With steady stalwarts away on the Autumn tour only five riders, including one junior, set off from King’s Square along the tiresome A40 to Birdwood and the well travelled Chapel Lane. The day was cool but better than expected and the Flaxley valley and Abenhall Road warmed us up for Stenders hill.
A right turn on the approach to Ruardean took us to Star Beech and then some narrow lanes around Howle hill to Kerne Bridge (our original destination). The president proposed a diversion at Walford which took us on welcome quieter roads to Ross and an early coffee stop. The tempo riders soon joined us in a fairly quiet garden centre.
Like the outward ride, the return started off along the A40, a missed left turn was corrected at the next junction and then via Bromsash, a dry ford and alongside the M50 where the leader suffered the consequences of choosing a thorny route. Undulating lanes took us to Three Ashes, Upleadon then to Hartbury and home.
50 miles, 3125ft & 50,000 acorns on the road.