Four Riders, Nine Lives and a Mid-Ride Pint
Tuesday Evening Gravel with VeloRunner
There is something special about an evening ride at this time of year. You leave with enough daylight to enjoy the trails, but you know the light will not last forever. It adds a little urgency to the ride—and makes a warm pub, cold beer and a plate of nachos feel even more deserved.
Three of us rolled away from Norton Bridge roundabout for this week's VeloRunner Tuesday Evening Social Gravel Ride: me on the Orbea Terra, Jules, and an old friend making his first appearance on one of our Tuesday rides—the cat with nine lives himself, Dave Johnson.
We had not been riding for long before three became four, with Sergio Shuff joining us out on the trail. That is one of the things I enjoy most about these social rides. They are informal, welcoming and never too worried about doing things conventionally. Meet us at the start, catch us along the way, or simply turn up and see where the evening takes us.
The weather played its part. After plenty of less-than-perfect riding conditions this year, it was good to head out on a dry, pleasant evening and simply enjoy being on the bikes. The trails were running well, the conversation flowed and the Orbea Terra felt completely at home linking together the lanes, tracks and rougher stretches around Norton Bridge.
Our GPX recorded a shade over 23 miles and around 450 metres of climbing. It was enough to give the legs something to think about, without losing the relaxed character of a proper social ride. There was no chasing times and no pressure to prove anything—just four riders making the most of a decent evening.
Of course, every good gravel route needs a suitably placed refreshment stop.
For us, that was The Little George, on Nacho Tuesday where the bikes were parked and the important business of Erdinger, nachos and a bit more conversation began. A pub stop changes the rhythm of a ride in the best possible way. Helmets come off, stories get bigger and nobody seems quite as concerned about how many miles are still left to ride.
By the time we dragged ourselves away, darkness had properly arrived. The Cateye and Exposure lights were fired up, turning the ride home into a stream of bright beams cutting through the lanes. From there, the group began to peel away for the journeys back towards Stone and Stafford—a fitting finish to an evening that had started in the last of the daylight and ended under lights.
By the time the recorded loop returned to Norton Bridge, we had covered just over 23 miles across roughly three hours and twenty minutes, pub stop included. For some of us, though, there were still a few more miles to ride before the night was done.
Four riders. Twenty-three miles. A newcomer with nine lives. Nachos, Erdinger and another good night on the gravel bikes.
That will do nicely.
The VeloRunner Tuesday Evening Social Gravel Ride is exactly what the name suggests: a friendly ride, a steady social pace and a chance to get off the road and enjoy the local trails with good company. Keep an eye on our social pages for details of the next one.
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