As today is ‘freedom day’ we are all now free to spread Covid amongst our number in whatever fashion we so choose. This means that we can organise our very own super spreader events every Saturday, and on the first and third Sunday of each month, in St. Ann’s Well Park Café. To this end, we can dispense with Love Admin bookings for the time being, a loss that I know many people will mourn.
Back in the ‘good old days’ it was quite simple. Everyone rocked up at the café from 8.00 onwards ready for an 8.30 roll out. Come 8.30 I would stand up and suggest we make a move and would be largely ignored. I’d shout first for anyone wanting to ride at a fast pace to move to the front ready to set off. One or two people would step forward and others, who were clearly going to end up riding fast anyway, would declare themselves “on an easy day today” before joining a slower group and then ripping everybody’s legs off. We’d then go down through the speeds splitting people, often reluctantly, into appropriately sized and paced groups and everyone would set off on BM# and have a wizard jolly time riding through the sunlit uplands. Hurrah!
Slightly different now in that we’ve started running short and long options which will add an extra layer of complexity to the split. But much easier in that everyone knows who rides at their pace and you’ll be able to buddy up with them more easily at the café than you could on LA. So from this Saturday forward procedure will be:
8.00 onwards: Arrive at St. Ann’s Well Café
8.30 get into groups riding your distance and pace
On a Sunday, the same procedure will apply but: meet time is 9.00 onwards for 9.30 departure and the sorting hat will allocate people to CATi and Sunday Social rides.
We will limit groups size to eight people max as this is the size recommended by British Cycling.
When I’m there on a Saturday I will try to herd the cats into appropriate clowders but, when I’m not, someone else with a loud voice will need to step up to that role. This is going to be the case this week and the following week as I’m away on staycation…assuming my ferry to the Isle of Wight doesn’t fall victim to the pingdemic.
It goes without saying that should you test positive for Covid, have any Covid symptoms or be told to self-isolate that you must not join a group ride.
Exciting times for us all and fingers crossed that we don’t need to revert to LA once again.
