Eight riders arrived at the square on a typically cold wintery December morning. With the tempo group traveling to the same destination, we set off first to gain any possible advantage for the seats at the Bank café in Dursley. We made or way along Eastgate Street, Barton Street, and up the Painswick Road towards Upton St Leonards, turning left along “The Wheatridge” which was signposted to be a dead end, however having taken this route before with “young Colin” on a “Night Ride” I was confident that it was negotiable. As is the case, one of the group already had intimate knowledge of this lane informing me that as a school child he was “encouraged” to run along this road when it was just a track (and up Robinswood Hill) as part of a cross-country exercise, what joy it must have been growing up in the countryside!
Over Whiteway then along a path up to the Ash path and over the motorway flyover, one of the group had a “Pinch Puncture” in no time it was repaired (with a snazzy bright innertube), and with our resident mobile mechanic on hand it was the time to try out to the “electric pump”. Can I say it worked a treat blowing up the tyre in a mere 45 seconds? A shout out to Howard for introducing this piece of modern tech to the club. Up Nuthill and regrouping at the Cranhan turn off we proceed along the Painswick Road, through Painswick and down into Stroud. Turning Right along Safford Street, then down to the Cainscross Island and along Westward Road, turning left down Reyford Road (N), crossing over the A419 then up Reyford Road (S). then a “cheeky” right along Brockley Road then turning right along the Bath Road, through Leonard Stanley over the Frocester island up to the tee junction at Coaley. There was a brief debate about the route at this point, however the weight of opinion was to turn left and go through Coaley and Far Green taking the “supposed” easier route to Ashmead Green then dropping down to Dursley. My apologies to a rider for providing false information “it wasn’t the last hill”.
Following a hearty Coffee stop (and just beating the tempo group), we returned via Cam with one rider making his way back via Frocester and Stonehouse, with the remainder via Slimbridge, with another breakaway (lunch) group electing to utilise the canal towpath to their venue and the three stalwarts via Frampton and Elmore. An overcast but bracing NE breeze on the return could have dampened our spirits, but that was never going to happen.
JA