Badenoch's Jolly Boys Outing

Leopard's ride report - Joe Duhan

An earlier start than usual for some of us, with an 0800 depart from MSC, and our group of 7 Fast(er) Leopards. JPS had opted to take the slower half of the leap, and so Graeme’s half headed up Marlow High Street, and on towards Lane End via Dean St. An unorthodox route, but we were delighted the rain was holding off, meaning capes pocketed and not needed for the whole ride.

After Horns Lane we had a brief pause to regroup, after carelessly misplacing our Tailend Charlie, James. Now back together, we powered towards West Wycombe. We spaced out a little whilst ascending Luxboro Hill, and kept the same loose formation down Haw Lane towards Princes Risborough. It wasn’t until we reached the other side of PR that we hit the wetter roads, making Chris Beynon the one to draft, as he had very kindly fitted a rear mudguard – well done that man!

We had a short-lived run of chain-ganging as we got closer to our extreme NW limit of exploitation, reaching Brill in good-enough time to reward ourselves with a proper drink stop. Not ‘proper’ enough that it was into the The Pointer, a pub/butchers that’s well worth considering for Sunday lunch, apparently, for a pint, but we did put feet on the ground to draft from bidons, chat a short while, and admire the allround loveliness of the village.

All plain sailing as we headed south again, and through Thame, until Matthew hit a hole and got an immediate pinch-flat. Although a team effort, it was far from an easy tyre to remove and thoughts were turning to whiling the time away with a book from the bus shelter library, as the clock ticked over about 15 mins. But then repairs were completed, and away we were.

I forgot to mention that we had picked up a red-and-white-clad straggler by this point. As our group neared him, chatter suggested it was a dropped Cheetah. Turns out it was Andy, who’d arrived at 0830 to a deserted MSC; if only he’d seen my 0830 ride posted and signed up, we’d have ridden together. I absolutely know there’s latent demand for an 0830 depart; just got to locate it and I’ll get a precious extra 30 mins schlafen on a Saturday morning...

Anyhow, Tin Man-itis and cramp struck your writer shortly after we got going again, and I was seen by Matthew shiftily looking round for a passing sag wagon. Fortunately, ARCC was just around the corner and nobody realised I was about to get dropped – phew, made it. The cakes somehow managed to live up to expectations, which were very, very high. It’s not MRs’ second-favourite cake stop for no reason, and this time the bakers had totally surpassed themselves. Only Aston Hill to negotiate, which is a gentle climb as far as hills in the Chilterns AONB go, even when replete with delicious tea loaf, coffee and walnut cake, and a slice of lemon drizzle cake, and downhill all the way for home. See you next week, for more of the same 😊