News for September 2015

Thursday 3rd September 2015. Ashton to Axbridge. Report from Keith Borissow: It looked as if Oli's route would be both long and undulating (his word, not mine), and indeed it was. But more of that later.

Today no one brought out a new bike, but it was Pete C's birthday, and even if he claims it was not a terribly significant one, he still got 'Happy Birthday' sung to him before we started. The new gloves and socks were neat too! 20 voices plus Pete! Later, conducted by Berry Parker at lunch, Pete enjoyed it again! (Note to newcomers: it's not always like this).

After Oli's initial briefing and mission statement we took off for the first of three climbs loosely linked together by some quick descents and perhaps a few flat bits. Actually, they are three of the biggest climbs we do south of Bristol, not counting some of the goat tracks up from the lakes to the Mendips. From the end of the cycle track past Long Ashton it was up across the A370 and then up the rest of Backwell Hill. Steep at the bottom, longer than remembered but legs were still fresh. We circled Bristol Airport (what do plane spotters do as they sit outside the perimeter wire?) and dropped down rather quickly to Wrington, then across to Burrington Combe. A longer climb but steadier, across cattle grids and still upwards to find our route to lunch at Axbridge. We were well stretched out before gathering ourselves briefly and rushing on for the drop towards Shipham. First the surface was rough and broken, then improved as the road steepened. Then a swing past Shipham quarry and another long and fast descent before cutting back towards the pub. Oli had predicted 12.30 and 12.30 it was.

EasyRiders were already there, a number of others were with them and the Bath group soon arrived as well. The hit of the day was the Thursday Special, two courses for £7.50. There was a choice but Butcombe Ale Pie and Sticky Toffee pudding was everywhere. Service stuttered a bit but we were away just after 2.00pm. We must have been about 40 for lunch.

Cheddar Gorge beckoned and the third climb of the day. We stretched out quite a lot but all arrived at the top before swinging across the flat bit and returning to Burrington Combe for another fast drop. After that we headed back to Long Ashton. Aimee's Winehouse beckoned but about half resisted the Marshfield temptation and the other half caught up so quickly I think 'ice cream was off '.

So with three major climbs and three significant descents and a day when the rain never arrived, Oli had put together a hard but rewarding day on the bike, and it certainly undulated. The route map will show just how far up and down we went, and how the miles built up.

Three spikes on the altitude chart - click here to see them.

Thursday 10th September 2015. Amcor to Ham. Report from Bill Balchin: After a fairly dismal August, the September weather started with a mixed bag. Today it was supposed to pull a warm day out of the bag with sunshine from the get-go. Yeah right! I put on sun cream but also arm warmers and a gilet as I rode to the Amcor start through chilly mist. Long sleeves were the order of the day as we scanned the horizon for Lara at ten o'clock.

And then she popped up behind us having driven to the start and now ready to ride in the most garish arm warmers ever seen. Just Guido and Nisha missing now from the lunch-order list - a quick phone call to say that Guido had to go back home to fetch his shoes so they would make their own way - and Steve led the bunch along the Old Gloucester Road through Tytherington to Cromhall. The sun made a few attempts at burning off the mist but it was still cool as we took the lane off the roundabout on the main Wotton road at the top of Charfield hill. I don't think we have used it on a Thursday before but it joined up with the lane from the Wickwar quarry we have used many times previously. It was a shame the visibility was not better as there are super views before you drop down into Charfield by the railway line. Railway buffs will know about the great rail disaster of 1928 when an early morning

collision between three trains killed fifteen people and injured many more. It was made worse because the gas used to light the carriages exploded. You can see the history here. Over the Wotton road we crossed the Little Avon River by the small industrial estate. Hard to imagine that little stream powering the two large mill building in Charfield and the next one in Huntingford. Turning past Michael Wood the sun was getting its act together as we breezed along the lanes through Wick, Stinchcombe and crossed the A38 for Breadstone and Halmore. Those unfamiliar with the area could get their bearings from a glance at the Sharpness canal at Purton and a brief sighting of the Severn as we entered Brookend, rode past the Lammastide Inn and through Berkeley to Ham and our destination of the Salutation.

Guido and Nisha had arrived shortly before having taken a more direct route. Mike Whiteman, Clive and Malcolm were also there in the garden so everybody decided to dine al fresco - one of only a handful of times this year. On previous visits to the Sally we were always obliged to have a buffet in the skittle alley. Now under new (well not quite so new now) management there are proper meals including ham. egg and chips with the ham in slabs, a wonderful steak and ale pie, soup and I heard no complaints from anybody despite the restricted menu. With a choice of four ales and nine ciders the drinkers were also well pleased. It would have been nice to linger in the sunshine but I suppose you have to get home at a reasonable time so we took a direct, generally flat route back towards the Amcor start. As an added bonus we passed through Rockhampton village where we could admire the scarecrow trail.

And click here to see today's route.

Thursday 17th September 2015. Bitton to Marshfield. Report from Bill Balchin: I wonder what it is that determines how many people turn up for a BTOTC ride. Holidays, the start and venue, and the weather obviously. But I think it is a bit more complex, probably to do with a good weather day coming after a series of bad weather days. Whatever the reason today's bit of early sunshine after a mixed few days brought eighteen starters to Bitton for Mike Finch to have a go at leading. The job was made a bit easier by Malcolm passing him details of a ride he had worked out before health problems made him scale back on the cycling.

Taking the railway path into Bath and the riverside path, Mike showed his knowledge of the city by deftly taking the left fork away from the river into Nelson Place and then somehow avoiding stopping and wriggling to pass Green Park station and ride through the centre of Bath without a hold-up. Over Poultney Bridge and we exited Bath onto the Warminster Road where Mike took the group onto the canal towpath - all except three individuals with clean bikes who wanted to keep them that way - lazy devils, getting out of bike cleaning. So while the majority bumped along the towpath I climbed up the hill with Denis and Mike (Chouings) and sped down to the George at Bathampton - nobody there. After a few minutes the group arrived showing that the higher speeds possible on the smooth road outweigh the lack of climbing on the rough path. But to be fair it was a large group to have taken on the main road.

Back together on the toll-bridge road we took the new path and bridge into Batheaston to the foot of Bannerdown Hill. Right - climbing legs on now! Andy Short had joined us for the first time today. Dressed in chino shorts and a tee shirt, and riding a bike that could be kindly described as a shopper, Andy belied his appearance with strong climbing as we rode the steep lower section of Bannerdown before taking a right turn into the intriguingly named Shockerwick Lane.

Following a signpost for Ditteridge, Mike did well to remember the turns as the single track lane meandered up and down in an easterly direction until we could see the church at Colerne village - standing proudly on the hill - and the big descent and climb of Tutton Hill now in front of us ending at the Six Bells pub. That was a tough one but with most of the climbing now behind us it was just past the old RAF base to the A420 and a couple of miles to get to our lunch-stop. The clocks were chiming twelve as we turned into the car park.

We had a big peloton today but there were as many again already there, a big easyrider group and several independents enjoying the chance of a dry day with a bit of sunshine. As usual with the Catherine Wheel the service was as slick as you like - order your meal, get a number and they bring it to you - why do so many other pubs find it so difficult? I am probably biased in their favour as they were serving Cotswold Spring Stunner, one of my favourites and in perfect conditions. A popular choice from the food menu was wild boar sausages. Once we had been through all the jokes about the boar being really cross the bangers were declared first class. Mounting up for the ride home the sun had done a poor job of warming things up so the arm warmers stayed on but at least there were some bright spells as we rode through charming West Littleton, waited ages to cross the A46 and passed through Hinton before splitting for home at Pucklechurch to end a grand day out.

Spot the ramp up to Colerne by clicking the route here.

Thursday 24th September 2015. Ashton to Clevedon. Report from Shirley Hume: more than a hint of autumn about the ride today – not only the first day when the night is longer than the day, but a chilly feel at the start, some heavy showers around on the trip to Ashton (depending on your journey) and, conclusively, a few people in long or three quarter length leggings. Only Andy, who unaware of the slur on his trusty steed in last week’s report had returned for a second ride, started in short sleeves. 16 of us were about to leave the bridge at Ashton when Jeremy appeared to make the numbers up to 17, with Catherine and Mike joining us at lunchtime having missed the start.

We headed off via an interesting selection of underpasses and bridges to enter Ashton Court on the Festival Way, heading up the hill to emerge on the A369. Sticking on the shared use path, which was fortunately less overgrown that I have known it in the past, we got as far as The George before turning off the path and heading towards Abbots Pool. Rather than take the road directly up to Failand John led us along an off-road track through the woods, thus ensuring that those of us who had foolishly ridden without mudguards would have to clean both our bikes and our clothes this evening [in my case two bikes and two sets of clothes but that is an internal disciplinary matter still to be settled]. Re-emerging on the Failand Road we all managed to safely brake when we came up behind a couple of horses and having thus reduced our speed managed not to emulate Phil’s slide on the gravel at the bottom of the hill on our ride to the Plough at Congresbury. Height gained we then (in ‘Grand Old Duke of York’ style) descended back down the hill to Portbury to join the Avon cycleway which we followed to Clevedon.

This was followed by an unusual circumnavigation of Clevedon, during which rumours of a beer shortage at the pub must have been circulating as Pete, Arnold and Alan made a break for the pub leaving the rest of us to take in another piece of off-road track in strong wind, climb up to the top of the cliffs from the sea front in order to drop down again and then re-climb to the top of the cliffs heading into Portishead. The rumours of a beer shortage were obviously spreading like wildfire if you saw the pace at which certain riders raced off [helped by a tail wind] but nearly everyone arrived pretty close together in the end. The Windmill has a lovely outdoor seating area, but today everyone opted to be inside.

By the time we got there the table Pete had reserved for 25 was full, with a large group of Easy Riders [and others?] already ensconced there so the later arrivals spread out making it difficult to count how many were there. I got to about 35 and gave up, but despite the numbers, and the fact that there were plenty of other customers, the queues were short and the service good.

After people had finished eating Malcolm pounced – the expression ‘You can run, but you can’t hide’ came to mind as he sidled up to one table after another, recruiting volunteer ride leaders for the next programme. I don’t think he encountered too much resistance so we can all look forward to another 6 months or beer, exercise and good company. Then it was time to get back on the bikes for a guided tour of the new marina area in Portishead. I’m sure others who, like us, know Portishead from 30 odd years ago were as amazed as I was at the changes taking place. We eventually [and don’t ask me to repeat the route] popped back out on the road leading to the Sustrans route to the Avonmouth bridge. Once over that there was one more surprise in store when we headed off towards the Cruise Terminal and then wiggled our way in to a nature reserve lying between the Portway and the river. Not sure David Attenbrough will be filming there anytime soon, but it was a good track and reduced the amount of cycling we had to do along the Portway itself.

The rain held off apart from a few spots before lunch and I very much doubt whether anyone didn’t find at least a few yards of unknown track to ride on today. Thanks to John for keeping everyone together on what was quite a twisty route in places – now time to go and dig out the lights and the mudguards………………..

The route out and back? Click here.

And a comment from Andy Short (out with us again today) after Bill's description last week of his "shopper": Thanks for a great ride, I didn't expect it to be quite so sporting, Strong climbing?- don't tell my cardiologist, with a streaming cold, 3 months after a minor heart attack and the day after swapping sapping beta blockers for ACE inhibitors (not climbing inhibitors!) I expect he would have had kittens. He may well yet...

But, ha ha, you fell for the cunning camouflage on my shopper, missed the tell-tale Rolls saddle, eh?....That 20-year-old old bike is the 'family axe', t'was born a '65 A.S. Gillott frameset with Sturmey hub braked wheels built by Overburys and the rear was a 5-speed hub. The bike ate a sprinter-5 and a 5-star, ending up with a threaded hub brake and 21-speed shimano, 24/34 sub-granny bottom ratio that is becoming increasingly (and worryingly) useful. The Gillott frame was being abused so was returned to sportive/ time-trial duties and a Carlton frameset substituted (and broken) then some Italian 531DB that is gradually rusting (appearance deters theft but may be its downfall).Get a bit more fit and I might start to air the 26" 1953 Armstrong Consort (disguised as a modern 'hybrid but let down by another Rolls and a cyclotouriste chainset). The Gillott is unlikely to come out, bolt on tri-bars wouldn't look good on a BTOTC ride, and I prefer 'flat' bars when not flat out, I can see more of the countryside whilst still having the brakes handy.

Chino shorts and tee-shirt? I spent 2 weeks riding round Dingle this time last year mostly in only shorts and clipped sandals, with lycra only for a couple of fast club runs. Consider yourselves lucky :)

Now, who out there has a cheap alloy front wheel that would take a 700C x 38 tyre. Family bike No. 14, a spare for son’s girlfriend, has a chrome rim that I don't trust.