Today is a special day for the CRAPI peleton; the big daddy of the group - Le Patron - is 50 years young today. Despite looking like an anorexic pug following swine flu, his enthusiasm is undimmed from the first time he berated my shortcomings on a bike almost 5 years ago. If you are meeting at 9am he’s outside his front gate at ten to, anxiously pacing up and down; eager to be off. As it’s a special day Mark also puts in an appearance and, just for Le Patron, its raining as we set off.
Apart from being wet and chilly the ride out to meet the Matinee Idol is remarkably without incident though it seems harder going uphill than the previous week. Once the Idol joins the ranks the pace begins to creep up on the road to Oswestry. Strengths are being tested and Le Patron, today of all days, seems determined to give no quarter. The Lantern watches all this wearily whilst yo-yoing off the back.
Remarkably we arrive at the café without incident and without my legs feeling like they are going to fall off. At the café Le Patron has several surprises - we’ve got him a cake, Ian & Fiona at the café have provided beer and Alan Lewis is there & smiling!! Le Patron sits there grinning like a schoolboy who’s just seen his first copy of Mayfair, drinking beer and fondling his torque wrench in a, frankly, disturbing fashion. The café stop progresses with more beer, cake and bacon buttys/eggs on toast all round. By the time the peleton pulls out we‘ve all put on about half a stone in weight and its not far up the road before half the group has to agree to a comfort break.
The ride back is nice and sedate and Le Patron seems in no hurry to end his birthday ride. After bidding adieu to Paul and Mark the remnants of the Peleton retire to Le Patron’s for yet more cake and tea.
Le Patron (Big Al in case you haven’t yet worked it out) said he thoroughly enjoyed his birthday ride which is the least he deserves for all the enjoyment, encouragement and comradeship he has given us all over the years. Hopefully I’ll still be make comebacks and riding alongside Al for another 40 years or so - maybe by then I’ll be able to catch him - but I wouldn’t bet on it!!
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