Our route 55 is not quite the equivalent of America’s Route 55, which although no longer touted, also runs north to south. Its claim to fame in the early 20’s was that it was a fast and direct route between Moline in the south and Minneapolis in the north. It enabled three extant companies to join forces to create one of America’s most iconic tractor and farm machinery companies, Minneapolis Moline. Of course all old tractor afficionados will know this; it’s now time to get the anorak off and write about the ride.
Our Route 55 of the National Cycle Network, also generally running north to south, connects Ironbridge to Preston via Stafford, Macclesfield, Stockport and Wigan / Bolton. Today we only used a small part of it, from Botany Bay, Chorley, to Adlington.
This section of NCN 55 seems almost rural even though it is never far from urban areas as it meanders along the route of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal; however on this section it does go in a roughly east / west direction.
Initially there were four of us in Botany Bay’s café at 10-00am, by 10-15am there were over twenty, and by the time we ready for the off, numbers had increased to twenty five. Now, last week’s ride report was titled The Magnificent Seven Ride (+1), perhaps this week it should have been The Magnificent Turnout!
The youngest rider was almost seven years old, and the oldest almost eighty; is there any other cycling club that can cater for such a spread of ages on a ride? I think not!
Leaving the Bay behind I rode off in front of the group to take a few photos, leaving Miriam to take the lead towards Adlington, with Fleur as sweeper. Just before we reached Adlington I dropped to the rear and took a shortcut to our lunch destination to arrange seating for our large group. As usual the staff at the Corner House Café looked after us well and swiftly, although three of our number used the butty shop just up the road.
I took my coffee outside to help Jim repair his snapped chain; I was too late, Jack had already fixed it!
Just after noon we started back into the slight wind that was previously behind us; this did make it feel cooler, but it was refreshing, unlike last week when we got soaked through.When we arrived back at the Bay, the Big Boys Circus which had been set up on part of the car park, in an archetypical big top, was about to open for business. We decided to give it a miss and head off home.
This had been one of our easier rides, only ten easy miles, but I think quite enjoyable in such good company, and we may have three new members too.
The photos I took can be seen on our Flickr account here.
See you all at Accrington next week, Brian.