Things didn't go exactly to plan today, but they still worked out pretty damn good. The first part of the plan was to nobble The Pro by taking him for a "quiet pint" last night. The flaw in the plan was that whatever damage it would do to him, it would also do to me and I don't have the fitness, youth or good looks he has to offset it!
So two hangovers left Forster Green with Retro, Nitemare, Sean, Mark, Lanterne, Philip, Snake Hips and Mike (I've a feeling I missed someone....). Nitemare and Retro called North which suited the NW wind, but don't think I was in a position to argue. Unfortunately without a Lite leader it meant taking everyone over a tough climb. The pace was controlled, but there is no easy way up the Crumlin Rd, round the Horse Shoe and right on to the Upper Hightown Rd. We stopped to re-group at the top, then split.
The plan was for the Lite group to do a loop round to Templepatrick, while five of us drilled it to Randalstown. The route was called by Nitemare and whether it was the hangover or the wind, I found it tough. The reward was was some good training. Sean's Strava link explains it better, but after a detour past Parkgate, Tardee and Kells we made it to coffee, with The Pro leading out The Berg for the 30's (I'm still sore).
After promised baps and buns in Truffles (the bacon bap is awesome) we hit out for Antrim. I was hoping for a fairly direct route, but passing through Crumlin, Aldergrove and Glenavey told a different story. Retro gave us the best comedy moment of the day, diving round a corner in full crit mode into an apartment block car park oops.... It was bound to happen at some point, but things exploded on the climb up to the Glen Rd - I could actually taste last nights beer running down my face.... A final plunge down to Finaghy and home.
Probably the most I've suffered in a while, but done with friends and don't they say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Next time I leave the beers til post ride....
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