It’s tempting to dwell on the difference between that original ride in 1892 and this one, a hundred and thirty-three years later; the bikes, the roads, traffic, communications, GPS, etc. But perhaps it’s the things which have remained the same that are more important; the pure joy of riding a bike through the English countryside, and the companionship of one’s fellow riders.
We had a maximum of twelve, with people joining and leaving at various points along the way. The weather was near perfect, and the route offered much in the way of variety with country lanes, urban bike paths, motorway bridges, canals, iconic climbs, faded Victorian seaside charm and a delightful Georgian city centre.
In tribute to the original ride we had group photos at the pier in Walton, the gardens in Bath, and at Tipput’s Inn in Nailsworth, if you want to know why then I recommend reading Malcolm’s excellent Spokespiece article from the Jubilee edition in Spring 2016.
We squeezed in four cafe stops to keep everyone fuelled up; vast amounts of cake were consumed.
My thanks to everyone who turned up to share in the adventure, and for riding so well together as a group. Extra thanks to the stronger riders who pulled us all along into the headwind, and to those who were perhaps finding it tough but kept going anyway without complaint.
153 miles, 8,000 ft, 13.7 mph average. Back home by 21:11, a memorable day out and just 9 minutes behind the schedule.
SP