Test Group Ride Report – Sunday 5th February

Just as I turned into the car park by the bridge in Shipston at the end of the ride, Alex (as he headed for home – as always – by bike) said to me “could you write the ride report?”. I replied with a quick “OK”, so here we are!

A creditable 18 riders turned up across the groups on what was quite a cold morning and just four of those opted to ride with the A group – Alex (RL), Luke, Robin and me.

Dry roads were a very welcome sight and we set off for Broadway Tower via Burmington, Willington and Todenham, before heading up to the Fosse Way and it was at this point that we saw the B group rapidly advancing towards us!

I think it was Luke who said something like “they’re going to reel us in” but, thankfully (if only for the sake of a few egos!) they didn’t!

On towards Chipping Campden, after which we climbed the main hill of the day. Dyers Lane was its name and it had a nasty little kick on the approach to the junction where we turned left onto Buckle Street before arriving at Broadway Tower just 2 or 3 minutes ahead of the seven strong B group led by Jez Cooper.

A couple of candidates emerged here for two new SCC end of year award categories – Jez for the smallest cake of 2023 with his minuscule custard tart and Robin for the rider who gets coldest fastest when we sit outside in the winter – his own fault for being such a “lean machine” with no discernible fat on him!

Given the obvious speed on the day of the B group, allied to the fact that we’d already done around two-thirds of the climbing after 15 of the 34 mile route total, we decided to have a joint A and B group for the remaining 19 miles. For the record, the septet of B group riders joining the A group besides Jez were Phil, Michael, Noel, Andy L, Dan and Nigel.

It was a really good feeling to now be part of a double figure group ride and we were soon making the exhilarating Snowshill descent towards Broadway, before continuing on our way to Willersey.

The sub-Edges of Weston and Aston were next before Mickleton and then the final climb of the day as we headed for Ilmington.

I should say that the infamous “N” group in the form of Noel suddenly became activated on the approach to Mickleton and I think we saw him veering off onto the Stratford road as the other 10 of us crossed the mini roundabout outside the village towards Ilmington – Noel never to be seen again!

Four had peeled off heading for various home destinations by this point and it was the remaining half a dozen of us who turned right onto the Shipston road (thankfully, no incident to report this week!).

Across the Fosse and then down past the Leisure Centre to the finish where the final stats were:

Distance – 34.2 miles,
Average Speed – just under 17 mph,
Climbing 2221 ft.

All in all a really nice ride in favourable conditions for early February, with good company along the way.