Winter Spins Red Group

19 rolled out from the Popes X yesterday morning. We had a few new faces which was great to see and the group consisted of Leisure riders, riders planning on racing Club League and or Open for the first time in 2016, A4, A3 & A2 riders. It was a sunny warm start to the morning until we hit Co. Meath where fog and visibility was pretty poor. The fog lasted all the way around until we hit Clonee on the way back. We had a bit of a detour at Rathoath, you can't trust those Garmins for directions, which added approximately 10K onto our route. Pace was fairly steady on the way out and sometimes a little slower than usual, most likely due to the fog and the large group. The pace picked up ever so slightly on our way back giving an overall average of 30kph.
I'm not away on the Club Weekend to Nenagh so if anyone is interested in heading out this Sunday at the usual time sure let me know and I will sort out a route.

For anyone that's not heading to Nenagh for the weekend I'm planning a Red Spin from the Pope's Cross on Sunday leaving at 09:00. Route is Park,- Clonee - Trim - Summerhill - Kilcock - Lucan - Park 100km.

www.strava.com/routes/3608878

See you there

Hey Ken,

I should be able to make that see you there.

Regards,
Daragh

Hi Ken, thanks for posting, and only catching up now. I'll almost certainly be there (if I'm late, don't wait). See you then, John

I'll be there

Me too

Looking out at the weather while eating my porridge, not sure if I'm going to risk that storm today

10 hardy souls turned up at the Popes X yesterday morning and braved the inclement weather. On departing from the Park it was quit windy and a bit wet but reasonably pleasant. As we ventured further into Meath we encountered torrential rain with extremely strong gales while achieving an average speed of 31kph for the first half of the spin. By the time we got to Trim we were soaked to the skin but spirits were high and everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves. We experienced a sharp drop in our average speed after turning out of Trim heading for Summerhill/Kilcock facing into an extremely strong cross/head wind with some torrential downpours thrown in for good measure where Rule #5 was well and truly applied. After a quick pit stop due to a puncture we headed into Kilcock and took full advantage of the cross/tail wind for most of the way back. Just past Lucan as we turned onto the Strawberry Beds we encountered a couple of floods which were ankle deep on the bikes but fortunately we all managed to get through them safely. We had one last stop in Chapelizod due to another puncture where it took no more than 3 strong lads to get the tyre back on the wheel. Puncture sorted we sprinted as far as Islandbridge where we all went our separate ways. It was a tough spin but most enjoyable all the same, some reckoned it looked worse than it actually was Rule #9. Overall distance Park to Park was 95km averaging 29kph. A special mention to Sean Higgins for completing what I believe was his first Orwell Red Spin.

www.strava.com/activities/428799744

Fair play all, that's a proper Winter training day.

I got a puncture on the hill at the end of the Strawberry beds. Stopped to fix it and realised as I watched the group disappear that my saddlebag with my tyre levers, spare tube and multitool in it had dislodged itself somewhere along the route. Got the tyre off with my hands, tied a knot in the tube, got the tyre back on using a stick and a car key and then pumped it up, only to hear the tube deflate again, hissing mockingly at me as it did. Walked/pushed the bike 3km back to my car. In the pissing rain. Not fun. Not fun at all.

Still, great spin all the same. Rules #5 and #9 in full effect.

Ah no Kilian we all thought you had turned into the park at the top of the hill. As the rest of us were cycling home we all headed straight down Knockmaroon Hill and bypassed the park.

It's my own fault, Peadar looked back and I waved him off, it'll teach me to make sure the feckin' thing is attached properly in future...