Although good by any normal standards, today’s weather was disappointing compared with that of recent weeks. This, combined with the racing season meant that the fast and tempo rides combined into one group of ten. In honour of Paris Roubaix, we started with a little pavé through the City, before tackling the Alpine meadows of the Cranham zigzags. A beautiful ride across the tops, with lambs in the fields and bluebells in the hedgerows was interrupted by the plunge down the Old Neighourhood and corresponding ascent of Hyde Hill. The climb into Cherington, the last before before coffee, would definitely be described as a “muir” in any classic.
The fast group eschewed coffee, while the tempo riders enjoyed excellent “Soggy Auntie’s Fruit Cake”. This was the cafe’s description. I think “Auntie’s soggy fruit cake” would have removed doubt as to what was soggy! A little more pavé and another muir took us into Tetbury for our return up the long 1% false flat to Kingscote. Although we enjoyed excellent road surfaces on the majority of the ride, which is a rarity, there were some nasty holes developing on the Frocester descent, so please take care there in future.
A thoroughly enjoyable morning out.
50 miles, 3,300′ ascent @ 15.2mph