Leadon vale cycle club ride 384 Sunday 29th August 2012. Could I start by inviting you to join us on tour if you can, you all should have had the emails with all the necessary information about the tour, time is getting close and it would be good if you could, I’m looking for people to join me and help me conquer the terrain and have a laugh. A chilly start greeted us this morning not knowing what to wear for a challenging group of rides originated from the Tuesday group. With Kieron joining Colin on the intermediate the other rides well supported with the Sporty ride on some new roads and our ride avoiding the scene of the accident around Drybrook. With the promise of a bar of chocolate supplied by Mat at the finish there was an eagerness to get going. I joined the Advanced ride with Maggie,Ken and David with Adrian Alan and Frank pushing on ahead of us, and Colin and Kieron following on. We made good progress and kept the advanced party in our sights helped by a wrong turn by them but soon we were through Tibberton and pushing along the Huntley rd with tail wind everything seemed easy going and apart from a few potholes Huntley was passed with little effort. Now a little main rd to Blaisdon but the views were very clear as we dropped down through the village and entered Flaxley with a lot of cars outside the church we started the gradual climb through the valley probably one of the nicest stretches of roads we ride on, then the climb up to Littledean which warmed the legs up and it was here that the arm warmers came off before the long decent down past Soudley ponds then through the woods to Ruspridge and Cinderford. The ride along the industrial estate is not the most inspiring and the smoothest part of this stretch was the cattle grids the roads were strewn with potholes but we did find the little loop rd from the college turning bringing us out closer to the awkward junction at the bottom end of Cinderford awkward because of its steepness and having to cross lanes at a very slow speed. Drybrook now and instead of going through the cutting to the normal decent we went up the high street a road which seemed to go up and up past the Rugby club to the Stenders where the road now went downhill with a good road surface emerging In Mitcheldean where we found the Lea road again and now back on the normal route home the sporty boys passed us as we climbed up to the Penny Farthing saying there ride was like an alpine ride I didn’t know whether that was a compliment or not but they seemed happy enough as they went on their way. Aston Ingham and a rather quiet road joining the Newent road and road closed signs but we decided to push on and see if we could get through and we could with a bit of walking and pushing past in the hedge we got to Newent the traffic lights were kind and soon Upleadon was behind us and the push for home was on. It was so good to get home and have a brew and Mat that chocolate bar was well earnt. Thanks to the Advanced ride who looked after me today and thanks to every one who rode. Next week there are a lot of roads closed due to some car rally so the routes posted may not be the ones we ride so as much information about road closures would be good if you see any on your rides. Yellow leader.
