explorer

explorer, a photo by rOcKeTdOgUk on Flickr.

A friend of mine is a scout leader and annually the explorer scouts have a bike ride to Coughton ford in Warwickshire and I was asked to help out. Andy was to ride at the rear as a sweeper and myself as leader at the front. I tried to keep a steady but not too quick space to keep the group together but I hate to echo the well warn stereo type but some of these teenagers were not very fit at all, within 2 miles riders had already pulled out and we'd not even got out of the park! this left me to lead the group alone, not an ideal scenario when there are busy roads to negotiate and i had to keep an eye on the front and back of the "peleton" One rider's pedal falling off as the threads were stripped meant a call out to the support van to come and collect him while the rest of us carried on to the Ford. Lots of rain meant that the water was quite fast flowing so only two of the scouts were brave(foolish?) enough to attempt to ride across and they didn't get far! the scout ride was around 13 miles and the rest of todays total was achieved on a long way round ride to get there and then ride back home afterwards
ride 63
46 miles
total 1241
May 464
commute 429