A flat back tyre before we’d even left the pub car park for Alan ! Getting the tyre off the rim turned out to be the work of two people and three tyre levers, as stubborn as it was, but reseating it went easily to just thumb pressure. Go figure! Re inflation gave us the opportunity to watch Rach’s mini battery pump in action and it soon had the tyre up to the required 90 psi. Very impressive. Slightly less impressive was Charles’ electric pump which he produced which looked more on the scale of an industrial compressor than a bike pump. We didn’t try it.
Eight riders had arrived at the Crown at Hartest, pub with attached Brewshed brewery. Keith was re-running an old favourite circuit around the ever delightful Suffolk lanes. According to the met office, the weather was set fair, if a bit breezy and a bit cooler than of late, until lunchtime. So much faith had Keith in the met office that he set off without a rain jacket. Hmmm.
We set off a bit later than anticipated due to the aforementioned puncture repair, but soon made rapid progress through pretty Suffolk villages heading for Brent Eleigh and refreshment. Of course, the inevitable happened and we were hit by a sharp shower (for those that had them, rain jackets on and off was the order of the ride).
Pausing only briefly for a photo opportunity in Brent Eleigh, it was into the delightful and friendly Café Como and its array of delicious fresh home made cakes.
From here, a good pace took us past the outskirts of Lavenham and finally down the steep hill back into Hartest (that would not have been a nice hill to ride up at the start of a ride !).
Gathering around the lunch table supping the home brewed ale, somehow we got onto the subject of how to sober up a frog that had fallen into a beer trap. Honestly. And rinse it with water is the answer.
Many thanks to Keith for organising and everyone contributing photos.
Riders: Rachel, Keith, Alan. Simon, Brian, Graham, Charles, Rod.