LEADON VALE CYCLE CLUB RIDE 429 Sunday 6th November 2022..
After last weeks soaking I was determined that we wouldn’t get that wet again so it was nice when it was dry but I wasn’t expecting it to be fog causing me concern, but by 8.45 it had cleared and so I got ready only for the concerns to return as I rode to the club a bank of fog had moved in, but it was dry.
With the urn on and just before we left the bank of fog had moved on so Andrew, Richard and Alan Aplin decided to ride the sporty ride leaving the rest of us on the Advanced with Di, Julie and Gill leaving at 10.30.
Our rides headed down Orridge Street turning in to Sladbrook lane, the Sporty group pushed on through Upleadon, Payford and Redmarley, we pushed on around the lanes that were wet and covered in leaves so caution was key, but we safely made it up Dobbs hill Wyndybrook lane and cooks lane out to Rye Cross this bank of fog seemed to be always moving in front of us looking like low cloud over the side of the Malverns but we were in hazy sunshine. Blessed by a tail wind Castlemortin church was soon behind us the lanes were still wet but cleanish, I mean not a lot of mud out of fields, but we soon wound our way out onto the Welland road where we turned back on ourselves and headed up on to Upper Hook lane, Steves Garmin had flat battery David had to re set his non Garmin device and Chris was setting a good pace with his new found fitness, not that he wasn’t fit before but something has changed he seems super fit now, his climbing was very good often shooting past us as we went upwards. Now a little lane down to Lower Hook lane a new lane to Ken, I think we rode it the other way last time but it led us down onto a misty stretch of road which seemed to drop the temperature which must have played havoc with David’s non Garmin Garmin, having to stop and reset it again, we waited at Clive’s fruit farm before Uptons town centre and over the bridge to Rhyall, a little loop off the main rd led us from Rhyall to the Ripple road, now as we rode through to Ripple the wind was now a head wind but once again Chris was pulling us along, now joined by Steve up the climb to Puckrup and around Church lane before emerging on to the A38 up the Mythe once again Chris pulling us up and down over the bridge, now the drag from Tewkesbury to the Forthampton junction, a stretch that tested my legs but a sneaky rest on the downhill I could soon sit back behind Steve and Chris through Chaceley and now the sun gone and a storm moving in bought shivers down my spine but it was only light rain unlike last week. Tirley crossroads we said goodbye to Ken, Frank wanting to avoid Ashleworth in preference for a cup of tea we all joined him up the hill and back to the club via the straight lane.
The tea was made and greatly appreciated and soon Di and Gill joined us and 2 of the sporty group.
Alan had punctured so after a while Richard set off in his car to pick him up but couldn’t find him so not having his phone number I got through to his wife Patsy who gave us his number and we found out where he was and once again Richard the third emergency service went to the rescue, found him and picked him up and a warm brew was waiting for him. Thanks Richard just shows what a friendly club we are.
Thanks to everyone who turned out today it didn’t turn out too bad in the end.
Yellow leader.