In spite of the poor weather conditions we had six rides by mid February this year, starting on New Years Day.

Our second run was a short ride to Lydiate and Aughton with time for a quick change of outfits before meeting up at Miller and Carters to celebrate Ken Pool’s 80th Birthday. see photo.

Last year, first Beryl and then John Ramsden reached the same milestone and we had a similar celebratory lunch.   We do, also, have riders in their 50s, 60s and 70s in the group.

Beryl also set a new first by swapping her bike for a ‘Pedal Assist Electric Bike’. we saw the benefit on our ride back from Scarisbrick Marina, via Ormskirk. At the bottom of Holborn Hill Beryl switched to maximum power and shot off up the hill leaving the rest of us toiling up a long way behind.

We have used Merseyrail twice this year, both times alighting at St Michael’s. the first time we returned via the Festival Gardens, Otterspool Prom, then through the park to Sefton Park for a coffee stop. We then followed cycle route 56 to link up with the Cheshire Lines track in Childwall and enjoyed a peacefull, traffic free ride, to Aintree.

the second time we turned back towards the Pier Head along the Prom, passing the Albert Dock. After a coffee stop we joined the canal at the locks and followed the towpath to Netherton Green, then crossing the new Brooms Cross bypass to reach the Millenium Forest in Maghull, about 16 miles in total.

No doubt we will shortly be cycling to Sefton Park again to see the magnificent Daffodill fields, this being an annual pilgrimage of ours.

we tend to keep our numbers down to a max of 12 but could accept 1 or 2 new riders.

John  Ramsden [Leader}