Saturday 21st January Go Ride & Youth Ride (Col de Coldharbour)

Go Ride - The good thing about this persistent cold weather is I'm getting used to it and given that we managed to run our session last weekend when the ice on the playground was concealed by frozen hail I felt positively relaxed when I turned up to Stocks Green School to a dry black tarmac.  I checked the areas that were iced last week but not a hint of the slippery stuff so all was looking good.  The netball posts where however frozen solid into the playground, so not entirely hazard free.

We spent some time on our feet, running and jumping and generally getting some warm blood into our fingers and toes before splitting into small groups and working on some basic but essential skills; riding in a straight line, riding one handed, looking behind and wiggling around obstacles.  All good stuff.  We even took advantage of the slightly frozen grass and used the field for some long run none handed practise.

Snack time came around and we wished Franklin a Happy Birthday for the following day.  We finished off the session with a team endurance sprint relay, Franklin took the win for his team with his final lap which seemed a good way to celebrate a bike rider's birthday.

Youth Ride - a combination of factors meant that the Youth Ride was a little depleted; Hope had taken a tumble in the final activity and was nursing a sore knee, Calvin had to rush off to practise his trumpet, Luke was at a birthday party and the girls were at the velodrome so that left Nico and Dan.  We'd opted for mountain bikes given the icy roads so we headed up the Col de Coldharbour for a quick leg spin.  A couple of diversions and add ons gave us an hour's riding, not bad for an icy Saturday in January.

Well done to everyone who rode today, you'll be flying by Easter!

Next Week: Col de Coldharbour Ride Out.  Usual rules: please bring an inner tube, drink, pocket snack and packable jacket.  Please contact me to sign on.