There were seven of us in total, huddled outside Iceland, a very appropriate location given the freezing wind howling down The Oxebode.
Two decided the forecast was sufficiently dire to warrant an immediate return to the duvet. The remainder opted for a combined ride, with a rough plan to head into the wind until we’d had enough, then grab a coffee and scuttle home.
So five slogged along Bristol Road and through Elmore. Once we’d got going it wasn’t too bad – the hedgerows offered some shelter from the wind and the rain continued to hold off.
One called it a day at Longney, and a second at Saul. That left three of us to enjoy the delights of the Eastington Farm Shop just after they opened.
As widely predicted by the weathermen it was just starting to drizzle as we left the cafe. Rain jackets were deployed. By the time we’d got through Frocester and Stonehouse to Haresfield – which didn’t take long with a 20mph tailwind – we stopped to take the jackets off again as the rain had failed to materialise and we were getting hot and sweaty.
Back in town before 12:00, bone dry, and wondering where the forecast apocalyptic levels of rain were?
SP
29 miles, 351 ft, 14.8 mph.
