Club riding is a joy when you get a well matched group who want to ride together, and so it proved this morning. Dry and mild weather, almost unheard of in January added to the joy, and a route that somehow avoided many sectors into the stiff southerly wind was a bonus.
The route was littered with road closures. In this instance, all proved easily passable, but road signs give little clue as to whether this will be the case. I guess it made the roads quieter from traffic. One closure was due to a deep flood before Kempley, and it required faith that the road was not pot-holed to traverse it.
One rider declared that she had chosen this ride as it looked less hilly than the moderate route, although the lane from Kempley to Upton Bishop made her withdraw that statement. Another climb to Bromsash led to a final descent down to Ross and coffee.
The return was adjusted from that advertised to facilitate easier return home for some riders, but spectacular views from the Glasshouse area made up for missing the Flaxley valley.
A thoroughly enjoyable morning. 54 miles, 3,300′ ascent @13.8mph