"Colour Co-ordination is the order of the day"

A large group of the regular D group assembled at O' Briens for the weekly spin. Certain members were missing in action ?. I would say some of the group have caught the holiday bug. A quick change of route had to be arranged. In the present climate it is very difficult to arrange the mid-way coffee stop where everyone is safe and social distancing is adhered to.
The consensus was to head towards Kilbeggan. The group departed and headed down the road to Dysart and on to Horseleap. To add a bit of flavour to the route a detour to Clara was called. From here it was back towards Kilbeggan and a well deserved coffee at the filling station on the Tyrrellspass road.
A break from the norm was the presentation of a well deserved prize to Nuala. Her co-ordinated lipstick with matching helmet was very tasteful. Who says men don't notice these things?  After the banter and break it was on towards Rahenmore and down the back road to Dalystown. From Belvedere it was everyone for themselves and the pace back to O'Briens quickly intensified. Everyone made it back safely and in one piece. The spin covered 60km at a very credible 25km per hr. 

C group spin this morning, one group of 15 people. Distance 83km  ave speed 26.5km. 

The number of riders who assembled at our temporary meeting point at O’Brien’s was once again impressive in spite of several of the clubs racers missing as they were competing at the open races in Moynalty. Two A groups and one B group formed up and headed out on the pre-planned routes. While it wasn’t a unseasonably cold morning many riders had overshoes and long sleeves or a jacket on - was this being over cautious? After all we have been very lucky weather wise in the last while. It didn’t take long at all for the answer to be quite clear. Once the rain started about half an hour into the spin it literally didn’t stop for the remaining two and a half hours. Oh well it was warm Summer rain, at least that’s what we told ourselves.
Mark Horohoe, one of the group leaders, put together this route which took us out towards Kinnegad onto Ballivor and left at Addinstown Cross. Those who were feeling the incessant rain might have hoped that we were headed straight to Delvin and then left for Mullingar. Not today. We made a right and travelled past Ballinlough Castle onto Clonmellon and where we met the other A group for a very quick coffee stop. Back on the bikes we headed deeper into County Meath and although I was brought up not far from where we were, I still didn’t recognise many of the roads which Mark’s route had us travelling on!
If you want to consider yourself a true cyclist, in Ireland anyway, there are two main things you must come to terms with - one being the weather and the other the inevitable punctures. Two of these punctures be-felled the group and as we waited in the pouring rain there was some funny banter going around. Somebody produced a large bag of sweets and it was noted that Michael Murtagh had his fair share. We must remember never to give Michael sweets again because once he got to the head of the group on the Delvin road the speed went up way beyond comfortable. But we hung on in a 'strung out group' with Aidan Daly and Stephen Corroon taking the honours. 97 Km at 32 km/h average. Not bad for a wet Sunday spin. Notes by Paul Gibney.

 

There were two B groups for last Sunday’s spin. A route was drawn up and followed which brought many of us onto roads never previously either cycle or driven. The deep Irish countryside was looking really lovely on this fine Summer Sunday morning so it didn’t feel too long at all before we reached our tea stop with slightly over half the route already completed. Of course these day's Covid means no one can use indoor seating but our lucky streak of dry weather at the weekends means this isn’t an issue at the moment. The other bit of luck that has been on our side and every cyclist is thankful for is lack of punctures for the last while - maybe that’s because we are well outside the hedge cutting season so thorns etc have ‘disappeared’ for the moment. We finished with a bit of a gallop back into Mullingar with slightly over 90 km completed. It’s been a real pleasure to get back with groups since restrictions have allowed as everyone Is in flying form and the craic is always good.

  

B Group Sunday morning spin.

Last Saturday at 8:30am a group of Lakeside Wheelers and friends met in the car park at Kinnitty Castle at the bottom of the Slieve Blooms for a morning of riding the recently developed mountain bike trails. There were ten of us in total with a few in particular who knew the trail layout very well which was a great asset to the rest of us. Having been so dry recently the trails were riding very well. Roy Carey who is one of those with pretty extensive knowledge of the trails, did mention that in his opinion the trails rode possibly even better when they are a little damp which should bode well for average Irish weather!

There were mountain bike wheel sizes ranging from 26, 27.5 and the more common 29 inch all out for a blast. But to have a ‘blast’ coming down the trails necessitates putting in the hard work grinding up to the trailhead in the first place! But don’t let that put you off because on road cycling where groups try and stay together on drags and hills, with mountain biking everyone goes up the inclines at their own pace which gives plenty of time to admire the pretty spectacular views and scenery we witnessed in the fine weather last Saturday. The mood was casual and relaxed with the faster climbers waiting for everyone else to join them at the top of each trailhead. 

We completed all of the opened red trails and then dropped down into the slightly more forgiving and less technical blue trail loops which finish out on the relatively flat grounds leading back to the car park. It’s something everyone who was there last Saturday is keen to do again before too long. Thanks to committee member Seamus Clarke for organising this outing and we definitely look forward to the next one. 

   

  A large group of D riders assembled at O'Briens on Saturday. Many thanks to Maurice who took control of the first group. Eddie was on hand to take out the second group. Tom had decided to take a well earned break. The route this week focused on a hilly spin. Both groups headed out the Longford road and at Ballinafid headed up "piggery" into Multy. From here it was across the bog road heading to Coole. The groups were pleasantly surprised to be overtaken by some senior riders who overtook the group at lightning pace. At the coffee stop in Tullynally Castle it was revealed this group had electric bikes. I think I will be signing up for one shortly.
The coffee break at Tullynally was enjoyed by everyone. Such a beautiful setting - sitting in the courtyard with the castle as a backdrop. Matthew & Makayla along with their excellent staff served up lovely fresh scones and coffee. Look them up if you are in their locality.
After refreshments it was into Castlepollard and up Bratty road. This gave the group a testing hilly route home. The groups arrived back in town after completing a very respectable 64km.

Bright and dry conditions prevailed for the Sunday spins which meant large numbers out once again for both A and B groups. The downloaded routes to Garmins, Wahoos & other bike computers were really needed for the A group's voyage into deepest Offaly. After we turned left off the old N6 a few Km outside Kilbeggan most of us found ourselves on roads we had never been on before. We knew we were headed for Clara and after a few twists and turns, we got there. Straight onto Tullamore for the coffee break with about 57 Km done at this point. The return leg brought us on back roads over Derrygolan and eventually into Tyrellspass. As soon as we were on the familiar N52 and home was now less than 20 Km away the speed started to creep up and lads were watching for someone to ‘break’. When enquiries were made as to who took the honour of being the first Wheeler home on the day, conflicting reports flowed in so we call this one a split decision! Overall there was a little over 100km completed at over 33 kph average. Impressive figures. Well done to everyone.