The tempo riders are used to knowing where they are going, so it was a novelty to have a mystery ride. Guesses kept changing from Ross to Ledbury to Hopewell as we gradually swung from a northerly to a westerly and then a southerly ride.
It started quite pleasantly, with dry conditions over the captain’s hill. However, we could see the rain ahead, and capes were on before Newent. We saw the steady ride going the other way at the traffic lights in Newent, so obviously, they were taking a similarly circuitous route to their mystery cafe.
We lost a rider who abandoned at Huntley, and he may have been wise as the heavens really opened at Blaisdon, and the downpour continued all the way through Flaxley and Littledean to our cafe. The Silver Fox at Newnham made us very welcome, and I think the club should use it more.
Finishing our coffee, one rider looked at his weather radar app and confidently predicted the rain would finish in 10 minutes. My scepticism of any weather forecasting proved misplaced as it did dry up and the sun nearly made an appearance. However, the cold wet riders were in the mood to get home, so a blast back on the A48 was selected. Given the flooding on the A48, I think this choice may have been wise, as the lanes around Upper Ley can flood quite badly.