Reliability Ride Sunday 2nd March 2014

Rounding the Town Hall it was good to see a healthy gathering of Clarions ready for the start of our 2nd Reliability Ride. We were delighted to be joined by Alice (Ted’s wife) who was riding with us for the first time.

Our numbers were further boosted by Howard and Dave who were going to ride with us as far as Norton.

As we ventured out onto the Foxley Road Jim was happy to lead the pack. There was a certain amount of hesitancy in our cycling, perhaps where we were mindful of the fairly lumpy route ahead and the predicted worsening weather. This left Jim to plough something of a lone furrow and a gap soon opened up. Howard, throwing caution to the wind, responded and rightly chastised those around him as he joined Jim at the front.

After Yatton Keynell two groups of three started to take shape.

We found Castle Combe busy with mainly Japanese tourists. The award winning village can be difficult to negotiate. Tourists consumed by the chocolate box appeal are inclined to step out into the road without warning, normally backwards as they try and capture the perfect shot.

One rider (George W) decided to attack the hill out of Castle Combe with venom and in doing so over-shot the turn he should have taken towards the top. I rode after him and found him waiting at the junction with the A420. Being without a Garmin we then had to ride like fury to catch up with the others.

Finding Tim H waiting for us at a crossroads where I would have undoubtedly taken a wrong turning was a welcome site. We then had to pile it on to catch up with the other three, which we did somewhere not that far from Marshfield.

By now there was a steady drizzle and the wind was getting up.

Me, Tim H and George W intended to push on a bit, but our (my) feeble efforts all came to nothing as Jim, Ted and Alice kept catching up with us at major junctions.

Having eventually managed to cross the A46 we took the steep descent skirting Dyrham Park where it was a definite case of having to ride on our brakes to stop us running out of control.

Reaching the bottom we were all too aware that before long we’d have some climbing to do when we turned eastwards.

Feeling cold and with our spirits at a bit of a low ebb, like an oasis in a desert, Quackers, a farm shop at Hinton near Pucklechurch, suddenly sprung up out of nowhere. The chance of a hot drink and a slice of cake was one we weren’t about to waste. A pot of Somerset blend tea for one was just £1.20 and the reasonably priced cake came in generous wedges.  The pleasant staff made us very welcome.

The ascent of Hinton Hill proved less arduous than I thought it might be and towards the summit me, Tim H and George W parted company with the others, as we again set about ramping up the pace.

The low mist, poor light and constant drizzle made studying Garmin screens very tricky. Battling with the elements we made our way up to Tormarton, over to Acton Turville, through the Badminton Estate and into Sherston.  As we neared the junction with the B4040, to our utter amazement we then saw Jim, Ted and Alice riding across the face of the junction travelling from the direction of Luckington.  There was some friendly banter as to which group had gone off course, but amusingly, later reference to Ted and George W’s Strava maps, revealed that both groups had!

A heavy downpour on the way back into Malmesbury rounded off a thoroughly enjoyable day.