Mand might be going with Mum and co on their ‘dinner’ ride while I hang with the girls but it certainly doesn’t get me out of training. Far from it, Dad’s set me a quite strenuous ride in advance of Saturday’s competitive outing.

"I'm off,” I called out from the cellar steps.
"You got your keys,” Dad asked appearing at the kitchen doorway, "We might have already left when you get back.”
I fished in my pockets, “Keys, money, Handy,” I announced presenting my pocket contents.
"Remember, steady does it, Saturday’s going to be more about endurance than speed.”
"Yes Dad,” I sighed, "Can I go now?”
"On with you then.”
"Tschuss!”
"Tschuss.”

It’s been ages since I've trained on my own, proper training that is, not on the turbo in the garage. Since Mand arrived it’s pretty much always the pair of us together – if anything it’s Mand that's done the solo training. So used to riding with her am I that I caught myself talking to ‘her’ as I made my way up the valley!

Talk about feeling a right Charlie. What did I do before she came? I had to wrack my brain to remember, talk to myself I guess, oh yeah, I often ended up humming or singing an ear worm - ‘Mac’s Chain, Bicycle Race, Bo Rap or whatever was on the radio before I set off. Unfortunately today it’s some German Goth Rock thing that's caught, all growling and angry.

Instead of my usual ride up through Adenau to the ring I turned at Ahrbruck and started the long climb through Kesseling and up to Kaltenborn. Coming down it’s a blast but going up, well there’s no rest for over a dozen kilometres, I was grateful to stop for a few seconds at the top for a go at my bidon. Not that stopping was without its own hazards, the warm morning and thirty plus minutes of climbing had me ‘glowing’, the flies were on me in seconds!

At the main Nurburg road I turned away from the circuit and headed towards Kempenich and the A61 motorway. After the long climb the wide, smooth road was welcome relief and turned up the juice a bit. Just under an hour later I was dropping down to Maria Laach after coming over Glees but rather than go up past the Abbey or drop into the Brohltal I took the quieter road around the north of the cone that leads eventually down to Andernach.

In the town I looped around to the waterfront and made my way to the Strandkörbe Andernach, an open air cafe next to the KD jetty. Hey, I've been at it for best part of three hours and it’s at least another two back to Dernau, I need some lunch! I found a riverside table and gratefully sank onto a seat before pulling my mitts off and releasing my bonce from its polystyrene casing.

"Abend, food?” the waitress queried arriving armed with the Speisekarte.
"Please.”
"Drink?”
"Large Sprite® please, er what’s the soup?” I asked after quickly scanning the brief selection.
“Knödel mit Huhn ,” she advised.
"That’ll do.”
"Bread?”
"Please.”

She departed with my order and I made myself more comfortable. It’s not the prettiest bit of river, there’s riverside industry opposite and get the wind the wrong way quite a lot of noise. That said you can still sit and watch the river traffic plugging up from Bonn or zipping seaward from Koblenz and beyond.

My drink was barely on the table before my Handy started a jig in my pocket.

"Bond.”
"Finally,” Nena sighed, "Where are you?”
"Andernach, just getting some lunch.”
"What’re you doing there?”
"Training? what’s up?”
"You do remember this afternoon?”
"Course, swimming at Remagen, we’re getting meeting at Con’s for the one o’clock Express,” it is after all my excuse for not going with the seniors later.
"And the time now?” she prompted.
I looked at my watch, ten past one, "Sugar.”
"We thought something had happened,” Nen told me.
"Something did, Dad sending me out on a long ride, didn’t you ring the house?”
"No reply,” she paused, I could hear the others in the background, "Yeah okay, look we’re gonna get the next Zug, what time will you be back?”
"Three?” I suggested, "I've just ordered lunch.”
"Bum, look we’ll see you at the pool.”
“’Kay, might be near four,” I warned.
"We’ll still be there.”
"Laters.”

Damn!

The soup deserved better than me necking it like I did, I'd intended taking my time before starting for home but I was clicking into my pedals before one thirty. At least the run down the Rhein is essentially flat even if my recent feed prevented an all out effort. Rather than humming to myself I was now running calculations and time tables through the grey matter.

Get home at three, change, yeah I'll get to the pool about four. I was coming up to Sinzig before I realised there was an alternative, it’d be close but if I stay on the main road, doable. Ten minutes later I bunny hopped the kerb and slewed my way down the new ramp before sprinting to Gleis Vier.

I nearly landed on my rump as I dismounted, having survived that I sprinted up the steps to the platform.

"Wait!”
"Come on then, girl,” Myleen chivvied.
"Thanks,” I puffed stepping on board the Express.

The whistle sounded, the doors closed and we were on our way.

"Your friends just came down.”
"Yeah,” I allowed retrieving my pass, “going swimming, meeting there.”
"Slow down, you’ll do yourself damage, rushing about so.”

Myleen went off to check tickets so I parked my bike and squatted on one of the pull down seats, no point in not using the facilities.

Catching the up train didn’t gain that much, maybe ten minutes but that meant I rejoined Myleen for the trip back to Remagen rather than catching the following journey. In turn that meant I got to the Freizeitbad just before three thirty. Once inside it didn’t take long to locate the others.

"We weren’t expecting you for ages yet,” Steff advised.
"I used my super powers,” I allowed sagging onto the grass.

Con passed me a bottle of eau, Apollinaris of course.

"Thanks,” I told her unscrewing the lid, "So what’ve I missed?”
"Con was just telling us about ‘Con’s Kiosk’,” Bridg stated.
"Don’t forget ‘Gaby’s Garten’,” I put in.
"So who is this bloke who’s doing the opening?” Nen requested.
"Tom Boonen? Only like one of the top road racers.”
"Might’ve guessed you’d get someone to do with bikes,” Steff noted.
"Well Mum’s sorted it out, so are you guys coming?”
"If we get invited,” P mentioned.
"Of course you’re invited.”

How could they think they weren’t?

The rest of the afternoon was taken with topping up tans, catching up and just, well, reconnecting. Obviously you know what me and Con have been doing, P’s been doing stuff at the Stube of course but the others. Well Steff’s been helping out at the Kindergarten, Bridg has scored a few hours a day as a chambermaid at the Hotel Lochmühle in Laach and Nen’s been running the kids club activities at the Campingplatz Burgweise just up the road from her place.

There’re no free rides around here, if you want stuff you have to have some income. don’t get me wrong, not everyone our age has a job but they’re the poorer for it, as Dad pointed out a while back, it looks good on your CV, you get experience, maybe training and a few euros in your purse. I guess it’s not for everyone.

So anyhow, we did pool type stuff until nearly half to six, no surprise arrivals of ‘boy friends’ this time, ut uh, this is a girls’ only affair.

"What time we booked for?” Pia asked our organiser.
"Six thirty,” Steff advised, "Plenty of time.”

Well you didn’t think we were just going to the pool did you? We haven’t seen everyone together for several days at least! No, we’re going for food once we’ve changed, Steff’s booked us in at da Franco, an Italian restaurant on the Rheinpromenade. When I say Italian, it’s more a restaurant with Italian food on the menu than one of the theme park places popular in the cities.

"You get hold of Anna?” Con enquired emerging from the ladies in her favourite summer frock.
"Nah,” Steff sighed, "I left a message with her mum, she knows where and when.”

I miss Anna, I don’t think I've seen her since Weihnachts.

"Your turn, Gabs,” Brid suggested rejoining the rest of us.
"Cheers,” I headed into our makeshift changing room.

"That’s no fair, no one mentioned heels,” P complained as I returned to the others.
"She is a midget,” Con stated.
"I am here,” I mentioned. Okay, maybe the heels are a bit much.
"We all ready?” our organiser queried.
"I'm ready and hungry,” I allowed slinging my beach bag onto my shoulder.

I think we made quite a sight as we walked along Alte Straße into the town, a gaggle of girls dressed, if not to the nines, at least to the eights! If I'd been on my own I might’ve been a bit uncomfortable but safety in numbers and all that. Yeah, too short dresses, a good supply of face paint and a bunch of friends – girls out for a good evening.

The lane down to the water from Marktplatz is quite steep, I descended with a vice like grip on Con’s arm, up a few steps and we were at our destination. The Maître d offered us a choice of inside or out, the place wasn’t yet busy but I'm guessing there’ll be some of the hotel patrons along in a while. We elected to sit out, it might get cool later but for now it’s plenty warm enough and eating al fresco is kinda neat.

"We getting wine?” I whispered to Steff.
"Dunno,” she whispered back, “girls?” she pointed to the candleholder, as is traditional, a wine bottle.

I know we’re all legal, and dressed up we all, even short house here easily pass as eighteen but it still feels a bit naughty. Definitely one up on dinner with Apollinaris, I wouldn’t be getting wine with them that's for sure.

"Well duh, that's all I've come for,” Brid advised – I could even believe that.
"Settled then,” P stated.
The waiter returned with the menus, "Drinks, ladies?”
Pia took charge, "Two bottles of Prosecco and a jug of water please.”

He didn’t even blink at the order, returning in short order with the booze and a vase of breadsticks. Hmm nibbles and alcohol – best go easy on that or I’ll get it in the ear-hole.

I was still absently munching on a breadstick trying to decide between lasagne and salmon tagliatelle when I sensed a presence by my elbow.

"Room for one more, guys?”
"Anna!” I almost leapt from my seat to hug her.
"Someone’s pleased to see you,” Con mentioned waiting her own turn to greet our club’s senior member.

Another chair, an additional glass and we soon resettled.

"A toast,” Anna proposed standing up, "To us!”
"The Angels,” we all chimed raising our glasses.

Maddy Bell © 17.02.17