Six of us turned up at the station car park for this weeks ride, on a bright sunny day which was a bonus after all the rain in the past week. It was nice to see John Orouke had made the trip from Callington, also nice to see again Dave Simpson who made it all the way from Ivybridge.
Off we went into a cold easterly wind towards Wrangaton but with the sun in the sky promising to warm it up as the day progressed, plus the occasional hill to warm us up. It was then on a tried and tested route through Avonwick to join the lanes for Harberton, the lanes were full of debris from the recent storms also lots of standing water.From Harberton we carried on the lanes through Lower Cholwell to join the main road down into Totnes and on to the Riverside Cafe for our first stop.
Off again to join the cycle path for Dartington, the sun had brought out lots of walkers & there dogs to weave around on the way. From Dartington we joined the cycle path alongside the main road up to Huxham`s Cross, crossing the main road and downhill for Staverton Bridge and the station. We turned left by the station and headed for Ben`s farm shop and our second stop.
Fully refreshed we joined the main road and over the bridge on the river Dart & railway line, then turning right to join the cycle path by Hood Manor School leading us up to the Rattery road. This road/lane is very undulating with plenty of hills to test us, nearing Willing Cross, & as Andy & myself had ridden through Rattery the previous Sunday, I decided to bear a right and head down to Lower Dean, which took us past Pennywell farm. It was then up the long hill for Harbourneford, arriving at the turn of we normally take to avoid the big hill out of the village, to find it flooded, so we carried straight on to the next right turn. There was just myself & Graham that took the turning because, Dave N started moaning I was taking them to more flooded lanes, and carried on with the others. It turned out Graham & I had a dry run while the rest had to tackle a flood in the village.
Back together again at the other side of the village we carried on to South Brent, then on the back lanes for Ivrbridge past Glazebrook Hotel.Last Sunday Andy & I had ridden this and en counted a flood under the railway bridge, but was able to free wheel through it without getting our feet wet. But on arrival we could see it looked a bit deeper, but I thought give it a go, and I built up speed to free wheel through it, only to come to a full stop in the middle, so it was feet down to peddle on through. Giving credit to the rest they all followed me, well all but Dave N. & Graham, it had slipped my mind about Graham on his electric bike, ( which would not have done it much good ) & Dave did not want to get his bottom bracket wet - a new one from wheel bearings. So they had to make there way back to South Brent and take the long way back to Ivybridge.
An eventful ending to a good ride & good weather, Dave Simpson said he was starting to flag a bit coming out of Dean Prior, but he hasn`t been riding for a couple of months, which does not help. I had 34.5 miles on the clock, time I got home, Andy would have more having ridden in from Plympton.
Trevor
Off we went into a cold easterly wind towards Wrangaton but with the sun in the sky promising to warm it up as the day progressed, plus the occasional hill to warm us up. It was then on a tried and tested route through Avonwick to join the lanes for Harberton, the lanes were full of debris from the recent storms also lots of standing water.From Harberton we carried on the lanes through Lower Cholwell to join the main road down into Totnes and on to the Riverside Cafe for our first stop.
Off again to join the cycle path for Dartington, the sun had brought out lots of walkers & there dogs to weave around on the way. From Dartington we joined the cycle path alongside the main road up to Huxham`s Cross, crossing the main road and downhill for Staverton Bridge and the station. We turned left by the station and headed for Ben`s farm shop and our second stop.
Fully refreshed we joined the main road and over the bridge on the river Dart & railway line, then turning right to join the cycle path by Hood Manor School leading us up to the Rattery road. This road/lane is very undulating with plenty of hills to test us, nearing Willing Cross, & as Andy & myself had ridden through Rattery the previous Sunday, I decided to bear a right and head down to Lower Dean, which took us past Pennywell farm. It was then up the long hill for Harbourneford, arriving at the turn of we normally take to avoid the big hill out of the village, to find it flooded, so we carried straight on to the next right turn. There was just myself & Graham that took the turning because, Dave N started moaning I was taking them to more flooded lanes, and carried on with the others. It turned out Graham & I had a dry run while the rest had to tackle a flood in the village.
Back together again at the other side of the village we carried on to South Brent, then on the back lanes for Ivrbridge past Glazebrook Hotel.Last Sunday Andy & I had ridden this and en counted a flood under the railway bridge, but was able to free wheel through it without getting our feet wet. But on arrival we could see it looked a bit deeper, but I thought give it a go, and I built up speed to free wheel through it, only to come to a full stop in the middle, so it was feet down to peddle on through. Giving credit to the rest they all followed me, well all but Dave N. & Graham, it had slipped my mind about Graham on his electric bike, ( which would not have done it much good ) & Dave did not want to get his bottom bracket wet - a new one from wheel bearings. So they had to make there way back to South Brent and take the long way back to Ivybridge.
An eventful ending to a good ride & good weather, Dave Simpson said he was starting to flag a bit coming out of Dean Prior, but he hasn`t been riding for a couple of months, which does not help. I had 34.5 miles on the clock, time I got home, Andy would have more having ridden in from Plympton.
Trevor
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