many of them on this road! It's ridiculous. As you calling out one there is another one being called out from the front of the pack! Yet it didn't seem that long ago when they closed this road for 'repairs!'

The next part of the ride, well that is my favourite part! Cudham North Lane, all the way down. I got in front of Bims and Linda, as I know Linda don't like to go too fast down the hills, and Bims bike just doesn't roll as fast as mine. And we started our descent. I stayed behind Mhari, her son and Debbie waiting for an opportunity to see if I could pass them, if I could pass them! The young dude just went off and seemed to be in his element, which left just Debbie and Mhairi to pass. Just then Louise came past me. So that's another one I will be chasing down the hill. I did squeeze past Debbie and then the chase was on! The two ladies in the matching Panaqua tops flying down the hill! I tried to catch them up, but I did use my brakes on some of the corners to slow down a bit, but then pedalled hard to try to catch up! Of course I didn't!

I felt sure that the three front riders were 'hanging back' a bit, but I still wasn't too far behind them. It did amuse me when I saw Mhairi do a 'bunny hop' over a hole! In fact I was quite impressed! I don't think I have seen a road bike bunny hop! Well, not in fronot of me anyway! I met them just a few seconds behind at the car park of the Rose and Crown and we waited for the others, Debbie was just a about a second behind me with Bims just about 30 and then Linda a few more seconds behind! Love that down hill!!

Our tea and cake stop was going to be at AmeriCarlos in Farnborough Village. I meant to have got a picture of our cakes, but as usual I was ravenous and only remembered after we had eaten, so here is a couple of pictures of us smiling, post cake and tea!