Gloucestershire

Thanks, I’ve got a mate who rides with Charlton Kings, but haven’t yet managed to arrange a ride when I’ve been down.
I’m usually there for a long weekend, so often ride over the Chilterns and Cotswolds to get there. Then a blast over and around the Malverns on the Sunday morning before heading home. Will certainly try to get out on a club run one day though.

@dancing james
I’ve noted that pic you posted a little while back of lots of cake being served during one of your club runs. Would love to check that out some time too

Sounds like you had a lucky escape, Stroud town centre is basically carved up between warring factions of Morris dancers, it’s not unheard of for a passer by to dragged into an alley and given a coshing with those jingly cudgels. It’s a ketamine turf war thing..

Ah

The ride to Hill for cake is the best thing on a bike. Ever

A close call! Which faction are you in?

I’ve just moved a bit further south, near Chipping Sodbury. Not fallen foul of any morris dancers yet thankfully.

Would be up for a Gloucestershire ride if there is one.

Does south Gloucestershire count? Will shortly be right on the boundary by Bristol.

Damn right it counts

Coming on the 1st/2nd September. Will be riding.

Whereabouts? Pop in for a coffee?

Bibury

It’s beautiful out there. Is it a family visit?

got a couple of old mates near Stroud they organise the block party events got some good names playing soon Mr thing and children if Zuse if your in to your Hip Hop soul bright times vibes.
csb.

Have you got a link to their events?

not sure that they have a website other than Facebook page, but here is the ticket link

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/stroud-block-party-presents-mr-thing-and-children-of-zeus-tickets-47481279786

I follow there updates via Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/stroudblockparty/

they do some interesting stuff also have a podcast called Stroud calling good for a relaxed listen

I'm reading this thread out loud whilst in bed with my wife, a Stroud (well, Amberley) lass. She thought our recent move from London to Longlevens would finally disconnect me from LFGSS and release hours of time to assemble flat-packed furniture, make jam and look after a puppy. Ha! So I'm familiarising myself with the Gloucester/Cheltenham divide. I sum it up for friends thus: Cheltenham is coiffured, Gloucester is tattured. I tried to ride with Big Foot mtb club last week but bottled. I'm going again tomorrow with a bike with a dropper post. The wife's not arguing about the Morris Men thing btw. She was at Stroud High 1978 to 1985. Sorry this is a bit rambly. I'm not properly awake yet.

Did a bit of falconry in my yoof... even took this little better to Uni with me...

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James, it's Tom from Eastgate remember the wet ride where I didn't have mudguards? And your comment was 'Mudguards'. What kind of riding does everyone do then?

also Stroud is interesting - it's great but shit. I can't wait to leave.

I doubt many of us are as young, skinny or fast as you.

I do many types of riding - badly.

Interesting, great but shit.. hmmm.. I quite like it here. I predict you'll be back when you're middle-aged!

Grew up near Wotton-under-Edge, and now moved back to bath from London - just over the border if that counts.

Amberley is bloody lovely. I like the Stroud area. Love the market and local farming. Always impressed there’s so much music.

Cheltenham is relatively... normal. Mildly stuck-up. The surrounding area is stunning but a bit more chocolate-box-with-a-horse-box-n-Bentley if you know what mean.

same story really

I lived in Churchdown for three years before the job relocated to Reading. I started getting into cycling out there and still really miss it - Cotswolds for killer high gradient climbs, Malverns for more gentle stuff and miles and miles of pan flat up into Worcestershire if that floats your boat too. Drivers generally nicer than those in Reading and surrounding environs where I tend to get at least a close pass a week just going for leisure rides at quiet times.

I'd love to head back that way in 5-10 years time, would be far better located for both sets of parents as they get older and a much more relaxed pace of life.