Bash with a Crash

For years, maybe decades, I rode the local bash on a Saturday morning. It used to be called the ‘Speeds Bash’ as we met outside a now, long-gone, cycle shop called Speeds Cycles. I stopped racing, opened a bike shop, worked weekends and all those rides on a Saturday morning fizzled out and I never went back.

Fast forward at least a decade and the cycle shop is now a Yoga studio and after a chat this week with my mate Mark who was riding them again, he’d planted a seed and I decided to give it a bash again this morning (pun deliberately intended!)

Mark’s description of the ride sounded like it hadn’t changed much. Same 27 mile route. Fast on the flat, hard on the hills and very hard on the steeper hills towards the end where the fittest tend to roll away and race to the finish. His aim was to last as long as he could and improve each week. That seemed like a sensible approach to me. So I adopted it too.

I was up early this morning. Not a great sleep and feeling a bit indifferent about going. I think I’d wound myself up about it when I didn’t have to and ended up nervously leaving the house around 9.20am to meet them for 9.30am.

The first thing was they now meet down a side street and not on the pavement outside the former shop like it always was. Mark was there and some other familiar faces. 9-10 of us in total. Pleasantries done we rolled out through town and my first challenge was to hold them over Rock Hill, the first draggy climb of the day. I know from past experience some riders smashed it on the front up there, me being guilty of it too but it was ok, just a bit out of breath.

We dropped down to Stoke Prior and rounded the bend there at 50km/h with no let up. I was a bit twitchy for a bit as I’m not used to group riding but I made myself relax and just concentrated on holding my line and the wheel in front.

The next climb goes up in two steps. The riders on the front seemed to step on the gas up the first section and I almost went into the red but it flattened over the top before the next draggy climb over Hanbury Woods where I expected to burn a couple of matches hanging on but it was steady and ok again. Some gaps opened but we all got over the top in one group. I’ve seen the group in bits there before. So far so good.

After a speedy descent to Hanbury, the next 10 miles were a nice roll through the lanes cruising at 20-25mph on the back. I deliberatley stayed off the front and let the ‘kids’ do the work. 🙂

The next test was a drag upto Bradley Green and this went better than I expected too but I knew from here it was only going to get harder. We rolled into Feckenham quite hard and turned into narrow lanes again and a rider attacked and the group split briefly. I thought that was it but I rolled through and they eased and we got back on the first of the 3 climbs into Redditch where the selections are normally made.

The next one was the longest and where I expected to be dropped. I was prepared to burn my matches here and make the top my finish line and roll home solo. As we dropped into the dip before it kicks up I actually made up a few places up the inside of the group to try and give myself a bit of rope and then BANG! The crunching sound of riders hitting the deck behind me. I think what was a simple and completely accidental touch of wheels took them down and everyone else behind piled into them and over the top.

We all stopped and unpicked riders and bikes off the floor. The youngest was lay on the floor, initially looking in a bad way but did get up but was visibly shocked. He was only 15 and it was his first crash. Lots of road rash and blood. I’d looked round at the moment it happened and can remember seeing Mark going over the top. He’d badly cut his fingers and elbow and had blood literally dripping off him.

Someone had knocked on the door of a house across the road and a lovely lady plied us with dressings, water and tape so we could clean and patch up the worst. Thankfully no one was seriously hurt but I’m sure they’ll be stiff and sore tomorrow.

We eventually carried on, ironically taking it easy on the climbs and rolled home.

Not the best ride back on the bash but just one of those things and why I wear a helmet on them. You never know what’s around the corner.

Wishing all the injured well. See you all next Saturday because despite the crash, I loved it