You’re right, this is the MCCC blog, but in the absence of a
club ride on Saturday (to the best of my knowledge) I thought I’d let you know
about mine and Geoge W’s ride on Sunday. The same goes for anyone else. Just forward
your article and it will be a pleasure to post it on the blog.
I’d written off Saturday because of the heavy rain that was
forecast. In the end the weather was nowhere near as bad and I could have gone
after all. I was determined not to make the same mistake twice. And so it was that we set off with grey
clouds gathering. Our destination was
the Avon Valley Railway at Bitton on the outskirts of Bristol. I’ve always been
a steam railway enthusiast. Before you ask, no, I don’t collect train numbers.
When my children were small I used to enjoy the Santa Specials. I think they
did too, but that wasn’t important.
A strong headwind which lasted for most of the outward
journey did its best to halt our progress. Mid-way between Hullavington and
Grittleton we were caught in a brief hailstorm. Finding a roadside tree with any foliage left
proved an impossible task and so we ploughed on down through Castle Combe to
Ford where we joined the A420 road to Bristol.
I’m not a huge fan of cycling on main roads, but this one never gets
that busy.
Having struggled against the wind on a steady incline for
quite some distance, coasting down Tog Hill to Wick came as a welcome relief.
Arriving at Bitton Station we found the Santa Specials in
full swing. The buffet has been a popular watering hole for cyclists using the
Bristol to Bath railway cycle path for quite some time. There was a good selection of homemade cakes,
all at £2.50 per wedge. The cake portions were so big they could no longer be
properly described as slices. The very reasonable cake and a hot drink offer
meant you could have both for just £3.50.
We left just as the train was leaving and so decided to
cycle alongside it as it made the short trip to Oldland Common. We continued on
the cycle path as far as Warmley where we rejoined the road and headed north to
Pucklechurch. From there we travelled further north to Westerleigh before
turning east for Tormarton and up to Acton Turville.
Just when it looked as though we might manage to get home in
the dry, the heavens opened shortly before Sherston. I did think of seeking refuge in the High
Street bus shelter, but by then it was too late. With my supposedly waterproof
overshoes reduced to soggy sponges we persevered with the prospect of a hot
bath getting ever closer.
Distance travelled: 52.8 miles
http://connect.garmin.com/course/5322327
The Cycling Monk
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