17 March 2013 - Informal ride

The meeting point was Plymco, that much was known, but the rest of the ride was off the cuff! There was a surprising turn-out. Sue was making a come-back with the group after her broken leg, just a short ride up to Endsleigh for coffee with Anna. Then there was Patrick; who's around for a couple of weeks visiting Iris, and hopes to join us again next Sunday. Also out were, Bryan R, George, Phil, Caroline, Yolande and Mike. It was decided we would ride on to Wrangaton after Sue and Anna turned off their coffee break at Endsleigh. Just after we were seated in the cafe it poured with rain. Several announced they were turning back, but (Yolande, George and Phil) pressed me for a decision as to where we should continue. And so Totnes was our preferred destination. We encountered a couple of hail showers, but no more rain! As we neared Dartington George was having a problem with his bike (tyres or brakes he wasn't sure), so we pulled into the bus shelter. He quickly established that the beading was parting company from the rest of his rear tyre and the steel reinforcement and tube were exposed. He had punctured on the Parkway on his way to the start, but didn't realise just how much damaged the large stone he hit had done. He quickly released some of the pressure and it was decided we would scrap Totnes and head back with him. He refused our offer not wanting to spoil our ride. We ate our lunch there, then headed over to the cafe in Dartington for a cuppa. George drank his tea quickly and headed off alone, saying he had his mobile on him if he should run into trouble, and gave me a brief description of his intended route home. We followed about ten minutes later but never caught him. We delayed in Harbourneford. Yolande wanted to explore the pottery in the cottage on the hill, I stayed outside to mind the bikes.  I left Phil and Yolande at Marsh Mills, they were to continue along the Embankment, I turned off for home along the Parkway. It was only when I had already returned home, I discovered George had text me an half-hour earlier to say he was at MacDonalds, Marsh Mills if we were close by. I then later learnt via several texts that the 'After-ride Party' was at his! A fun day and a round trip of 45 miles.