News for June 2013 Thursday 13Th June 2013
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News for June 2013 Thursday 13th June 2013 - report from Pete Campbell: It's around this time of year that I can start to forget about the endless winter and the way that spring was not quite the relief that it should have been. We know that we are into summer, with its constant warmth, lunches outside, and sun cream. So today I was expecting to be disappointed after I'd checked various weather forecasts telling me there would be some wind and a bit of rain later. I hoped they'd got it wrong (hoping for sun), and they did. Rain was falling as soon as I left home for Amcor, and didn't stop till we were well on the way to the Boars Head at Aust. Eleven riders had also decided the weather would be okay, and Dave Woodward took the group north-westwards past Woodhouse Park and then south west to Easter Compton and Hallen where Jane Chapman joined us. We were all wrapped up against the rain and the gale which was blowing up the Severn estuary, and I suppose you'd be optimistic if you'd expected the scenery in that part of Gloucestershire to make the journey seem better. I've not heard of any tourists who are visiting Bath and the Cotswolds feeling they need to check out this area before they go home. But we were lucky, because Dave had included our local seaside resort in the route to Aust: a detour via Severn Beach. At the railway station I noticed a group of junior school pupils on an end of term outing huddled against a wall, trying not to get blown away before the train came. We were made of tougher stuff, and we took the waterside path looking out at the brown waves crashing on the rocks and the new Severn crossing disappearing into the gloom. By now we had turned north and the wind was behind us. The rain had stopped and so we had an easier ride to Aust and the Boars Head, and we arrived just after noon. There were twenty cyclists there for lunch, with most taking advantage of their "two meals for £12" offer, which they had turned into "one meal for £6" especially for us. Various non-cyclists were also eating, including a table of people on a business lunch, most wearing their identity tags: it's over four years since I had to do anything like that, and I've not missed it once! Back on the road at nearly half past one, Dave took a group which initially numbered nine but gradually reduced down to four by the time people peeled off home and the remnants got back to Amcor. Dave did what I'd thought would be impossible, which was to find a route to Aust which lasted the required two hours, and used roads I'd not seen before. Just a shame about the weather. Better luck next time. Click here to see how we got to the beach. Thursday 20th June 2013 - report from Pete Campbell: Earlier in the week, the weather predictions were all promising rain for today, the only variation being how hard and how long the rain would be falling. Today started with cloud and humid air, and surely a rain shower at least would be falling on the way to Bitton. But I reached the station in the dry and found a half dozen riders also wondering when the dampness would begin. John Turton was designated leader of the group of twelve, and he had arranged a route using the new path north from Mangotsfield station towards Westerleigh. The path turned away from the ring road and from my post at the back I noticed we were now up to thirteen - Jane Chapman had magically appeared in the middle of the group. Onwards across a railway track south of the Westerleigh Road, and into Westerleigh itself, where Jane's Garmin picked out an easier route which she and Rob Sheils decided looked worth exploring. I guessed that John's route must be the hard option. Now we were down to eleven. After Wapley we were followed by a very patient cement mixer driver who kept behind us in a non- threatening manner for a mile while we managed less than fifteen mph (maybe he's a cyclist). John Killick caught up as we rode into Dodington (now back to twelve), and then we came across Jane and Rob again (her Garmin didn't tell her the shortcut had a hill) and finally we found John Huish. So the grand total going past Tormarton was fifteen. A final split after crossing the M4 saw Jane, Rob and John take a direct route, leaving twelve passing through Nettleton and West Kington before reaching the Catherine Wheel in Marshfield. There'd been no rain all morning (and indeed there would be none all day). So we were not looking for a dry lunch stop as I'd expected. But the pub was its usual efficient self, with a good choice of food (although maybe less than I remember in the past). Time to get back on the road at around 1:15, and John planned to go the direct route home via Pucklechurch. A quick look at Dennis Geally's new Trek meant that three of us missed the mass exit from the car park. Well, how many ways home can there be? It turns out there must be at least two, because even with Martyn putting down a fast pace, we couldn't find the group. So the route map shows a route home, and not the official route. The route map? Click here. Thursday 27th June 2013 - report from Keith Borrisow: As this week's leader, Keith, had not been out for a few weeks he was amazed to see 11 riders all in shorts at the start - and with the longest day only just behind us. But the sun shone warmly for most of the ride. He led us out along the cycle paths past Long Ashton and the Coroner's Court and eventually up the short pull to the George. Water works and staggered traffic lights let us get almost through Backwell as if the A370 was traffic free, before taking the lanes across the flats to Yatton. As we took the Plan B route we all enjoyed more sunshine than the higher hedges on the original option might have given us. Views vary on semi made up cycle tracks but the Strawberry Line was OK if dusty until we reached the tunnel - this time the floor lights glowed dimly for the initial third, and then just were no longer working, Fortunately all made it through safely even though we were passing a group of half a dozen other cyclists as we went. We had rolled along quite quickly and arrived five minutes early, but thanks to Pete not only were they expecting us but had laid up their back room for us, and over the first hour or so our numbers swelled to about 33. Pensioners menu of 2 courses for £7.50 went down well, but in deference to Bill (just back from France and being discrete about whether another day out immediately would earn domestic brownie points) suffice to say that Butcombe's newly renamed 'Matthew' slipped down a treat, as well. Can you credit it that in a select group of cyclists of our experience, two admitted to having never ridden up Cheddar Gorge! Naturally, however, that was the traditional way home, and everyone said they enjoyed it. After that the rush was down the other side and past the lake, through Chew Magna and back to the Wells Road. On our way we picked up James and Jamie, two teenagers who were part of a team doing an end-to-end. In their case however they were in Norton Malreward but heading back to Lands End! Those going towards Syston escorted them off to catch up with their support vehicle (!) there. Sun was being overtaken by the start of some rain as the group split up at the A37. .