Club Ride Diary

Most unusual mechanical failure

Most unusual mechanical failure

A bright, but cold morning required a lot of layers, but was otherwise a perfect day for a trip into the land where they used to have a rugby team. Although it may appear an odd choice to some, the A40 is pretty quiet on a Sunday morning, particularly once you pass...

Ritmo sin los corredores habituales

Ritmo sin los corredores habituales

There were two rides leaving The Square this morning and out of the 20 plus riders at the RV, six brave souls elected to join me on the Tempo ride. Our destination was Hayles Fruit Farm near Hailes Abbey. With several regular Tempo Riders enjoying the cold and wet in...

It nearly felt like summer

It nearly felt like summer

Fifteen of us set off from the square on a bright (for a change!) but cold Sunday morning. We cycled down the Bristol Road and through Quedgeley and Stonebench and round the far side of the Elmore Longney loop. On reaching the Anchor at Epney we realised we had just...

Earworms

Earworms

On the way into the Square, I met a rider who beamoned the demise of the old B rides, expressing the desire for something between the current moderate rides, and the tempo rides. The large number of riders meant that we deliberately let the tempo group naturally split...

A ride dedicated to absent friends

A ride dedicated to absent friends

Today’s ride began on a sombre note, as the news that Rob Doman had passed away was shared. Rob, a popular and generous friend to many, had been on holiday, cycling of course, in Lanzarote and on Monday was found unresponsive by the road after a suspected heart...

Best made plans

Eight expectant riders assembled at the Square, with increasing concern that the ride leader was not among them! A short wait past 9 am, in case our man was delayed, and the Captain decided to step in. Thinking on the hoof (no Garmin, just the OS map in his head), it...

What Three Words?

What Three Words?

lumpy (adjective) /ˈlʌm.pi/: covered with or containing lumps: In cycling terms we'd probably define a lumpy ride as one with more than the usual number of significant climbs. That certainly describes today's Tempo ride to Coleford. Any route that gets to the cafe via...

The Lone Ranger rides again

The Lone Ranger rides again

After a rare few days without rain the temptation to ride the trails in the Forest of Dean and join the Tempo riders in Coleford was too great to resist. Perhaps the early start, perhaps the promised dirty bike, but whatever the reason the ride leader was the Lone...