Strawberry Muffin Ride

It’s not only Wimbledon that rises to the summer sunshine with strawberries and cream.

Leek Cyclists’ Club – Den Engel undertook one of their social “Muffin” rides last Sunday, although from the wet and windy weather perhaps it should have been the Autumn ‘Mulled wine and muffin ride’ rather than Strawberry cream muffins. On a blustery damp morning 12 riders assembled out side Den Engel Belgian bar and for a brief moment brought just a hint of the continental cycling atmosphere to Leeks' Stanley Street.

The bright coloured kit and sparking bicycles spread across the cobbled road was only short of sunshine but this seasons jokes provided by Phil Jones of Macclesfield Wheelers clearly got the ride underway with the bright start required.

On social rides it appears that hills are the order of the day, perhaps off putting to new recruits but is there anything else around Leek? So the group set out on the Cheddleton Road to turn left at Leekbrook and head for Ipstones. Despite the hills the prospect of muffins on return appeared to ensure that we passed the café in Ipstones without stopping.

Onwards and upwards with that famous mountain goat come Vet, Pat Kinch from Cheddleton, leading the way onto Ipstones Edge where the group again kindly waited for the rearguard of Graham Halden and Paramedic George Ainsworth, (a now more regular new recruit). From the looks of another new recruit, young Mr Whiston who had cut his leg on his chain ring, a wise move perhaps, although treatment was not required.

The process of re-grouping continued as after the decent into Waterhouses the group took to everything skyward through Waterfall and climbed up onto Butterton moor. Alas no short cut home as we were as yet too early for muffins at Den Engel as stalwart club member Brenda Halden was still baking as 12 riders can easily shift half a dozen muffins apiece!

The circular route around Leek always proves successful on social rides where various abilities come together but all find the hills testing at their own level and therefore support and encourage each other accordingly. However, after a decent into Onecote and the climb out to the top of Morridge it was every man for himself as the heavens opened. Having previously missed most of the rain, the last few miles into Leek were both wet and cold. On arriving into Leek the riders then had to negotiate the Leek “Sunday rush hour” compounded by the “Stockwell Street Contra-flow” due to road works and the subsequent heavy traffic.

This accomplished, warm strawberry muffins fresh from Brenda’s oven plus coffee and Belgian beer at Den Engel rejuvenated that continental cycling experience the day started with.

Also on the day Leek Cyclists’ Club launched the County Air Ambulance Charity Draw with people guessing the expected mileage of Graham Halden in the forthcoming National 24hour Time Trial Championships. Details to follow or donate at Den Engel to have a go, or view posters around the town in the Tourist Board, Style Sports and Mainstreet Music.

People to-day often have busy lives but social rides can provide regular contact for a cycling club and thanks therefore go to those who turned out, some we have not seen for a while and of course Brenda for the essential muffins.

So to enthuse you all and any would be social cyclists who like to eat cake, the next major social event will be Leek Cyclists’ Club’s 128^th. birthday ride – ‘Cake and Fizz’ on the 7^th Aug.

Contact Den Engel or Brenda on 01538-372391 or come to the next club meeting at Den Engel on Mon. July 5^th. at 8.00 p.m.