A poor forecast saw the training, sports and faster B ride merge into one group of nine riders. The training riders brought a bit of disciplined teamwork to the group on the wider roads to Highleadon, but from there on the lanes were not conducive to close-quarters riding, and the pace settled down.
Clencher’s Mill ford nearly claimed a victim, which put off some of the group, and the stiff climb up Evendine Lane to British Camp split the peloton. The descent from Little Malvern to Welland is always fun, and we arrived at Clive’s Fruit Farm for cake and coffee, without any of the advertised precipitation (although one rider did get stung by a bee).
The return via Strensham yielded a heavy shower (capes on), sunshine at Forthampton (capes off), another shower at Chaceley (capes on again), but we managed to reach home before the heavy rain set in, another enjoyable morning.
And this, from the AA ride leader: Having agreed to lead my first club run the first Executive decision was made in the Square when we decided that due to who was out I was able to do a slighter longer A ride rather than a AA ride. Through the lanes via Staverton, Boddington & Tredington we negotiated the scarred surface of the lane behind the Army camp. From there we continued in a northerly direction enjoying the tailwind to cross the river at Eckington. A little bit of main road past Defford allowed us to turn back towards Strensham where Colin worried me by saying we were going the wrong way only to complete the sentence by saying it was because we were heading in to the wind !! Ryall was next up before dropping into Upton where a misunderstanding took place with half the group going to The Stables and the rest to Clive’s Fruit Farm. An enjoyable ride though the headwind home for me wasn’t ideal though met up with some of Ian’s group at the top of Wainlodes Hillwhich allowed, me to take a breather until home. Not sure how you manage 50 miles to Upton and back but hey, worth it