LEADON VALE CYCLE CLUB RIDE 443 Sunday 12th Marxh 2023.
With the week we were told we were going to have it was best we stayed away from high ground, by as it turned out I did not need to worry, it was milder with a gentle breeze and feeling over dressed I arrived at the club to discover better numbers this week the slightly warmer morning must have bought you out. We had 2 new bikes out today Steve and Julie both sporting sparklingly clean bikes, and I was a bit guilty as the roads were wet and with that probably muddy.
With 2 good sized groups leaving the sporty group of 5 and 9 of us in the Advanced group , we left and headed down Orridge st into Sladbrook the first christening for those clean bikes lots of water about as we wound our way through the lanes to Cooks lane Micheal and Peter nattering away pulling us along on what seemed a fair pace and with the wind on our tail it wasn’t long before Rye Cross and Castlemorton were behind us, and we sailed along slightly splitting into 2 groups but we regathered on the Upper Hook lane before dropping down onto the lower hook lane through past Clive’s fruit farm into Upton upon Severn. Over the bridge and my first view of the quarry being dug on the banks of the Severn where as a child I would walk across the flood plain to what was considered by many to be one of the finest point to point courses in the area, but no longer now being turned into a huge gravel pit. Rhyall and the small loop off the main road to get us on the Ripple lane passing the railway inn and now for the first time feeling that strengthening wind but we were protected somewhat through to Puckrup. Church lane out on to the Mythe rd and the climb up the Mythe over the bridge and the drag to the Forthampton turning where we regrouped and had a drink. Now we knew it was along the meadows into a stiff wind Ken found my wheel as we chased Steve and Chris who were doing a sterling job on the front with Steves new tubeless tyre spitting out sealant after a puncture but it did its job and soon it stopped. Ken said goodbye at Tirley cross and we pushed on into Ashleworth saying goodbye to Maggie now the 7 of us rode back to the club together to a warm brew prepared by the sporty boys who had passed us in Forthampton.
It was good to get out the roads were muddy so the bikes will need a clean and polish.
See you all next week.
Yellow leader.