Golden Brown Shropshire Lanes

An end to British Summer Time today, and an extra hour in bed before watching the Rugby World Cup second semi final where South Africa just about beat Wales for their place in the final. So pleased England beat the All Blacks yesterday, quite convincingly too, superb match so roll on next Saturday - can't wait !

I couldn't resist a ride into Shropshire, a late morning start out to Bridgnorth then along the Wenlock Edge road to Church Stretton via that golden tree lined Sanders Road for a small breakfast sitting in the sunshine outside my favourite cafe at the foot of Long Mynd. 

 

Quite a bit of loose stuff on the top of the Mynd caused by last weeks rain, so plenty of water run off on the way down. I pulled on to the grass to let a car pass and almost dropped my bike as the front wheel slid in the sodden grass. Wonderful clear sunny view up here, with golden brown colours everywhere with dying bracken lining the road. I'm always a bit cautious passing farm entrances especially this time of year with plenty of tractor activity, mud and now and again the odd dog leaps out as you approach to chase you down forcing an involuntary pull on the brake and possible slip on the gravel. Not so today, but better safe than sorry. 

On the other side of the Mynd near Bishops Castle the roads were part covered in several inches of water with the rest of the road caked in mud, but with a bit of care not too much of a problem as I spotted a narrow mucky lane down to a 12th Century church. I turned around and decided to investigate. Quite a view as I parked up outside the church. I was now at Myndtown, where I later discovered quite a bit of historical information on their website about the church itself, its preservation and the village being so old it had been recorded in the domesday book.

 

While admiring my mud spattered bike I noticed in the distance a few parasailers high above. They looked like they were having a bit of fun, and imagine the views are spectacular from up there. By now, with time pressing on and losing light much earlier now, I decided to press on to Craven Arms. The roads were really bad toward the town, and on one left hand bend the whole bike went out of shape as it started to slide. Not sure if it was mud, gravel or just my worn tyres but quite an adrenaline surge as I felt the ABS and traction control kick in a little. With my warning well heeded, I returned home via a careful run back down to Bridgnorth in time to get the pressure washer out while I still had the light to give my bike and boots a good rinse. 👍

Late 'Autumnal' rides ..

A busy time since the tour around the Lakes and Dales, I haven't ridden my bike that much this summer. Myself and Helen chose to tour the West Coast of the USA California along the Pacific Coast Highway, out to the Grand Canyon, Yosemite National Park and Las Vegas over a wonderful three week car journey instead (see the blog here). On our return, low on funds with a low appetite for any form of long distant travelling meant I was forced to stick to enjoyable local weekend rides instead to include Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire, the Welsh Marches and just across the border into Powys.

Somewhere out near Machynlleth

Those Bridgestone Battleax A41 tyres I had fitted earlier this year are now just about shot with my 2018 GS having now covered over 8.5 K Miles in 12 months. Also, my Bluetooth helmet Intercom System (Schuberth SC1.2) stopped working too having been subject to a downpour while riding over to the BMW dealer to get my loose left grip combined control unit tightened so I have been quite happy to give the two wheeled adventure a rest for a while. 

Thankfully, the issues were all fixed under warranty to include a replacement comm's unit supplied by Moto Central, but alas no chance to ride for weeks on end due to several weekends of rain. Instead, along with Hayley and William I headed for the Tamworth Snowdome for ski lessons in the hope I can resurrect 40 year old skills and the two of them can have some fun too. All good so far no broken legs, and we all completed level 3 ski so maybe I now have an alternative adrenaline fix option for up-coming Winter months. 

Avro Anson one of three left

So, here we are now in October just a few weeks away from mothballing the bike with a break in the rain I met up with Mark yesterday at Clows Top for a sunny ride out to Shobdon Aerodrome. A bite to eat and catch up while watching the flying activities that include this visiting D-Day liveried plane neither of us recognised at first but Mark later identified as an Avro Anson. Originally built for transportation and later used to train Lancaster Bomber Pilots in WWII its seems.

After light sustenance, it was a make it up as we go affair, riding out to Kington, then Knighton on some great twisties back to Ludlow and the puddled back-road to Bridgnorth and Kinlet down through Button Oak and Bewdley. Good fun, with me getting in a bit of a mess going around corners feeling a bit rusty and those A41's getting a bit twitchy in the wet sections now. All good though but sadly one of the last rides of the year. Where did that summer go ?