This weeks Sunday social ride in search of ups and downs of Welland Valley and Rutland stopping on the way back Cafe Ventoux in Tugby before heading south back to Kettering. Here’s how the group rides went…

Group 1 by Mike Castelete

The Rutland Ramps

The east side Corby crew Gemma Royles, Mark Gray and myself, met up to head over to Kettering to combine with our north side Corby KCCers Darren Gillings and Andréa Woolcott to complete our five strong group 1 for today’s club ride.

With a lumpy ride ahead of us to Café Ventoux, we set off at a steady pace through Weekly, Grafton Underwood and Geddington.

Great snapper

It didn’t take long before we saw Darren doing his usual acrobatics on the bike to capture an array of great snaps. At one point we lost him completely as he headed off into the void to set up a low level shot through the bike frame. Mr Tarantino, if you’re reading this and need a cameraman for your forthcoming ‘Pump Friction’ movie, then Darren’s your man!

Rolling landscape

Our club ride debutant Mark was putting in a good shift at the front with Andréa as we headed towards the stunning panorama across the Eyebrook Reservoir. Before long, we were sucked up by the ramps of Rutland which Gemma looked completely at home on. After a few ups and downs and great views across the rolling landscape we found ourselves arriving at a very busy Café Ventoux.

With no seats available inside, we perched ourselves on a bench outside with coffee and snacks only to let the elements take us into at least stage 2 of hyperthermia! With shivering and loss of circulation a plenty we had to say our quick goodbye’s to the 2nd group and head off to thaw out.

Picking up the pace

If the first part of our ride was steady then the way home was anything but! The pace quickened, as too did our circulation which was a welcomed blessing. Gemma and Andréa both happily realised they had feet again, and were both lapping up the speed to get home to a slow cooked stew and red wine respectively.

We parted ways at Bringhurst with Gemma and Mark heading out to Gretton and the rest of us aiming towards Cottingham for the final push into Corby.

A really great ride and a nice northern back route to Tugby.

Group 2 by Stephen Webster

Rutlumpy Sunday Social

There were five of us making up the second group today; Ian Bird, Iain Callaghan, Stephen Webster, Roy Crombie and returning rider Rob Barker.

After we had given the first group an acceptable head start we headed out of Kettering via Warkton hill were we met up with Sue Rust at the turning to Grafton Underwood making us a group of six.

So still

It was a good day for cycling; no rain and so little wind that not even the wind turbines were turning so for many of us it was a chance for one last ride on the summer bike before it gets consigned to the turbo. The six of us headed north via Geddington, Pipewell and Middleton towards the hills of Rutland and the Welland Valley.

Really lumpy

Ian had planned us a route that seemed to take in most of the hills in Rutland and this kicked off as soon as we got to Belton in Rutland at which point it started to get really lumpy. We picked up a stray mountain biker in the form of Ian Groves who joined us for the run into Cafe Ventoux. Luckily (or unluckily depending on your point of view) we missed out the hill out of Launde Abbey and so we soon landed in Tugby and a very busy Cafe, group one were still in the queue being served.

Iain sped into action

Whilst waiting our turn in the queue, Iain Callaghan sped into top gear and secured a table inside, and being a cosy internal space Rob, Roy and Sue sat outside on the benches with group 1. Roy decided to make an exit and leave so he set off on his own, having held onto the group on the way out, he wanted a steadier ride home and was getting cold. Shortly after, Rob and Sue, also feeling the chill, togged up and set off to catchup with Roy.

At the cafe we also met up with yet another club member, James Belton, who was taking his new steed out for a spin.

Chill splits group

After absorbing the atmosphere and consuming the coffee and cake, the three amigos Ian, Ian, Iain and I headed back as a splintered second group.

The ride home was just as much fun as the ride out and we headed back via the climb up to East Carlton and retraced our route back to Kettering. As Iain Callaghan had ridden in from Northampton this morning Ian Bird and I decided to keep him company for a bit so we added on a few extra miles before returning home.

Sue and Rob, collected up Roy after the East Carlton climb and as they crossed to Pipewell Road, he was coming down the A427, Roy joined and got onto the back wheel of Sue, but dropped off and returned to his steady pace to finish the ride, Sue was just trying to hold onto the back wheel of Rob and parted company at Rushton as Rob headed east and Sue took the route via Rothwell.

It was a great day on the bike with some awesome efforts from Rob who seemed to climb hills effortlessly on his 25 year old Pinnarello, Ian Groves who kept up an amazing pace on his mountain bike and also from Iain Callaghan who added on at least an extra 30 miles with riding in from Northampton.

Thanks all for the ride and see you on the next one.

Photos taken by Darren Gillings