Norfolk Nips 2 12/12/2009
“…one of my eyes fell out!”
A late finish to a Christmas party on the Friday night made me reluctant to emerge from the comfort of a warm bed on the Saturday morning, but having made the effort and set off for the start in Colney, near Norwich, I was rewarded with a quick, and un-forecast, soaking from an early shower. Revived by tea and bourbon biscuits, I met up with Chris again and what seemed like a hundred other cyclists for the second edition of the Norfolk Nips winter 100k rides. This time we were to head off west to Castle Acre before looping back via Great Ryburgh. The weather forecast was 100% overcast with grey cloud so I took my shades, just in case.
As we set off into glorious sunshine and a clear blue sky I was glad to be wearing them. The first section to Castle Acre was very pleasant, once we’d escaped from the rat-run of the Watton Road. Quiet lanes, Norfolk scenery and sunshine – ok, so the lanes were a bit muddy but Chris and I amused ourselves smirking at the riders without mudguards who quickly turned a dark brown colour! An excellent route sheet (as ever from Keith and Sue) with only 2 control points meant we were at Castle Acre before we realised. Was it luck or brilliant planning that the Castle Gate tea rooms (formerly the Willow tea rooms) was open today but would close tomorrow ‘til February? Whatever, Chris and I piled in, but as I took off my helmet one of my eyes fell out – well that’s what it felt like! In reality one lens from my sunglasses had shaken loose and ended up on the floor. Fortunately I had not lost the screw so, while Chris sorted the tea and crumpets, I did a makeshift repair with the aid of a mini penknife from my tool kit.
The next section headed north into a freshening wind over rolling hills so we were glad to get to the control at the Post Office/shop/tea rooms. By the time we arrived all the donuts had gone and the shelves seemed half-empty of chocolate bars! As we headed back to Colney we were discussing the grinding noises our bikes were making (plastered as they were with a mixture of mud, water and cow slurry) when I suddenly had an LEL flash-back of the kind soul at Thorne on the way south, who, as I arrived in a downpour with a similarly grinding bike, ushered me into the dry and ‘sorted’ my bike for me. I never saw him again to say thanks.
The route sheet was meticulous and the only time we got lost was on the return to the John Innes Centre – where we had to find our way past greenhouses which looked like they were part of a set from ‘Day of the Triffids’ to the mythical Building 50. But the welcome was warm and the food excellent as ever. Looking forward to next month and the third in the series – where will we head off to then?
Halloween
