I wish we could say that Remembrance Sunday dawned bright and clear, but unfortunately it was a grey overcast day for the crowds gathered at churches and war memorials that we passed along the way.
The B group was formed of a dozen riders who were led north out of the city along the Tewkesbury Road and took some surprising turns to pass Odda’s Chapel and the Stoke Row recycling centre, to name but two landmarks along the way. The Social Secretary’s route to Hailes Abbey had the great benefit of being almost completely flat. Along the way the group shrank to nine with two heading home early and one wily character taking a short cut to the cafe to beat the rush. For the others a sprint up the Cotswold Way to Hayle’s Fruit Farm decided the pecking order for tea and cake. Arrival dead on eleven o’clock was the occasion for a removal of helmets in respect of the fallen.
Along the way three riders (illustrated) crossed GWR’s Honeybourne Line and in doing so modelled their Club jerseys – the official design registered with British Cycling, high vis and low vis, or white, gold, and black as they are more usually known. Should any readers be needing Club kit, they should contact our new Kit Secretary, John Winn on gloskit125@gmail.com.
At the bottom of the pecking order at the Fruit Farm was the Sport Ride group of six, whose late arrival meant that they were queuing outdoors in the cold. Five had rolled out from King’s Square in an unexpected direction that soon had the ride leader’s Garmin quite confused, trying to follow the Vice Captain’s route. However, their general sense of direction soon had them back on the purple line, yeah! They picked up a Churchdown member, who had taken the chance for an extra few minutes in bed, whilst heading for an appointment with Ham Hill that was taken with the usual degree of appreciation. It’s a favourite of the Vice Captain’s, and everyone considered it a great shame that his absence meant that he didn’t get to enjoy it today. No further incidents till a puncture descending Salters Lane delayed them, causing their late arrival. Most of them took the flat route back, apart from one who obviously hadn’t had enough climbing, stating “I want to go over Cleeve Hill”. There was another puncture in the group (it’s that time of year) before separating as they neared home.
Some of the B group riders also chose the flat option home, but three headed for Winchcombe and Langley Road to get the pleasure of the descent from Cleeve Hill Golf Club. With notably heavier than usual traffic, caused by the resumption of racing at Cheltenham, a cunning route through the town to avoid it passed Pittville Pump Rooms and the Prince of Wales stadium (as always, looking as if it would be a perfect venue for an outdoor velodrome) before joining the Honeybourne Cycle Path to the Station. Fortunately, this section is no longer used by any trains! Along the way they picked up the lone sport rider who had got his wish to go over Cleeve Hill. After that they traced the route of the new cycle highway connecting Cheltenham and Gloucester, presently under construction, to make their ways home.