Leadon Vale cycle club ride 440 Sunday 19th February 2023.
Today’s rides were the Westbury on Severn loop group and they were well received by Mother Nature, as the roads were dry and the sun was out like Alan’s legs everybody else had leg warmers but not Alan. It was nice to welcome Julie joining us for the first time from Newent, Andy Christy joined us so we knew it would be a dry ride, Richard was back from his cycling holiday / expedition to Patagonia and Brucie got his steed out of the garage and joined us.
The Sporty ride was a big group so they led away from the club and the rest of us left together around Orridge street into Blackwells end and on to Tibberton, the lanes were quiet but the main rd was very busy so to be heading around Bully lane was so peaceful. The views across to May hill were stunning and there was something about the views throughout the ride that they seemed so clear the skyline outlined by a blue sky, we crossed the A40 and headed to Northwood green where the ride split, David, Brucie and myself left to ride the intermediate and Julie would join Ken, David and Peter on the Advanced , the sporty boys passed us on the junction before we could move off. We took a little diversion in Northwood green a new road to us a little loop which bought us back out on our original route down to the bottom of Blaisdon, where we began the climb up through the village with the Forest of Dean to our left looking splendid in the sunshine and it was feeling like Alan had actually made the right decision and left the leg warmers in the drawer. Brucie led us down to Huntley past the closed A40 into the Newent rd which we followed through to Kents green where even the wet stretch by the farm was dry and clean before we joined the busy road towards Newent and to make it worse the rd through Hooks lane was closed by a great big tipper lorry, the council doing a bit of overtime filling in a trench but kindly paused to let us through which saved us a few miles, so Middletown lane behind us and back into Forge lane the push for home was on and David setting the pace only for us to loose Brucie at one stage he was taking a phone call, but we were all together when we reached the club.
I brewed the tea and as soon as it was ready the sporty group came into the car park closely followed by The Advanced group minus David who pulled off at home and finally Di who had ridden the Scenic on her own, so any of you scenic members I’m sure Di would love your company.
Thanks to everyone who ride or helped out today another lovely day in the saddle.
Yellow leader.