Club riding into the drizzle

Velo Club Baracchi riders enjoyed a 60-mile ride on Sunday, despite the onset of drizzle and heavier rain.

After meeting at the Cotmer Road roundabout the group rode to Halesworth and then for a change they turned off to Chediston, Metfield, Harleston through Wortwell.

After riding up Dove Hill to Alburgh and through Hempnall and Woodton they stopped at the café in Hedenham on the Bungay to Norwich Road for coffee and cake. On the return they headed to Bungay to take the low road back to Beccles, Ellough, and Mutford before all going their separate ways.

The members of the group who rode this route were Mark Richards, Liam Gentry, Nick Esser (who has now re-joined the club), Chris Wallis, Lucas He, Alex (Chiwei) He and Paul Reed.

The ride had an 18 mph average and new riders Reed and Alex He rode exceptionally well given the pace and distance.

Nicki Hawkes and George Kerridge chose to continue to Walpole rather than taking the turn for Chediston and continued by another route.

John Swanbury started with the others but took longer to reach Halesworth and there met up with Mike Wood and John Cooper. The three of them rode 50 miles via Walpole, Peasenhall, Yoxford, Middleton and Wenhaston.

John Thompson was also out and about, riding via Halesworth, Peasenhall and Framlingham to Hacheston, from where he eventually crossed the A12 at Marlesford to ride a lane for the first time nearly to Campsea Ashe.

He then rode via Blaxhall, Snape, Leiston and Blythburgh and took the A12 to Frostenden, turning off through Henstead, 66 miles in all.

Mike Horne of Pakefield, who is not a VCB member, but rides with the informal weekday group often called the Wrinklies, features in 40^th place in the active list of a hallowed hall of fame for those who have ridden over 300,000 miles.

In the latest list Horne is shown as having ridden 368,281 miles, 9,107 of them in the last year.