Dorset Miles, Bear Cross Sunday Ride!

The start of yet another winters training in Dorset saw 17 riders at Bear Cross. Some old faces and some new faces on this well established group ride. Out to gravel hill, Merley and on to Corfe Mullen, the rain was starting to fall, annoying more than wet. A puncture at Bloxworth was quickly mended before crossing the A35 to Lane End. The lanes through Turners Puddle, Throop, Briantspudddle and Affpuddle were new to most and good fun. The roads were wet now but it was diesel on a corner that brought 3 of us down, typically there was little sympathy and no real damage.Tolpuddle, Athlehampton and Puddletown came and went, the old main road made redundant by the dual carriageway was a joy to ride. Turning south to Tincleton and Moreton Station we made it across the railway tracks at Redbridge, crossing the A352 and the road was starting to rise at Five Marys. Chaldon Herring, Winfrith Newburgh and up to Daggers Gate at Durdle Door. The swift descent to West Lulworth is tempered by the left hander at the church. They were already waiting outside the Castle Inn but there would be no ale for us as we screamed down to East Lulworth. Selections were made on Whiteways hill but the truce at the top allowed regrouping for the drop down to Steeple. A tailwind through Church Knowle to Corfe Castle saw the pace increase and the conversations stop. Fast across Middlebeare Heath and on to Wareham, the traffic increased, the hand gestures and the gunning of throttles suggested people were on important business this Sunday morning. For a change an urban finish to the ride and local knowledge was needed to navigate through Upton, Stanley Green, Oakdale and Rossmore. The group was small now as thoughts turned to cups of tea and roast potatoes, a final sprint for traffic lights on Castle Lane was a solo affair. 4Hrs 22m