BathMTB: Ride Report... And Saturday ..And Weekend Rides

Thu Jan 5 11:41:51 EST 2012

Ride Report: 4.1.12

The best ride of the year.... So far !

Yes, the first ride of the year turned out to be a proper epic.

It was already blowing a gale as I stepped out of the house. And then
the rain began falling in sheets as I headed down the Lane, not just any
old rain but proper stings-you-in-the-face rain. 

Post Christmas blues had depleated the numbers (and neither Dan (train
late) or Matt (work and ill) managed it before heading back to Uni - see
you in the Summer guys !) but yes there were more foolhardy fools who
turned up : Chris (on his SS), Dave and Justin.

After debate about route options influenced by mud, the dire weather and
Chris' lack of gears, we opted for a lanes ride out St Catherines Valley
way. 

We headed out through the puddles along the canal, over the toll bridge
and up through Batheaston and Northend. 

The wind increased and although we were initially fairly well sheltered
it was roaring all around us. Raining on and off.

We climbed higher up St Catherines valley (which you might remember goes
up a bit, down a bit, up a bit more etc and is LONG).

I was meaning to take the right turn through the gate to Beeks Mill but
we somehow missed it. So just to p!ss off Chris and his knees we turn
around and ride back a bit but in the end decide to carry on up to the
top of the valley - where the wind REALLY picked up.

To avoid having to take the main A46 road we branched off on a bridleway
which ended in a field. 

And we then promptly got lost. Or rather took the opportunity to explore
a muddy field. After riding around the edge we found a stile which lead
to another muddy field (so much for avoiding the mud) and then climbed a
fence on to the tarmac lane that leads to Cold Ashton.

A short cake and fig roll stop (Cheers Chris they never tasted so good)
we headed off toward Marshfield to do a short section of the main A420.
The wind was howling by now, luckily it was behind us so we got mega
tail wind bolwing us along the main road. We literally flew along. Chris
couldn't pedal fast enough to keep up and just let the wind push him.

Into Marshfield village and then the lanes to Ashwicke and back along
Bannerdown straight. Not so bad where we were sheltered by the trees but
boy, where it was open we were blown sideways and had a hard time
staying upright.

Down the tarmac decent into Batheaston again, along the London Road to
the Pig for a well earned pint.

The kind of horrendous enjoyable ride that is enjoyable because you are
battling such horrendous conditions ! 

'First Saturday of the Month' 9am from Cadence Ride

Yes - Kevin asked - there's going to be a 'First Saturday' of the month
ride. They'll be more of the 'open to everyone' rides that Dave and I
have to organise as payback for 1SW (like the Turkey Twizzler). They
have to be 'proper' rides. Risk Assessed,  Signed on, insured and all
that, so they'll be run as Bath CC rides.

Still open to everyone though. And we'll tell anyone who's up to it
about Weds night rides. Still no plan for them to become 'proper' rides
:-) 

The plan is to base them on Lansdown Loops - about 2-3 hours aiming to
get back to the cafe opposite cadence to join the roadies for a chat.
(The Walcot / Cadence road ride leaves at 8am and the Bath CC Chaingang
at 9.30).

Weekend Rides

Cheers to everyone who's volunteered to organise one so far. The rest of
you get thinking and I'll put out the list on email and facebook next
week.

We bumped into Simon from 'The Others' in the pub (wearing a suit) and
got chatting to him about the possibility of making them (and trips
away) joint with them.

Anyway, too much from me again.

See anyone Saturday who fancies it. 

Hope the op goes well Tav :-)

O/O

Andy

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