Took advantage of the Bank Holiday, to get my first June Half Century Challenge entry in. With the forecast of rain from mid afternoon, I set out just after 10, with an Easterly breeze blowing, but still pleasantly warm.
I went out through Meole Village, where a street party was being set up on one of the suburbian roads, before joining the main road to Hook a Gate and Annscroft. I turned into the breeze there, but it wasn’t too strong, through Exfords Green, where it started to rain! That wasn’t forecast, but only light stuff. I called in at Dad’s for half an hour and whilst there it rained a bit heavier for a few minutes, but soon stopped and thankfully that was the last of it on the ride.
I left Dad and went to Gonsal, having to wait a while to cross the very busy A49, then came across a road blockage, due to some pothole repairs taking place. The chaps had filled the road with their truck, but asked if I had enough room to squeeze past, which I just about did by walking the bike through.
Next was Ryton and the lane to Longnor, where I didn’t meet a single car, which was nice, did meet 6 cyclists out though and all enjoying the nice sunshine that had now made it out. I met more cyclists on the lane towards Leebotwood and I then began the long climb up Comley and Shootrough, gears were annoyingly playing up again, trying to move from 1st to 2nd gear on their own…When almost at the top, I met a couple cycling down and had a friendly “keep it going” bit of encouragement from the chap, which was nice 👍🏻.
The descent into Cardington village is always good fun, then it was onto Gretton and turning towards Church Preen and Kenley. The wind really picked up along there, being funnelled along the valley and of course it was a headwind!
From Kenley I descended to Evenwood and then turned along the Roman Rd at CoundMoor, before taking the lane that winds around to Cound. There is a good downhill section there, but the surface isn’t great. Had a bit of moment along there, as I approached an elderly lady with walking stick, from behind, who was walking out of danger on the RH side….but when I rang my bell to warn her of my presence, decided to just cross over into my path without even turning her head to look 🤦♂️. I managed to avoid her by swerving onto the other side that she’d come from!
The lanes to Eaton Mascott and Berrington were car free, then it was onto Betton Abbots and home via a surprisingly quiet A458. I was really surprised at how little traffic there was on the roads today, considering it was a Bank Holiday, perhaps everyone is either at the coast (where I’m heading tomorrow) or at a street party.
33.27 miles at 12.4mph avg. Really enjoyed that.
A couple of shots across the lush green land.
