In anticipation of storm brimful of Asha, Dave Mag chose to lead todays ride in a south westerly direction, so we would hopefully get a bit of assistance 🚴🏻💨 for the climb back home.
8 riders made for the KY jelly cafe, sorry KI cafe at Grindley, between uttoxeter and Stafford, via cheddleton, Kingsley, freehay, Hollington, before encountering some slushy and messy lanes down to stramshall, and beamhurst.
Skirting hutcheter, we were back on familiar ground around Bramshall and Kingstone town 🎵, before the last little climb to Grindley and our destination, that thankfully had just enough seats for us.
Food was good, reasonably priced , but the coffee needs a bit of a strengthening 😉, and it was quick enough, that even Rich Coghill, hadn’t forgotten what he’d ordered.
Exiting the cafe, we headed into the lanes, towards Lower Leigh,where Nick Deaville decided to have a rest whilst everyone else harangued him for puncturing at the wrong time!
At lower tean a minor split occurred, as some went along the main road , and others through the back lanes into tean.
They just about reformed as a group coming back up through new haden, and trimpos, where the main bunch turned right into bombhole road, and a few of us carried on to godleybrook, and the climb up towards cellarhead, and consall , chedd and home.
We seemed to have missed the storm, but also the supposed tailwind back as well 🙄
50ish miles and 4300ft of ascent.

Twelve hardy souls left the market place on a loop to Hollinsclough tea rooms via little thorn Cliffe, Warslow, Hartington and Earl Stern Dale were three headed for Hindlow never to be seen again, the remaining nine carried on to the tea rooms which was shut, so someone decided we should ride up the rake which they all did (not me) at Flash bar cafe we ate and raised a toast to our President Glyn Hewines Snr on his 80th birthday then returned to Leek via the Winking man and the Mermaid. An excellent 40 mile ride with some great views.

Keep 8th Sept 2024 free, the club 25 mile TT needs your help.

A cold crisp start to the New Year saw 8 souls turn up at the Market Square for the 9am Grand depart. A quick discussion regarding destination ensued with the only decision being to ignore Tony Simons request to go hilly.
We eased out towards Macclesfield staying on the main road to examine “Phil’s Hole” in Rushton before committing to the thrash route but at considerably lower speeds due to treacherous road surfaces. As we crossed at Marton, Dave Mag cut off to head towards home, not feeling it, a decision all of us could have made. We ploughed on though, to Goostrey Home and Leisure and forced our way in to a table of 7 where more beans were consumed than in Blazing Saddles. Nick D almost caused a diplomatic incident warming items up under the hand drier 😆.
Having just about warmed up we set off again with Steve W confirming a heady temperature of -5 for the return leg. A loop around the world’s largest Sky dish saw us aim for Siddington then around Redesmere for an ice-cream.
From there everyone raced back from the Nook, except for me, that couldn’t 🤣.
Congratulations must go to Sean Daly for keeping his bike “tyre side down” this week and also Richard Coates for been the voice of reason when hills were mentioned.
As I’ve mentioned everyone else, Carlton also came but didn’t do anything funny 😁

So much for a zero rain forecast, but 6, 9am ers turned up for a hilly 30 ish miles. Paths crossing with the 8 o clockers at Allgreave. The last ride for 2024. Meerbrook, Gun, Wincle, Allgreave, Flash, Longnor, Sheen, Warslow, Elkstone, Coffee Beans Leek.

A large group gathered in the Market place to watch Mr Daly inspect the blocked paving more closely. A very comical moment for the traders to, as I couldn’t get from under the bike. Dave Mag lent a hand.
After the laughter abated we set off fir Monyash via Mini Thorncliffe, Longnor, Glutton Bridge, where 4 continued onwards for a further distance. The rest continued on to the Smithy. Food and coffee consumed and a little warmer, we ventured back out where we soon realised it was going to be a headwind back via Hartington, Hulme End, Reaps Moor, Mermaid, Thorncliffe and back into Leek.
Good ride, Ho ho ho

Quite a large gathering in the market place for this mornings rides, with a general direction of monyash and chatsworth being mentioned.
The groups stayed together til glutton bridge, where the b team headed off for earl sterndale, hurdlow and monyash, while the keener riders carried on to Brierlow Bar, before heading through chelmorton, and Taddington, and the descent down the a6 to ashford.
Climbing off the main road, we skirted the Bakewell bookshop, and across to chatsworth, where we headed for the Edensor cafe.
Turned out it was rather busy, so we grabbed a table outside. Quick service brought our coffees and butties, so we weren’t out waiting for too long, before heading back on our way to Rowsley, then Alport and Youlgreave, where we began to feel the “benefits” of the negative tailwind all the way home.
Over long rake to parsley hay, and then to avoid retracing over our way out, we decided Hartington was our favoured route home, and over the tops after warslow and thorncliffe.
A nice steady 50 something miles and quite a bit of elevation gain.

The Leek CC Christmas meal will be held this year at The Napoli restaurant in Leek. Friday 15th December from 6:30pm. Thanks to everyone who has provided a deposit. Get in contact with Dan Noble () if you want more information.The menu is 

here. If you’re attending, please let Dan know your pre-order.We’ll be out to the local pubs after for a drink and a laugh. 

A tough 65 miles for me today, lots of first time roads. Edensor for Dirty beans.

A bit of a rude awakening on opening the back door, greeted with a cool three degrees. After getting over the initial temptation to give it a miss, I promptly did the usual bike checks and headed to the butter cross. I was the first one to appear but the gathering soon started to assemble, good turn out and quite quickly down to business with the destination and route options, the Mad man from Madeley throws his hat into the ring. OMG closing the back door suddenly seems like a missed opportunity. All is not lost, a grande long standing well respected member speaks up…the Mag. All is not lost I’m thinking..the route starts to unfold. Gun, Wincle and Wildboarclough. Mouth wide open.

Then voices of reason pipe up. Flat Cheshire and the Snowdrops. Music to my ears, Rog and Coats make my day.
So the three amigos set off looking for plenty of white lines. Nice and steady run down the thrash route without unnecessary pace to die for.
Arrive at Snowdrops in a timely manner and bump into Steve and Gav.
Tea, coffee and snapping are duly consumed and three turn into five.
Off we set on the return voyage, usual route down the A50 and turn right at the former Whipping stocks. Pleasant pace heading towards Redesmere Lake, roads not too bad considering the last few days of downpour. All going well, reasonably grouped together. We descend down the aptly named dark Lane, we hit the bottom and start the assent as the steepness intensifies Steve just in front of me adds a little power and stands up, the chain couldn’t cope with the excess power and enthusiasm then lets go, unfortunately resulting in an off for Steve, I narrowly manage to avoid the disaster and carry on to a safe spot up the hill. We all assemble at a gate hole and Coats promptly muscles in gloves off and straight down to repairs. He fails but Steve rescues himself. Off we set towards The former Fools Nook, all good but we hit the main road and as per usual it begins to fragment, I assume the rear guard position, the miles have taken their toll by this time. Regroup at the Lake view and a civilized run back to Leek….

With the world in the grips of a pandemic and despite the UK being in the mist of a lockdown, club member Ian Peacock continued to keep in shape.

For the brief period of eased rules, Ian clipped in and took to the tarmac.

Sunday 26th July

Ian entered the Veterans 50mile TT championship in what was reported to be the windest day on the A46 Fosse Way since the Roman occupation. However, still recording a valiant effort of 2:06:58

Saturday 5th September
Ian entered the BDCA 100 mile time trial, completing the course in 4:11:11, which is believed to be a club record; the previous best being Russell Mycock’s 4:17:58.

Ian described the experience as: ” I was, as usual supported by my crew (Valerie). On Sunday morning I awoke aware that It would be some time before most of me would be functioning adequately. However, once I had recovered enough to have my shortcomings drawn to my attention, Valerie spoke thus: “It’s a pity that you can’t wear yourself out doing something useful” “

Sunday 23rd August

Ian remarkably covered 216.73 miles in the national 12 hour time trial in Shropshire. Ian commented; “the weather was foul, and the rearranged course was a bit on the lumpy side. I was ably supported by my crew (Valerie). Incredibly, I finished in the same time as the winner!”

Saturday 17th October

Ian rode the veterans’ national “25” champs, on the A46 Fosse Way and completed the course in 58:56. Feeling pretty please with himself; that gives him a full set of results this year, having done a 10, 25, 50, 100, and 12hour.

Well done Ian, great effort in difficult times