After very heavy rain in the night, we had a dry window for this morning’s ride. One of our four riders told me he would leave the group early, but I didn’t expect him to leave us outside The Dog! Like the guy who brought a knife to a gunfight, he had chosen the wrong weapon in his fixie for this morning’s ride. I am not sure there is ever a ride for a fixie!
The three of us continued working well together at a good pace. Evidence of last night’s rain started to appear around Newent with washed debris across the lanes, and this got worse with a flood on Strawberry bank, and a very sketchy moment crossing debris on the fast descent from Upleadon. With one rider worried about a sore knee, we cut short of the planned route to return via Blackwalls End, and were rewarded with the spectacle of a number of competitors suffering up Royal Exchange, which is a beast when you have just done 24 miles flat out.
32 miles, 1,300′ ascent @17.3mph
IW