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SCoM Cycling Day, Sunday June 4th 2023


Reporter: Caro Brown

I’d not been out on my bike much recently (or at all!), so when I saw the SCoM Cycling Day in the Events programme I jumped at the chance to combine a spot of exercise with some welcome socialising.

I loved the idea of having a rendezvous point as the goal of the ride (in this case Jodrell Bank) rather than meeting up for a group cycle as that meant I could go at my own pace and set my own schedule. Nice!

After a particularly cold and seemingly sunless May, June 4th was a glorious late spring day. I dusted down the bike (a general-purpose hybrid), pumped up the tyres, slathered on the sun cream and got advice from a keen cycling friend on the best route to take as the last time I rode that route I’d done so with Alan and he knew where he was going!

Macclesfield to Jodrell Bank is a very pleasant ride — not too hilly and a great opportunity to use the byways rather than the highways. It’s clearly a popular route as I encountered lots of other cyclists of varying standards enjoying the day too. I’d allowed myself plenty of time, not quite knowing how to gauge my fitness levels at the moment, and was pleasantly surprised to find it only took half the time I’d planned for.

The other thing that surprised me was that it took longer for me to cross Macclesfield to start the ride than it did to reach Jodrell Bank once I felt I was finally on my way!

The timing turned out to be perfect and I arrived at the main gate just behind Andrew Walker, Tom Russell and Nigel Koenen — the advance party. In all, 10 people made the rendezvous, although Tosh let the side down a bit by driving! Ruth Bacci and Val Poole were on new bikes — Val had only collected hers the day before — and there was a lot of focused bike chat that rippled round the group. Chris Fildes, Ronan and Debbie O’Driscoll completed the party. It was glorious sitting outside the café, basking in the warm June sunshine and having a natter with lunch before setting off for home.

Val and I left together as our routes home were the same for most of the way, but she soon outpaced me on her new road bike and had to keep stopping to wait for me so I wasn’t much of a travelling companion — sorry, Val!

All in all, it was a thoroughly enjoyable event and I’m really glad I made the effort to join in. Thanks for arranging it!

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