Sunday 6th August 2023, the weather had been let’s say changeable all week, but today was a sunny start with much optimism about the rain holding off until late afternoon. Nine riders left the square as we took off, cruising out of the town through Podsmead and into Tuffley where we encountered our first minor mechanical. Nothing more than a sticking rear brake block so we set out again for our destination. By this time, we gained two additional riders which made us eleven journeying to Thornbury. Through Tuffley and into the Kingsway Estate cycle way we travelled, coming out onto Nass Lane and on through Haresfield, picking up the main Gloucester Road into Standish and Stonehouse. At the main Island leaving Stonehouse we turned left onto the Ebley Road dropping down over the river Froome to the A419. Crossing the A419 and rising up the Reyford Road through Kings Stanley, Middleyard then on to the North and then South face of Selsley Common. Well done to Toby who was the first up Selsley. We all regrouped on the plateau just before the cattle grid. All accounted for, we continued along the B4066 before turning left for Nympsfield we encountered an unusual amount of traffic because the main road through Cockadilly was closed. Continuing along the B4058 one rider decided to take a detour to Slimbridge, we wished him well and turned right onto the A4135, then left onto to the B5058 to Wooton-under-Edge. As we dropped down to Wooton-under-Edge we encountered another minor mechanical, but again no major issues and we continued through Wooton and Kingswood into Wickwar. Slightly before we entered Wickwar (just after a railway bridge) there was a minor collision between two riders. My take on it was that “he stopped in front of me”, however the law would view it as following too close and not taking “due care and attention”. Only minor scratches and grazes ensued, so again “all good”. It would be fair to state that the weather was a hot topic of debate, whether it would rain or not on the way home. The clouds rolled in and away again with just a faint hint of a raindrop here and there, but it never came. Through Tytherington we eventually got over (under) the M5 which meant we were nearly there. The posting on the website identified the Wolfridge Alpaca Barn as the coffee stop, but given the concern about the weather (by me) I decided to drop down straight into Thornbury and take the break at the Hawkes House café instead. The service seemed to be a little slower than we are used to, but it seemed a popular venue for locals and cyclists alike. We returned via the “flatter” Hill, Berkely route, keeping an eye on the weather, and relishing our luck for keeping dry.
JA