Being a ride leader means you have a moral obligation to get to the Square irrespective of the weather (and the bails on the WhatsApp group).
Four brave souls huddled under the Iceland canopy to try and stay dry(ish) before setting out. A brief discussion between me and Toby decided on the revised cafe stop – The Stables at Saul.
Toby managed to get us through Kingsway until I forced him the wrong way by the Police Station. A quick u-turn and through an anonymous Trading estate took us through to Hunts Grove and over the M5 footbridge to Colethrop Lane. Unfortunately, just before Ann had a slip on a wooden border of a cycle path but she was OK.
The rain was still coming down whilst we took the road to Haresfield and on to the B road through to Stonehouse. At the second roundabout we cut our way through another Housing Estate before going under and over the main railway line. When we reached the Muller Factory Toby took us right into a rather more anonymous Housing Estate. This was bizarrely the muddiest section of the ride with all the construction traffic leaving their mark.
When I saw the Shell petrol station canopy I was back on track- right here took us to Whitminster.
It was at this point that one of our group made the decision that they weren’t going to stop at the Cafe when we crossed the A38 and do a longer ride before heading home.
This left the three of us pedalling our lonely furrow the short distance that remained. It was at this point the wet and cold conditions were beginning to tell. I, for one, was ready for a stop.
Nice warm drinks and food consumed we were ready to leave – had it stopped raining – No. Another jacket was donned and this was needed as for the first 5 minutes of the ride back through Saul Village I was struggling to keep the bike from not moving too much from me shivering.
We took the traditional route home through Epney, when we had to stop for Colin so he could put another pair of gloves on. Off we went again and we really didn’t want to ride too slowly for the fear of getting cold.
We left Toby at Jessie’s Ladies whilst me and Colin continued to Rea Bridge and along the towpath to Hempstead Bridge before battling with Bristol Rd and home.
I haven’t a clue how far we rode but it probably took me the best of the afternoon to feel warm again but better for just getting out there.
JD