Another Soggy Thursday Night Ride

Two years ago, Cycling Weekly published a top 40 list of Cycling New Year's Resolutions and I was satisfied in making an early start in ticking off number 20, "Ride in the Rain". It was day 319 of my Tour on which I headed out with Rex. It was a typical AVP evening ride but less typically, on this occasion, there were just the two of us, obviously no one else feeling the need to ride in the rain!

Last night's ride followed a similar script. My weather app said rain would cease at 6pm and I was prepared to believe it. Pedalling over to the Kings Arms through a light drizzle to meet Buster, Handbag and Ed, I was still prepared to believe it. By the prerequisite wait time later, with still only us four in attendance, it was clear that no other Pedaller was, however, prepared to believe it!

Unperturbed, Buster headed off to pick up the hardy MTBs who would never let a little precipitation get in the way of a mud bath. Handbag headed home to prepare to lead the 7:30 ride, should anyone believe the rain would relent, while Ed and I hunkered down and headed north, into the hills.

Agreeing on a strategy of keeping clear of the main roads, cyclists being notoriously difficult to spot in such conditions, we repeated the route of the Sunday Ride, I led back in March. This is the one which took us through Colyton, Whitford, Kilmington, across the A35 along the Yarty to Stockland. Up Stockland Hill we climbed in near zero visibility, rain splattering on my face and glasses and mist steaming them from the inside. There was no light in the sky, the moon being truly masked by the low cloud, and our light beams struggled to pick out any discerning bumps and pits in the road.

For the first time in 3 of my previous rides along this road, we correctly made the left turn off Nothcote into Hutgate Road, negating the need then to have to decide on which climb to make out of Honiton which has, for me, become the recent norm! Instead, we soon found ourselves back across the A35 by the Colourwheel. We gingerly took the Northleigh Hill Road descent, and making a change from the Sunday Ride, crossed over the River Colly into the terrifically named Bonehayne and Purlbridge Road returning us to Colyton.

Colyton Christmas lights

Riding through Colyton, the Christmas lights were stunning, probably made even more spectacular through the kaleidoscope vision of rain splattered glasses. Back at the White Hart, it being an away night, we tried to dry out a little by the fire. We met up with 4 mud splattered MTBers and Handbag who while having not had any takers for the 7:30 ride were joined by Barbunny for the amazing feast of cheesy chips and chicken pieces. Like true athletes, we did not let the mound of food defeat us .. the perfect way to end a soggy good ride!