Another damp, cold, miserable Sunday morning. Another damp, cold, miserable group of hardy club members, huddled under the Iceland canopy and tinkering with rubbing mudguards, wondering whether rain jackets should be on or off.
Five of the hardy set off on the Tempo ride: Brookthorp, Haresfield (lovely new tarmac by the way), then Stonehouse, Frocester, and Cam. The weather was better than the forecast, dry, warm enough when riding, and a moderate headwind.
The group split at the bottom of Cam Pitch. Those with either pressing commitments at home, or suffering the consequences of long holidays with too much food and rum punch (limited sympathy for the latter!) opted for The Bank in Dursley. The remaining two pushed on, taking the published route through Stinchcombe, Tortworth, and Tytherington, for well earned coffee and cake in Thornbury at the bustling Coffee #1.
We took a back lane out of Thornbury, passing through Kington, past Oldbury, then Berkeley, Slimbridge, Claypits, and home by the river.
As is often the case we had a much nicer ride than looked likely at the start. Some useful winter miles, plenty of conversation, and the rain jackets remained unused.
63.1 miles, 2,457 ft, 15.7 mph.
SP.