Chaser's Club Ride - Sunday 16th April

[Mark Pope]

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/14893796

I'm a bit pressed for time on Sunday (still time for a coffee ), so I'm proposing a short, if lumpy route of around 47 miles. I have attached a link above but for those who can't open it, it's as follows:

Brackla - Coychurch - Pencoed - the Common - Bryncethin - Blackmill - Llangeinor (the easy way) - Bettws - Shwt - Maesteg - the Bryn - Cwmafan - Taibach - Margam - Kenfig via Water Street - Porthcawl - 3 Steps Hill - Laleston - Bridgend - Brackla

The coffee stop option is the Broomwagon in Porthcawl.  This will be my last Chaser's ride as the ride leader. It's been a blast but two and a half years is a long enough stint and I'm getting fed up of my own routes! . I'll still be out regularly, although I may choose to roll back under the duvet in the future if a peep through the curtains reveals overcast skies and rain!! See you Sunday.

Mark

[Steven]

Mark

Thanks for some great routes and even greater write ups!

[Tom]

Yes brilliant spell Mark-we've been very lucky with our ride leaders over the past few years.You would get a lot less than 2 1/2 year sentence for lots of crimes nowadays

[Jason T]

Thanks for your captain's service Mark, has it really been two and a half years already... wow.

[mal jones]

Since I joined in March 2015 you've been a great mentor making me a slightly less slow and better rider and your write ups will be hard to follow .Thanks

[Nige]

Mark,

thanks for some great rides.

[Andy H]

Time to step up to the Pacers rides, methinks! 

Well done on making the Chasers group rides such a success and bringing a smile to the face with your write ups.

[Tony M]

Great job Mark! Many thanks

[Mark Pope]

Thanks for the kind words chaps. I'm sure one of the Club 'old sweats' will be champing at the bit to take up the reins.


Mark

[Mark Pope]

There were 12 Chasers out today (at various times) for a short, if lumpy jaunt up and over the Ogmore, Lynfi and Afan Valleys before a short detour to Porthcawl for coffee and cake at the Broomwagon. After a frisky start to the ride, Chris ' the Pacemaker' Reed left us at Pencoed (after picking up his appearance money) leaving the rest of us to head across the Common into a stiff Westerly breeze before heading up to Blackmill and climbing over to Llangeinor from the easy (ish) side. We then headed over to Maesteg via Bettws and Shwt for everyone's favourite climb up to the Bryn, where we were all heartened to see Ron gurning his way over the hill from the tougher Afan Valley direction, followed by a red faced, panting Ben, obviously on at least their third lap of the Bwlch, Rhigos, Bryn amble, which is obviously good preparation for next week's Ambler's route over Kilimanjaro!

After descending the Afan Valley we headed East with a very helpful tailwind before turning off for Water Street and Porthcawl, where Mal (OAP) Jones and his carer Tony Mansell left us to head back home (or to a home)!    After a brisk chase to the Broomwagon, ably led out by James 'Boy Band' Criddle (age 42), we had a well deserved hefty piece of cake and a coffee or two in the company of the much missed Wayne Evans who was joining his first club ride since November 2016 and only his second ride in a year. We then scooted home via 3 Steps Hill and Laleston, for a ride of around 47 miles with just over 850 metres of climbing. Out today were:

Chris 'the Pacemaker' Reed
Rich 'King of the Cobbles' Bowmer
Steve 'Hairiest legs in NATO' Hughes
Matt 'first day in cleats, yes he fell off'!
Mal 'OAP' Jones
Tony Mansell (Mal's carer - a helluva job)
Jonathan 'the Bike Whisperer' Spink
James 'Boy Band' Criddle - When he said he was only 20, he meant he was only 20 years younger than Mal!
Rich 'Criddle' - James' younger brother
Mike 'the Beast' Barker - pushing out more watts than a herd of bison
Wayne '8 days a week' Evans
Mark Pope (Retired (ish)!

See you next week when I may be riding with the Pacers because it's easier than the Amblers!  Just joking Ben!! Well mostly!

[mal jones]

 Another great write up . I think I may be older than the pope and I don't mean that whippersnapper Mark Pope

[RichardB]

Yes another great write up Mark.
And thank you for all your efforts in organising the rides for us of the last few years. Big thanks.

[Ben]

Great write up Mark. You can join the Marathamblers any day ;-)

Ron was following me though ;-D

[Tony M]

You saved the best ride report till last! 

[Nick Langley]

Thanks for all the hard work you've put in Mark