LEADON VALE CYCLE CLUB RIDE 432 Sunday 27th No ember 2022.
Well what a damp overcast morning greeted us but it was dry overhead although the roads were wet, there was just a feeling that this was going to get dirty.
Numbers were down this week some excuses were drink related and some sport related but we had a few out, Andrew and Owen set out on the Sporty with no racing or so they promised, Maggie and Doc Mike were on the Advanced leaving me, Brian and James, sorry Ken, I just can’t get this image of Ken in an Aston Martin and a dark suit out of my mind, all will become clear later, on the intermediate ride.
Today’s ride has become a little favourite of mine although as we left the club chasing Maggie and Doc my Garmin was trying to take me on a completely different ride only to realise after 10mins I hadn’t downloaded today’s ride so Brian became ride leader leading us down Sladbrook lane into Orridge Street, Middletown Lane and on to Newent, I certainly wasn’t wrong about the dirty roads rotting leaves, mud and gravel washed into the road by the recent heavy rain, but Brian with his local knowledge of these roads kept us safe.
Watery lane past the school and up the Conigree lane a quiet lane bringing us out on the Ross road and a little loop around Kews lane took us to the Aston Ingham turning. Brian set a good pace through Aton Ingham to the Barrell Lane turning now the roads narrowed we were always aware of the conditions so steady progress along this lane emerging on the A40 by the Farmers boy, a short stretch of main rd before Church lane through Longhope, it was here I thought it the temperature dropped a couple of degrees the fast decent through the village made me feel a bit chilly but crossing the Monmouth rd into Velthouse lane another narrow lane taking us through to Blaisdon, and the smell of the Sunday roast from the pub as we past smelt very nice and it must of got Ken thinking of his stomach as it was soon after this we had to stop so he could open his snack, the roads through Northwood green were covered in fresh hedge cuttings, there seemed to be a lot of that on the roads today we passed a fellow cyclists mending his 3rd puncture of the day so checking he was ok we pushed on taking Grange court lane to Huntley and the traffic lights, straight over past the old golf course on to Solomons Tump and down the Huntley rd passing the Natural Christmas tree sales at Prestbury farm ran by my Daughter and her husband, the sun was trying to come out but it seemed very watery and pale but it was there as we entered Tibberton, where we said goodbye to Brian, we were passing right by his front door so the temptation of an early bath was too great. Ken a I pushed on and it wasn’t long before we were enjoying the newly resurfaced surface in Blackwells end I think the 10 years the club has been running there have always been potholes here but no more a beautiful surface greeted us and soon we were back and before I could make the tea the Sporty group were back so we sat and chatted soon to be joined by Frank out on a solo ride, Andrew got around to the topic of living or working in America and this was great for Ken and he recalled stories of his youth and training, he got more info out of Ken than I had got over the last 10 years, without the need to get him drunk, it was all very interesting, and without realising the time was passing and Maggie and Doc rolled in Maggie having had a puncture which was not surprising considering all the debris on the roads.
With everyone back safely and no secrets passed on David Sage it was a good ride. Thanks to all who rode.
There was no scenic ride this week.
Yellow leader.