The heavily postponed Thunderbox Ride finally got off the ground on Saturday 20th September.
What a difference from 5 months previous, when temperature were barely above 10C, the ground was waterlogged and GruB had told his wife about the ride.
As the time get nearer more people decided that they had to resign from the ride to spend more time with their families. We had some very bad news at 08:00am, when Sgt Pluck called to say that First Great Western had offered him a free breakfast if he didn't get on the train.
Then a little after the meeting time of 09:45, Mal Volio phoned to say that the Severn Bridge had been closed to disrupt the ride. bobajobrob, Rollo and I arranged a welcoming committee for Mal when he finally arrived. He had travelled the furthest of all of the 5 riders.
We set off a little after 10, picking up Mr Pumpé at the wood yard where he hadn't been getting wood.
The route was almost due south, through Nailsworth, then Avening, Chavenage and skirting round Tetbury. It was a glorious morning and as organiser I had to constantly remind the team that TXTing GruB to gloat was not good form.
We had planned to have coffee at Westonbirt, after about an hour's riding, but Mr P suggested that we carried on a bit more and made our first stop the Cream Tea Farmhouse. It is just south of the M4, on the edge of bandit country. (Wiltshire).
We spent an inordinate amount of time pouring tea, eating scones with jam and cream and chatting about GruB.
The next part of the ride was not much more than 10 miles, to Lacock for a pub lunch. Mal V pointed out that we had an eclectic mix of bikes - carbon, steel, aluminium and titanium.
Lunch involved Rollo and Mr P queue jumping. Mr P caught the eye of the barmaid, but had a lucky escape. After we had placed our order a man at the end of the bar piped up "I'm next and I was here before these people". This potentially nasty situation was resolved by the barmaid who, with a glint in her eye (directed at Mr P) said "Well, serves you right for standing there like a wimp".
After lunch we had a little time to contemplate the climb to come.
The ride back from the pub to the Cream Tea place was hampered by the end of an event at Castle Combe Race Course. A succession of Subarus, Cosworth Fords and weedy Golfs passed us; turbo dumps wafting a heady mix of petrol vapour and testosterone-laden sweat our way. Truly a petrolhead's dream Saturday afternoon.
We declined any cake at the Cream Tea place - which turned out to be a mistake for me later as the bonk hit. Once more we chatted about cycling, life, and the absentees. What a time they were missing!
As well as having a broad mix of bikes, we had one helmet between 5 and a majority of sandals. True Audax spirit!
We had about 2 hours of riding left, to Badminton, then Hawkesbury Upton and on to Ozleworth Bottom. My lack of miles this year hit back before Hawkesbury and we had to stop for a re-fuel and pose.
These last few miles were the best and the worst of the ride. Lovely quiet roads, amazing views across secluded valleys, peace and quiet. Followed by a drop dead hill. Several of us walked up it.
From then we altered the route slightly from planned - too much chatting at the stops. So what? This was a leisure ride! We dropped down through Horsley, setting off the 30mph warning sign with a whoop and a hollering. 67 miles at an average of 15mph.
Mr P took MV back to Stroud Station as he had been summonsed home for a party - sadly he had to miss the curry. The rest of us spruced up and met up in the pub before going for a curry - where rogerzilla met us.
Finally Rollo and I did some sterling Loyalty Card work in the pub and bobajobrob rode home (making his day a 100miler).
Thanks to everyone who came, making this one of the most enjoyable rides I've ever had!
There'll be another Stroud ride next year. See you then!
