Group ride with Alec Gore.

12 riders, including 4 last-minute weather watchers joined Alec's Saturday Cafe Run to Codford
Tearooms. What a pleasant morning for a ride! The sun came out, and the roads dried out.
Well, mostly. More on that later. Alec made a couple of minor amendments to the route after
looking at the flooding alerts in GOV.UK and from previous experience. Few riders enjoy riding
in full carriageway width mud and the accompanying squeaky bum moments!

The 70-mile route took us out through Crawley to Stockbridge then across through Middle Wallop
to Grateley and onto the A303 to the A345 near Bulford, avoiding the village which had a flood alert.
Then it was down The Packway through Shrewton to Chitterne and the twisty back road to Codford.
The Tea Rooms are part of what was once the village hotel/pub (the other half is now a hairdressers). Very quaint. Friendly staff arranged the tables so we could sit together in one room. There was a hot drink and cake deal for £4.95, which was popular
with some, and bacon butties for others. Conversation flowed and we took our time. As we left, we formed up for a group photo, taken by one of the staff.

We used the A36 down to Stotford, avoiding the likely flooded and muddy section of the road from Boyton to Great Wishford through the Langfords that is normally part of this route. A twisty lane from Stotford, crossing the A360 to Middle Woodford and to Old Sarum and then to the A30 east of Salisbury is a favourite shortcut that avoids the city centre. The only issue was that this included the hamlet of Ford. The clue is in the name. It was flooded to near enough axle depth, or in Jo's case on the Grom, wheel height! Well done for everyone getting through safely, especially Jo. We did stop just to allow the ride to re-group afterwards. In contrast, the last part of the ride on the A30 via Lopcombe Corner to Stockbridge was appropriately paced. The cobwebs had been cleared and riders who seemed rusty in the first half had woken up.

Everyone enjoyed the ride!

Thanks to John Stockings for doing a great job as back marker.