DS Smith Family Charity Ride 2024
DS Smith Family Charity Bike Ride (all monies to Cancer Research UK) Sunday 22nd September 2024; Autumn Equinox.
Cycling UK Louth had agreed to help support the Charity Ride being organised by DS Smith with Lee Mamwell in charge on the day. There’d be a choice of 10, 30 or 50 mile routes and we’d take on the 30-mile option.
Meeting up at Alvingham Village Hall in time to register were Alan Hockham, Rob Cook, Tim Newbery, Chris Owen, Martin Wood and his wife Gill.
Great organisation with teas, coffees and fresh fruit available on arrival. We found too that the routes had been clearly marked on the road with different coloured arrows for each of the distances; orange for the 30 miler.
Although attending as ‘Cycling UK Louth’ it was agreed that as the ride was under DS Smith rules and regulations, we would each be able to ride independently, at our own speed, meeting back on return at the village hall.
Departing a little after 10 am under grey and misty skies, a brisk NE’ly breeze and temperatures at 15 Degrees Celsius, we headed north towards the Covenham’s. Tim had estimated that he’d probably return by about 1 pm.
A flat ride all the way to Grainsby Holme, the traffic generally considerate and tolerant of the large numbers of cyclists on the back lanes. By this stage, Tim had bid farewell to Chris who had arranged to return home to Cleethorpes via Tetney.
With Alan, Rob and Tim still together, the ride continued past St Nicholas’ Church and through the Grainsby Estate. Grainsby Hall, owned by the Nettleship-family was sadly demolished in 1972.
Having climbed to Stock Furlong at an altitude of about 110 m, looking back should have afforded a superb view of the coast but we were well and truly into the cloud with limited visibility and a wetting drizzle dripping of the trees. Dew drops hung off the hedgerows, clearly delineating myriads of spider’s webs.
Continuing to Wold Newton and finally to East Ravendale we reached our most northerly point of the ride.
Southbound now and with the thought of a backwind and a route nearly all downhill, Tim looked forward to hot drinks and a complimentary burger or sausage bun back at HQ.
A swift ride followed all the way to Alvingham Village Hall where we were all awarded a medal. A well organised ride and a great day out, the weather pleasing some more than others. Temperatures had risen just a smidge to 16 degrees with the mist persisting.
Sadly, no view of the sun at 1.46 pm, the time of the equinox.
"Autumn" by John Keats:
"Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run".
Rob Cook’s ‘Relive: