Thursday 4th October. Ashton to Lower Langford. Main group report from Pete Campbell: Only one ride today, so Keith Borissow had the added pressure of designing a route which would satisfy those looking for high speed and the KoM wannabe's, but also achievable for those feeling a little bit mushy this morning and even any others still dreaming of the sofa. He had twenty people arrive at Ashton looking for him to deliver something appropriate. Some of the usual members were absent (holiday, illness) but present for the first time in years was Peter Hobbs who has been busy with very long-term grandchild duty on Thursdays but now the last one is at school he's FREE!! (I guess that's his reaction, as mine are all many miles away so I can't do this regular stuff, although obviously I love them all dearly.)

So while we're all fresh it was straight onto the only big climb, up to the top of Ashton Court, then more altitude gain along Beggar Bush Lane. But after that, a piece of cake descending from Failand to Portbury, although not an actual piece of cake. Unless you brought your own snacks you'd have to wait for lunch.

For the three miles along the main road through Gordano Keith organised the group into three smaller groups, each with a leader, making sure that there were sizeable gaps for traffic to overtake us. It seemed to work well. We should do this again.

There was a short, sharp climb into Clevedon, and then flat onto Kenn Moor. At Yatton Peter Hobbs dropped out, looking for a cake and coffee. A few years away from BTOTC has clearly affected his fitness levels. Sorry I didn't chat with you Peter. Hope to see you back again soon. A couple more miles and we saw Clive Bush at the side of the road. Howdid he know where we'd be? He was in the area thinking about buying turf (as you do) andwas going to join us anyway.

At the Langford Inn we often sit in a room just next to the bar where we all fit. I'd assumed we'd be in there but I noticed some sunshine as we approached Lower Langford, and the first people to order all went back outside, so that's where we sat today. Will this be the lasttime this year? In two weeks we will be at the Apple Tree in Shoscombe where we have only sat outside so the weather had better not break yet. Anyway, top rate food and drink was served, quickly at the Langford Inn and although I did hear one comment about the prices being highish I think that's acceptable to patronise a slick operation.

There were two routes home: Keith taking us back the normal Wrington, Claverham, Backwell road, and Mark opting for a trip past the airport and no doubt with a few meters ofascent. Striking out on new adventurous paths is all very well, but those going with Keith had the reward of ice cream at Aimee's. Which one should I choose? No contest!

Touch here to see today's route.

Thursday 11th October. Amcor to Waterley Bottom. Main group report from Shirley Hume: When you get to a ‘certain’ age there is less in life to look forward to, so for today’s leader the prospect of being left with 7 testosterone fuelled alpha males ready for a fast and furious ride to Waterley Bottom just went to prove that dreams do come true. My own alpha male was confidently predicting carnage and sloped off to join the moderate ride so that he wouldn’t have to witness the ensuing mayhem. Setting off from Amcor we headed out on the well known route to Tytherington, where I realised Bill was missing. My trusty backmarker Andy informed me that he hadn’t come with us, which surprised me as he had said he was recording the route. It subsequently turned out that the chain had jammed again on his electric bike and he had to walk it round to the Giant Shop in Bradley Stoke, catch a bus home and then ride his non electric bike on a direct route to the pub, arriving at more or less the same time as our group. While I was sorry to hear his tale of woe I have to confess to feeling some relief that we hadn’t just abandoned him on the road unwittingly.

[Post ride note: Bill rode back to Bradley Stoke and the Giant shop after he left Waterley Bottom and agreed with the manager that he would get Giant to give him a new bike, same model, under warranty. He doesn't know yet when that will be.]

Anyway, we took Baden Hill Road from Tytherington and headed to Cromhall on the back road which is often too muddy to be a sensible alternative [bone dry at present]. A differentproblem soon appeared with a large tree down completely blocking the road. Lamenting the absence of a chainsaw, Martyn, ably assisted by others in the group, managed to arm wrestle the tree enough to allow the rest of us to slip past on the bank, while he manfully held it back until everyone [and his own bike] were safely on the other side. The tree must have come down since Tuesday as I rode the route then, so with the predicted weather over the next couple of days there may be more joining it.

Onwards via Leyhill, Tortworth and Damery before going under the M5 to Lower Wick and then working our way back to Stinchcombe. At this point a jacket stop was suggested as the flat, fast section was now over and the hills were about to start. Up the hill past Stinchcombe Church and down into Dursley, then past the Vale Hospital and uphill heading for Peaked Down. I was asked at the top if that was ‘The Hill’ but I judged it to be only an undulation – with the best still to come! We wiggled our way along quiet single track lanes to Uley and then hit the bottom of Lampern Hill, or the one serious hill of the day. By the time we had ground up to the top [about 1 mile] everyone agreed that it was indeed a serious hill. I had the rather unsettling experience of riding up beside Peter T whowas intonating ‘10%,11%,12%,13%,14%,15%,14%,13% from his garmin readings. Sometimes ignorance really is bliss!!

All safely at the top we headed down past the Cotswold Edge golf club on to Old London Road before taking the right turn to Waterley Bottom. This road is narrow, potholed, twisty etc so people took it gently and fortunately the one car coming our way had the sense to stop and let us squeeze past. We got to the pub at about 12.10, held up slightly by our treeexperience, and met Max, Alex and Bill who had all just arrived independently. Jeff M had also made his own way having been too late for the start. The moderate group was there and already had their food but ours came out almost immediately after we paid at the bar and told them what we had ordered. Impressive efficiency and certainly our meals were good.

Point of interest for today - we passed 3 horses [and riders] today. The latter asked us to talk to the horses as we went by and having restrained one of the group from muttering ‘glue factory’ as he went past, I suddenly had an image of the horses in their stables tonight wondering if all cyclists thought they were just dumb animals and why we hadn’t asked them for their views on Brexit……..

The ride home got a bit confused as the two groups got mixed up and some of the moderate riders missed a turn while some of our group followed the ones who had turned. Hopefully our two new riders found their way home and will come and join us again and a first for today – the moderate group attracted more riders than the main group!! My report card is marked ‘Must try harder’.

Touch here to see how steep it is up from Uley.

Thursday 11th October. Amcor to Waterley Bottom. Moderate group report from PeteCampbell: Yes, strange but true. The moderate ride is attracting more riders than the fast group. Is this because some are getting softer with age? Is it because of the opportunity of more education from what seem to be regular points of interest? Well, who can tell. I was on Phil Warry's gentler ride due to my doctor seeming to be unable to tailor hypertension medication to my own specific DNA and I'm feeling knackered all the time. Apparently if I go back to her in twenty years I might be in luck.

Another feature of today's moderate group was two new riders and one returnee. As mentioned last week, Peter Hobbs no longer has to entertain a grandchild on Thursdays so is looking for something to do. He wasn't put off last week by the current BTOTC membership and appeared again today. This riding can get addictive, Peter. You can still bale out now before you get sucked back in to having to get your bike out on a Thursday. Maggie Parker is temporarily in Bristol helping to look after her son's brand new baby and was allowed the day off with her bike. Pete Hodgson has decided he's had enough of the stresses associated with working, but little does he know he will still have the stresses of deciding how many more bikes he can justify and what to pick for lunch from the pub's menu. Pete, the BTOTC is full of people who can help you with those decisions.

The morning was almost dry, with not even much of an autumnal chill. Phil's route took us more or less directly to the pub, only stopping for today's point of interest which was in Charfield where he gave a summary of a train crash which happened there almost exactly ninety years ago in which sixteen people died. We reached the New Inn a few minutes before opening time, and we were allowed straight in to the bar. Jeff Mountain was alreadythere when we arrived and he'd been waiting outside for nearly half an hour. At least he had a seat under some shelter.

Touch here to see Phil's direct route to the New Inn.

Thursday 18th October 2018. Bitton to Shoscombe. Main group report from Shirley Hume: Another week, another ride, but not another leader. There I was back on leading duties having done an exchange with Guido when it turned out he was away this week in Ecuador [they have moved on from Columbia] so couldn’t lead the planned ride. I have to confess that I recycled [no pun intended] a ride I led in June 2016, when just 10 people showed up at Bitton – of which only one other was on the ride today so I got away with it. With 32 people at the station today I was confident of getting a better turnout, but while 12 is certainly more than 10 it didn’t compare with the 20 who opted for the moderate ride!! I have since sacked my PR company [who is currently sulking in a corner of the kitchen] and have made a note to add a few more hills for next time.

The ‘Awesome Eight’ from last week were joined by 4 others and the 12 of us set off down the cycle path to Saltford. Here Jen had her first mechanical of the day, with Peter T and

Julian staying back to help. Back together we headed via Chewton Keynsham up Redlynch Lane to Publow and from there down to Pensford and up under the viaduct to Stanton Drew, on the oft used [usually in reverse] route to Stowey Hill. Just before the hill we had to stop again because the problem with Jen’s front mech was still giving trouble. It is always fun to watch bags being opened and multiple tools appearing – I am convinced between a group of BTOTC riders we could probably reassemble a bike from its constituent parts using just the contents of everyone’s bag. Anyway, I digress, up Stowey Hill and on to the outskirts of Hinton Blewitt [Andy could smell the beer at the Ring O’Bells], where there was a Road Closed sign on the lane downto Cameley. There was no sign of anything when I was there on Tuesday so we decided totake a chance and head down as ‘Cyclists can always get through’. Fortunately, in this case, the assumption was correct and the only sign of roadworks was a crack in the road surrounded by yellow barriers – obviously no Operatives actually doing anything about the problem - and we sailed past. Across the A37 to Paulton where we temporarily mislaid Nick and Peter T [the latter doing a magnificent job as back marker – many thanks!!]. Final climb up Paulton Hill to Peasedown St John before dropping down the lanes to Shoscombe.

The moderate group were already sitting in the garden with their drinks, which had the big advantage of ensuring there was no queue at the bar and the food service was fast and efficient with the pre-orders. We keep saying ‘this will probably be our last lunch in the garden this year’ but here we were in the sunshine again – although it was quite chilly in the shade. Although not everyone is a fan of pre-orders the last two weeks have shown how they can speed things up when there are large numbers. The group split into two for the return journey – one heading to Bitton and a smaller group [7 of us] heading to Bristol via a couple of good hills, just in case there hadn’t been enough

on the outward journey. Having climbed out of the pub we wandered through some quiet lanes which looked beautiful in the autumn sunshine. Through Timsbury, Farmborough, Hunstrete and then [as a special treat] the climb up Wollard Hill back to Publow and the Whitchurch cycle path – the latter a new experience for Peter T. Just be prepared, my nextride is in the flattest terrain imaginable so I am working on some new and fiendish way to make sure you work up an appetite for lunch that day – you have been warned!!

See Shirleys route here

Thursday 18th October 2018. Bitton to Shoscombe. Moderate group report from Bill Balchin: I am really partial to a bit of Autumnal cycling and today was just the day for it. Put on an extra layer or two and enjoy the dry roads, bright sunshine and the trees beginning their transition from green to gold. And I am certainly not the only one as the group of thirty people waiting at Bitton Station for a ride to Shoscombe confirmed. With my electric bike still with Giant there was only one real choice for me today – Peter Ralph's moderate ride. Shirley's reputation as a super grimpeur could have something to do with the fact that the moderate group outnumbered the main group by two to one. “It's a bit lumpy” admitted Peter as we set off through Keynsham with Phil Warrry back marking. I would be seeing a lot of Phil today.

My unfamiliarity with the pace of the moderate group soon became apparent as we bombed up to the Brass Mills turning at eighteen miles per hour. Although we left gaps for overtaking, a Land Rover towing a horse box refused to pass and even turned in with us as we negotiated Keynsham to get on the country lanes at Chewton Keynsham for our historic interest point. Dropping down to the river Chew Peter pointed out the “Owl Tower”, a folly that you can read more about by clicking here. There was more folly as we turned up Redlynch Lane for the climb to Queen Charlton and headed towards Norton Marlreward. But before we got that far and brought back unhappy memories for Alex we turned left into Gibbet Lane which I have passed many times but never cycled. That brought us half a mile further on along the A37 where we crossed over for a steep descent on another unfamiliar lane into Publow and Woolard to join lanes that we have cycled many times previously but always in the opposite direction. That carried on through Hunstrete until we popped out in Farmbourough high street by the Butchers Arms and were back on familiar paths. That familiarity meant that once we descended into Radford we knew a climb would follow and the drag into Peasedown St John went on and on. Thanks for waiting folks as I finally made the summit without walking and we just had the short, downhill bit into Shoscombe arriving smack on noon with wall to wall sunshine all morning.

Yet again we ate outside in the sheltered garden – I don't think we've ever eaten indoors atthe Apple Tree. Meals were delivered with the usual high speed and I got a chance to chat to Julian who has just returned from France where he completed one of cycling's biggest challenges – riding up Mont Ventoux via all three routes in one day – fantastic. After the lumpy outward route most were happy to take the relatively flat two tunnels way home. Once on the Railway Path I set myself into moderate pace mode and watched the rest disappear as my speed went from twelve to eleven and down to ten. Then just before Bitton a girl on a sit up and beg bike whirred past – electric! Talk about rubbing it in.

Follow Peter's lumps by clicking here

Thursday 25th October 2018. Ashton to Priddy. The temperature is dropping noticeably now but we had another thirty plus group assembled at Ashton Bridge today for a trip to one of our many favourite pubs – the Hunters Lodge, near Priddy on the Mendips. As Yazzand the Plastic Population would sing to you - “the only way is up”. No avoiding a climb to get there. In a change from last week Mike Finch ended up with a group of sixteen for the main group with Phil taking twelve for a moderate ride including some historic interest.

Main group report from Mike Finch: I don’t know if this is a dangerous precedent, leading the ride and then doing the writing up. I could say things about the quality of the leadership but I’ll resist the temptation..A group of 16 left a sunny Ashton Gate and headedfor the park and ride. Much to the surprise of some (most?) we turned left into the park andride and then pretended to be a Metro bus along the new road that connects with the Link Road. We took the familiar route alongside the Link Road to the turn at Highridge Road. After a quick breather (the air is thin up there) the group then climbed the north west face of Dundry via Oxleaze Lane to the top.

Dundry ticked off we dropped down to Norton Hawkfield trying to avoid potholes and bumps in the road. A quick head count found that the slopes of Dundry had claimed a victim: backmarker Shirley appeared to say that new member Geoff had punctured. The rest of the group was blissfully unaware of his predicament (bad leadership I think) but Shirley, Andy and Peter Toft showed true team spirit by going back up the hill to help (many thanks go to them). We all met up again at the pub.

Now down to 13, with a new backmarker Martyn, we pressed on through Stanton Drew and Bishop Sutton via Hollowbrook Lane which was probably new to some. Left after Bishop Sutton took us to North and South Widcombe (blink and you miss them). At Coley we had another breather before the next big hill of the morning – an anonymous lane from the B3114 up to a place called Wooten Hall (I’ve never heard of it either) and then up again along Ashel’s Batch and Bell Hill. At the bottom of all this climbing Phil Hodgson suddenly appeared alongside us to have quick chat (how did he do that?) and then disappeared to return to his leadership duties with the moderate group. We hadn’t finished with the climbing yet as we retraced the Tour route via Torhole Bottom (who thinks up all these names?) the B3135 and then the Old Bristol Road past the Forestry Commission plantation and straight into the Hunter’s Lodge garden at just past 12. (The Tour by the way went along this route in the opposite direction). The Hunter’s remains in a time warp but nobody’s complaining: main meals at a fiver and beer at £3.40 a pint.

Suitably refreshed we sorted out the return leg with a mix and match between the two groups. One gang went off towards Whitchurch and Keynsham, the other heading for Charterhouse. Coming down Burrington Combe we almost did a bit of ‘running with the bulls’ when a couple of free range beefy cows looked at us suspiciously from the side of the road. The familiar route beckoned through Lower Langford, Wrington, edge of Congresbury, Claverham to Backwell, stopping for ice creams at Aimee’s with Clive and new boy Dave quaffing lattes at Parsons Bakery. No stopping after that as the group, downto 7, turned for home along Festival Way and Long Ashton after an enjoyable sunny (a lot of the time) and dry day of cycling.

Click here to see the route taken by Peter Toft

Moderate group report from Bill Balchin: Phil's theme for today was water – how the city of Bristol is supplied. Taking the main road through Long Ashton high street to Wildcountry Lane we crossed the A38 at the Barrow Tanks. Did you know that the water in the Barrow Tanks is higher than in the water tower on the downs? On through Winford and

we turned right just after the cattle market into Watery Lane. It is only the second time I have been there and I remember on the first occasion being bewildered by a big tube-like structure crossing the road on substantial masonry towers. Just another part of the largely unseen infrastructure.

Turning left at the end of Watery Lane towards Chew Stoke we passed another solitary tower in a field – a ventilation tower to release air pressure from the system. Those Victorians were a clever lot to design and build all that and have it still in use over a hundred years later. You can find more details by clicking here.

The most visible item in Bristol Water's inventory must be Chew Valley Lake which we rodearound to West Harptree then East Harptree and climbed into the village. “Here we go” I thought “A struggle up Smithams” but no. Wrong guess. We continued past that turning and continued on very pleasant lanes that went up and down but generally in favour of up. At one point we saw Mike's group in front but they soon got ahead and out of sight. Signposts were in short supply although we did see some for Greendown which did not help as nobody knew where that was – except Phil of course who deftly led us around the maze until we hit the road from Chewton Mendip which we have used in the past as a less

arduous route onto the Mendips. And then soon after twelve we rocked up at the Hunters Lodge to join the queue which was out of the door into the garden – luckily no rain today and there even a spell of sunshine.

Right. Which group to join for the way home? Aimees was tempting but When I heard Keynsham mentioned that sounded more direct. In a group of six I found myself blasting down Smithams where there was an opportunity for disaster when a car reversed out of a driveway across the road but we all stayed calm and avoided it. Alan Partridge took us straight over the main road at East Harptree onto Sutton Hill Road for a quiet ride into Bishop Sutton, Chew Magna, Norton Malreward and into Bitton for a welcome cup of coffee to finish a most enjoyable day.

Click here to see the route taken by Steve Hicks