With the forecasters adamant that Storm Isha would make cycling at best unpleasant, and at worst very dangerous in the afternoon, we chose a short ride, heading out into the wind to Dursley. Avoiding diversions onto the top of the Cotswolds, due to the wind made for a short ride, with the climb from Coaley to Cam Peak being the only obsticle. Two “machines” of riders kept making a break-away group, and then sitting up, so we all arrived at coffee together.
A tail-wind on an A road means only one thing, and the group really put the hammer down on the Claypits climb. They dropped me and I averaged 23.3mph! Regrouping on Perry Way, we had a fast paced run in to home via Epney. One rider was disapointed by the short ride, so she did an extra lap of the Elmore circuit, but the rest felt it was good to get home before Isha.
40 miles, 1,800′ ascent @ 15.2mph