LEADON VALE CYCLE CLUB Bridge Too Far 2023.
Well the weather certainly does not make planning anything easy, changing as the week went on from awful to good and then bad morning and good afternoon so we would give it a go. So only 5 brave souls at the 8.30 start me Maggie Steve Wayne and Hutch leaving in a squally shower which turned into a continual shower for the next hour and it was only as we got to Little dean did it ease off and Steve and Wayne removed the wet gear. As we passed through the forest the trees kept the worst of the head wind off us so the hilly part of the ride through the forest passed without too much incident and soon the climb up to Sling was behind us as well and the drop down onto the the Wye Valley was ahead fantastic views as we dropped down over the Brockwier bridge and a new stop near Tintern an old railway station which served coffee and cake a very welcome stop after that head wind. Fully refuelled we headed on through Tintern and up the climb to Chepstow Racecourse and on into Chepstow through several roadworks where while trying to mount the kerb I fell off, but no damage and we pushed on to the Bridge and the wind was blowing right up the estuary just as they said it would which made for a slightly scary feeling bring on there with that wind but knowing once we were off and turning towards home it would help us and we weren’t disappointed Berkeley was on us in no time and the usual stop at the Berkeley tea rooms where Michael Sutton caught us up, he was the only one starting at 9.30 so did very well on his own to catch us. Refuelled again now the push through Slimbridge and Cambridge the wind making riding feel like we were on electric bikes, with Wayne’s wheel buckled we thought it would slow him down but none of it with a twitching back wheel he led us through Frampton Saul and now it felt like we were nearly home but we had the canal towpath and the dye paths to contend with through to Maismore and the last challenge of the day the climb up Hartpury old road but know we were stopping at the Royal Exchange to rehydrate.
That was a great day very easy to not ride but very rewarding if you did..
Yellow leader.