This morning, Saturday 25th May, the Gloucester HOC was in top form as six of us gathered for breakfast at Friar Tucks. We even had the pleasure of meeting Dave, a new face from our Facebook group, who had emerged from the virtual realm to join us in person. Sadly, Dave was on call this weekend and couldn’t join our ride, but it was lovely to meet him in person.
After breakfast, Dave waved us off, and four of us on three bikes headed north to Malvern to meet up with the Bristol branch. The first bit of comedy gold struck upon our arrival at Sally’s Place. Chris and Jo, still a bit traumatised from last week’s gravel incident, approached the gravel entrance with the caution of tightrope walkers. Chris made sure Jo was safely off the bike before he even thought about tackling the gravel. It was like watching a slow-motion safety drill.
Inside Sally’s Place, the laughs kept coming. Stu, in a moment of sheer brilliance, managed to let a sausage slip from his sausage butty onto the floor. Instantly, a nearby lady’s dogs locked onto it like furry missiles. I turned to Stu and said, “Mate, those dogs are after your sausage!” Stu, maintaining his composure, retrieved the sausage and requested I offer it to the eager dogs. With the owner’s consent, I extended the offering, nearly losing a hand in the process. The enthusiasm of the dog was, to say the least, voracious.
After a good natter and feeling a bit claustrophobic – Sally’s Place is charming but absolutely tiny and packed to the rafters – we decided to move on to the Woodshed, a destination with much more room to breathe. Our newly expanded mega-club, including the Bristol branch, rode over in a fantastic convoy.
At the Woodshed, we faced the logistical challenge of moving two tables together to fit everyone around. This was no small feat and looked like an elaborate game of Tetris, but we managed it. Once settled, we sat down for another brew and some ice cream. Thankfully, no desperate dogs this time – just us enjoying a sunny day and some well-deserved treats.
With more chat and laughter, we eventually headed our separate ways. Meeting up with the Bristol branch was an absolute hoot, and we definitely need to do it again soon. Dave, we missed you on the ride – hopefully, you can join us next time!
All the best, and here’s to more sausage-dropping, dog-dodging, fun-filled rides!
