BR4P 2024 Newport-Bristol

Van loaded and left Sarah's 08:10, traffic light and arrive Newport 9am. Found parking space in a street above the station and rode 1.5km down to the start. 

 

Registered and both Sarah & I doing signposting got our yellow hiviz vests.

 

Set off as usual a little late, same route out of Newport as last year. About same number of riders. 

 

Weather excellent, sunny but not burning, light breeze. Pace slow (about 12km/hr) so generaly no problem getting back to front after a signposting stint.

 

Flat across the Severn flood plain till lunch at Caerwent. First signposting just after start before crossing Usk and long wait as there had been an early puncture, which resulted in the tail group missing a turn up onto the bridge over the Usk, but all back together very quickly..

 

Route out along a main road at first so not much chance for either conversation of chanting. Eventually turned off in very quiet lanes and conversations started. Chatted a bit with other riders, a listened to conversations. A couple more signpostings before lunch.

 

Ride leaders were Greg & Darren setting a steady pace and up with them was the youngest rider - Belal aged 7, who was keeping up with no problem.

 

As always we were running late, but arrive at Caetwent village hall soon after 1 for an hours break.

 

Flafel wraps had gone cold and slimy, which was a shame, but banana and flapjack helped. Ate with Sarah & Jane on a sofa in the hall and then moved outside to lie on grass.

 

Another long signpost soon after we set off - again a puncture, but again was back in front group fairly quickly.

 

Slight hills up to Chepstow, we skirted the town. We waited to regroup at the top of the main access road and got loads of waves and tooting of horns from the motorists which was encouraging. Then down and over the bridge, this time on the west side before turning south east through the peri-urban sprawl before tea break at Easter Compton hall. Shorter break to make up time. Belal still going strong at the front. 

 

Chatting to Wen Yu who is researching for doctorate in Mental Health at Plymouth School of Psycology - knows Anthony well as a helpful person, not sure which other techs still there - not Lynne (retired I presume) maybe either Martin or Mark or both...small world.

 

Darren had announced at end of break that the next hill was steep and narrow as well as car free and we were all to get off and walk to avoid wobbly pile-ups - which we did for the first time. It happened again coming out of Blaize Park, although this time there was space for signposters to press on a bit - i had just done a dancing stint before the bottom and was back at the front soon after the hill..

 

We came into Bristol through leafy suburubs (Westbury on Trim) which was a shame as no street interaction. We 'finished' on Clfton Downs instead of College Green owing to presence of RWing extremist demoin the centre - the girl from Sheffield who was a key organizer last year summed up very well. Then a slightly smaller peloton (although still well over 100) rode down Whiteladies but not Park Street - round to the swing bridge at the mouth of the harbour and then along Cumberlan Rd and Commercial Rd to Temple Meads and Klub Loco for the meal and reception.

 

All in all a good day. Massive support from motorists, but we didn't see many pedestrians and the breaks weren't really community based so it was a bit of a 'bubble'. Not a lot of chanting or singing as no audience.

 

After the meal (not very good) in the strange klub we left in order to get up the railway path before it got dark. I could barely keep up with Sarah and Jane on the last bit of tje climb. Dead tired had a quick shower and fell into bed and sleep "comme une masse"