Any takers for a new venue? We visited the Chestnut Tree in West Wratting this weekend with muddy walking boots and a muddy dog, and the landlord was quite happy to accommodate us. He says he'd love to see some MTBers any time. It's possibly too late for this week, although they have some real ale that needs drinking up from their Bank Holiday Beer Festival. They may even be selling it off cheap(er). Also, it's not far off our beaten track.
Share your thoughts...

Hi Mark,

I had a call from Dom on a similar subject - the Jolly Millers at Cottenham has the same problem - excess beer from THEIR beer festival.

If we replace a ride this week, it's best to make it Tuesday since (a) Mike C. has been diligently scoping out the route for the Boxworth ride and (b) excess beer is unlikely to last until Thursday.

Thoughts shared...someone elses turn.

PT

Not to mention that Thriplow is bloody miles from us northerners. I vote for Cottenham.

Hello all!

I'm just back from the Millers (hic! ) and can share a bit more with you from there. The beers on offer tomorrow night are:
Black Sheep Bitter
Jennings Cumberland
Adnams Explorer
Timothy Taylor Landlord
Marstons Pedigree
Fullers London Pride
Courage Directors

and Ros (the landlady) will do them for 5 quid for all you can drink! Sounds too good an offer to miss really...

I'll be happy to put together a route for tomorrow night if people are interested - not too long so as not to eat into drinking time!

Ros would ideally like to know soon, as she needs to make arrangements to dispose of the beer in one way or another (this would be one way!).

More thoughts to be shared?

Cheers
Dom

P.S. The Chestnut Tree sounds a great idea for another time.

Cottenham, Cottenham, the place to go,
The beer is cheap, so let it flow.
It rained before, but now it's dry
Let's go again, please let's try.

It's not too far, it's not too shitty
It's only five pounds in the kitty.
To drink your fill, to drink some brew.
Y'all know what you should do...

Thought this was a mountain biking club ?! Too much drinking and not enough riding, and please can we do some rides south of Cambridge ?!

Katie, you surely are kidding? By my count of the rides listed on the website, and being charitable and including places like Hardwick and Quy as North (both pretty much due West and East respectively) it's still 25:13 in favour of the South. But you don't hear us gritty Northerners complaining!

Dom

Here's what I had in mind for tonight - 30 miles round trip but with two or three bailout points...

Dom

Because I'm not out tonight, I'm staying strictly neutral.

I can understand Katie's point - 3 Northern-ish (one North-western if we're being pedantic) rides on the trot.

However, we do tend to go south very often, if only to catch some hills. The RLF Coven deliberately mixed rides up to try old favourites and new challenges - and to recognise that our loose 'membership' is spread all over. Not everyone is going to be close to home all of the time.

So I'll leave it up to your democratic will!!

PT

PS Interesting philosophical question; are we a cycling group which enjoys a drink or a drinking group which enjoys a cycle?

Blimey..............
Has anyone made a decision about where to ride tonight. Would like to know if people are heading north so that if so I can organise myself a decent RIDE to an interesting area that has more than two routes, one bump and three feet of climbing.
Beer is nice, but bikes are better. I vote keep to the runs list & go to Thriplow.
Come on the 'glorious covern'....Sorry I forgot that should be 'Glorious Covern', one of you must be able to make a feckin' decision......please !!
At least we know which way you'll be voting on Thursday !!

Here is one I was saving for the dreaded "Show us yours" later.
We could do this tonight?

http://gb.mapometer.com/en/cycling/route_558615.html

Ads

How about a bit of bare knuckle fighting or mud wrestling to sort this one out ?? Enjoy your northern trek, think I am going to head south and find some hills.

There once was a group of mad cyclists
Who rode in the dark, rain or dry mist.
When the time came to choose,
between hills or cheap booze,
They couldn't decide in the slightest.

At least the court jesters job has been decided!!

Haha! Well, that's goaded me! I was staying out of it because I'm not riding tonight, but here is my recommendation:

The OFFICIAL CAMMTB route tonight is to the Green Man at Thriplow, which does a nice Greene King IP if I remember correctly;

OTHERWISE, for those who like cheap but nice beer, Dom has a long ride for you in the flattish lands to the north;

Voting, with your tyres, will take place from 7:30 p.m. at Brookside

PT

The Green Man at Thriplow actually has a rather better selection of beer than simply GK IPA.

One other fact that might help people decide - a northerly wind is forecast for tonight.

Paul

I imagine there will be quite a northernly wind by 11pm

Like I say, I'm not riding tonight....

Parping Tom

So Pasty Tom has spoken,
"Let the cards fall where they may."
We're voting with our tyres,
and they will have their say.

I for one will not partake,
for I am going home.
Across the fens for many miles
whilst riding all alone...

Jaysus...

I've been with a client all afternoon so have only now seen all this. The last time I checked, I hadn't invaded Poland, merely made a suggestion! There are quote a lot of people who come out and ride who seem to like beer, so I thought it was worth mentioning.

I'm not leading a ride which splits the group up. If there's no consensus (and it seems abundantly clear that that is the case) then I think the 'official' route should stand.

See you later
Dom

I won't have time to ride tonight, but for my 2p I'll say the 'Official' Runslist should remain.
My original post was intended to gauge opinion, not be divisive, though I thought maybe we could ditch the Bell at Balsham on the 18th in favour of the Chestnut Tree, as we've not had great service in the past.
Have fun tonight, and no bickering...

wow this realy seems to be a split camp tonight, on the one hand the cyclists with a drinking habbit, and on the other hand the drinkers with a cycling habbit.

wish i could join you for both but orders are orders.

see you next thursday.

That's more like it - about time there was an entertaining rant on the forum

I think I'll go out by myself
In my bike rides from now on
I think it'll be more enjoyable
Or as the French say 'C'est si bon'
Some say the hills are better
Maybe flat is good
But, whatever, the conversation
Won't be so fu*kin' rude...