After last minute fumblings in the dark, Gpswise, we were off on a peaceful A38,heading in between more familiar routes. Bredon Hill was emblazened with the big yellow ball behind it and the riding was easy. Heading into my own cabbage patch I took a cheeky diversion leading to Chad Corbett pit stop, keeping flat and avoiding the final hurtle down and worrying right turn into the cafe.
My fan club were waiting there to cheer me on...Thanks, John !
Soon after this I picked up a nice pair of mole grips, too weighty to carry up Edge Hill...so they are waiting for me in the hedge. Now there`s a topic for you---"Things I`ve picked up on Audaxes,"-could be a long runner.
How about Cobley Hill and the canal bridge ? If anybody took off, I`d be glad to Know what their al speed was....and where they touched down ? Maybe 3Peaker could help.
There are ways of avoiding the hills around Cobley and Beoley, but you have undertand the logic of Redditch....and few people do !
I had a patio snack in sun at Warwick South but was glad to leave the cacophony behind and enter the calming Cotswolds (Edge Hill beat me, of course). Shutford now sticks in my memory as the pub with the church towering from its backyard.
At Chipping, I was last man in and penultimate man, Jstone, was just leaving.
Having done the remainder of the ride a few times, I wasn`t too keen to experience yet again the crawl over the mountain top from Guiting to Winchcombe, so 3 miles from Guiting I stayed on high ground and headed down Stanway in a beeline for home-- less tiring,I think, and traffic was light till I hit Tewkesbury`s sprawling western suburbs. Jstone wondered where I`d passed him.
A marvellous day out as usual, you`ll never see a better January day for a ride.
Many thanks to Mark for all his work.-----It was well worth a pond !
P.S.If the owner of the Fiesta Zetec , parked next to me, notices a mark on his nearside front door, it was I who opened my door too wide. Sorry ! Get in touch if nec.
