Tension rose as the clock struck nine – would the rider leader show up or had the threat of rain kept him under the covers at home? There proved to be no need for concern for once he had found the keys to unlock his bike he’d turned up at the square in time to see the men in black, the ladies, and the sport riders leaving and the remaining ten readying themsleves for an easy ride to Upton. Easy it was, with a fierce back wind all the way. Such was its strength that the group’s arrival needed to be delayed by a diversion across the Longdon marshes, surprisingly free of floodwater, and Castle Morton to arrive at Clive’s Fruit Farm a few minutes before eleven, after ignoring the “Road Closed” sign at Tiltridge Farm, as all cyclists would have done. Where there’s a will there’s usually a way.
A couple of riders had slipped off the front of the peloton and missed the cafe entrance, but they were soon stopped up short at the bottom of Tunnel Hill. With the flood gates closed there had been no need for anyone to chase them down! They returned to the fold to find a rather disturbing “Cafe Closed” sign on the way in. We hoped that it applied only to the outdoor marquee, which it did, and were pleased to be quickly served at our indoor table. The Evesham Wheelers who arrived after us were not so lucky, and the rather chilly outdoor accommodation had to suffice.
On the way home we would have to pay for the tail wind we’d enjoyed so a more direct route was favoured. The exposed stretch from Longdon Heath to Longdon village was heavy work that splintered the group, which eventually reassembled at Long Green. Here concern that the A417 at Maisemore might be flooded (it wasn’t) led a couple of riders to choose the Haw Bridge route home while the bolder ones followed the leader over a series of increasingly severe lumps at Tirley Knowle, Staits Farm, and Over Old Road.
To everyone’s surprise we had reached Gloucester uneventfully with no falls, rain, or mechanical problems to trouble us; just one rider complaining that his legs were shaking after having suffered so much climbing so near the end of the ride.
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