Cake Crusader Sportive 15. (Ravenous cafe, Raveningham)

Sportive 15,

Ravenous cafe,

Raveningham,

Wed-Sat 10:00-17:00,

 Recommended

Last year I thought it would be a good idea to organise an annual group ride (sportive) to my top 3 favourite cafes so that my family and friends could enjoy some excellent cycling, coffee and cakes. Sadly my first attempt didn't go to plan (see 1st annual top 3 cafe sportive). First I discovered my top 3 cafes included ones in North Norfolk and North Suffolk meaning it would be an over 100 mile ride. Second, after planning a shorter alternative, I discovered most of my potential sportive competitors were on holiday so I ended up with only 3 guests, two of which had to go early, so in the end we only did part of the ride and visited just two cafes. All in all a rather disappointing start to my annual top 3 rated cafes sportive enterprise.

It was now time to organise this years second annual top 3 cafes sportive but I soon realised a similar pattern to last year was emerging. In order to maintain my cycle cafe credibility I felt it best to cancel the second annual top 3 rated cafe sportive and go for a normal sportive instead.

In terms of participants, as well as Chris (Mrs Crusader), I had managed to round up 3 others for today's event. On their arrival at race HQ I decided it was important to get everyone into the right cafe cycle ride mindset so I insisted they all sat down and watch my recent appearance on Look East. Although they didn't say so I could see how much they enjoyed watching it, especially Chris who I'm sure has thoroughly enjoyed all 12 viewings. 

Sportive competitors now in the right mindset after viewing my item on Look East

Since the Look East feature (DVD copy available on request) I have kindly been sent a number of suggestions to cafes I should visit all over East Anglia. One which has cropped up several times is the Ravenous cafe at Raveningham (see Annoying squeak). I had been there earlier this year but all this good feedback made it seem like a good venue for today's sportive.

When we eventually did set off we had a nice breeze behind us so made good progress on the 20 mile way out to the Raveningham centre where we found the Ravenous cafe. 

Sportive competitors at the Ravenous cafe
 still in the right mindset after viewing my item on Look East

As it was lunchtime we made our way straight to the cakes where I felt there was a good imaginative selection which improved their effective cake selection rating from my last visit. I choose the exciting looking ginger and plum cake. The rest of the group all went lemon, except Barry who as always seems to think a sausage roll is a type of cake, it clearly isn't so Barry would play no further part in any cake based reviewing this day.

Imaginative cake selection including a cheesecake 

As we waited for our cakes and drinks Barry told us that he had been wearing his heart rate monitor. As team doctor Dr Hans was with us he agreed to analyse the data to help optimise Barry's performance. After nearly 5 seconds of in depth study he concluded that as Barry's heart rate was less than 250 bpm he was safe to keep taking the special pills that Dr Hans likes us all to take.

Hot chocolate and Mocha

When the drinks and cakes arrived the consensus was that the cakes, especially the ginger and plum, were excellent and got the thumbs up and were superior to the drinks. In fact Dr Hans and Mrs Dr Hans both thought them so good they had an unprecedented second cake. Dr Hans confirmed that eating fruit based cake was critical to a balanced diet and two slices should be the minimum anyone has per day.

Cakes (and sausage rolls) that some greedy people had seconds of

I totted up the sportive participants scores to see that the Ravenous cafe had ended up with exactly the same score as I had scored it on my previous visit, so all a bit of a waste of time really.

Full of cake and pills we flew along the country lanes back home. Everyone felt it was an excellent sportive and had clearly been a lot more successful than my first annual top 3 rated cafe sportive which I have now put into my rather full 'let's not bother with that idea again' drawer.

Scores based on 3 visits

Hot Choc Quality	Guest Hot Drink Quality	Effective Cake Selection	Cake Quality	Ambiance and Atmosphere	Café Rating
6.1	6.33	6.67	7.41	7.50	6.80

Route

Click here to down load 45 mile Norwich Raveningham loop GPX file for your GPS