Ride Out to Long Mynd April 20

Even the overcast skies of a clingily damp April morning couldn't tarnish the shiny optimism on the faces of the fourteen resolute CWAM bikers who, led by Tony Williamson, set off for Long Mynd. My rather selfish purpose for braving the elements was to improve my 'wet road' confidence by following the example of someone who knew what he was doing. After a rigid-muscle hour or so, I actually managed to relax enough to adopt my usual riding style - a triumph of enthusiasm over ability. Gray skies dogged us all day but they didn't diminish our enjoyment or good humour. Unfortunately Long Mynd itself was wreathed in mist and the top enjoyed its own personal cloud which cut visibility to little more than ten yards either side of the road. Nevertheless, coming down was quite an exciting experience (well I thought so), narrow lane running with water, uneven surface, 1 in 4 gradient, steep drop to the right. For me, the journey was worth it just for that. A recurrence of numb-bum syndrome made the short stop at Kidderminster welcome and from there it was but a short hop home. Another good ride out thanks to Tony's seemingly effortless navigational skills and leadership.