My 1st ride in 2014 today. Was intending to head out just after lunch, but after popping out to look at furniture shops this morning it started to chuck it down and so didn't get out until 2PM, after checking the rain radar which looked dry for the rest of the day.................
I headed out to the east of Shrewsbury on my usual route, through the estate where I had to perform an emergency stop after about 2 minutes due to a young lad appearing from between 2 parked cars into the road on his scooter, without looking!
Good job I wasn't a car is all I will say. I continued down to Shrewsbury Sports Village and down the gravel/mud path to the river and I stumbled upon the course being taped out for the conclusion of the British Cycling National Cyclocross Trophy which is taking place there tomorrow
http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/cy...-of-British-Cycling-National-Trophy-triumph-0
I actually had to cycle on a small bit of the course and so I assume they will be blocking the path off tomorrow?!
I continued out to Uffington, passing a Mountain Biker who was covered head to toe in mud splatter. I am so glad I have mudguards!!
It was then the climb to Upton Magna, where I was surprised to find the Corbet Arms appears to have re-opened. @
Rickshaw Phil and I have fancied a pint there on many a ride, but it has never been open, but today there were lights on and a Christmas Tree was still up and lit, so fingers crossed it will stay open now for a
in the future. I turned right and headed over to Berwick Wharf and then onto Atcham, as I wanted to see how the River Severn was doing with all the flood warnings in force.
I crossed the main road to find the group picture from a wedding at the Mytton & Mermaid Hotel was being taken and so I took care not to interrupt and appear in the background and went up onto the old bridge for a view of the river.
Mytton & Mermaid Hotel (I don't fancy a beer in the garden, which appears to be in the river today!!)
The bride tottering across the main road in her heels, with the groom, for a photo outside the front of Attingham Park
There's plenty of water in the River Severn which has burst it's banks
I then continued up the lane towards Chilton Farm and came across a flood covering the road, around a bend and so I couldn't see how far it went. I decided to brave it and give it a go. It wasn't too deep, but I did dip a foot in it at it's deepest point
Should I? Shouldn't I? Actually, lets give it a go
I carried on for a short way, but it was very muddy and wet up there, so I decided to double back and re-trace my steps back to Atcham, Berwick Wharf, Upton Magna and Uffington. It was then back along the old canal path where a chap on a bike squeezed past me on a steep section, but then decided to pootle along at 9 mph on the flat and therefore was holding me up! I resisted the temptation to overtake him again, as it was only a short section until I turned off. I was about a mile from home and it started to rain
. It couldn't wait until I got back could it
. It absolutely tipped it down and an icy strong headwind got up, making the last mile thoroughly unpleasant and by the time I got home I was thoroughly drenched
15.87 miles, avg speed 11.0 mph
(I can think of several in the area that are more interesting.) The view from the top was quite nice though.
, damp but otherwise OK. 42 miles done.
