Petes easy rider, for those who just want to chill.

Thursday nights are great for a sedate pace into out local countryside.

Pete’s Easyrider is exactly what it says on the tin.

The pace is set to ensure everybody is included.

This week’s route took us from HQ in Pelsall up through high Heath and across the duck ponds.

We split a little as we climbed over the canal bridge, but waited at the bottom of Leighswood Avenue to prepare for the climb up to Lazy Hill.

Next came the descent down Hobs Hole Lane. Watch out for the pot holes and gravel, and prepare to close your mouth unless you want a protein snack. There are a fair few flies chilling out under the tree cover.

At the bottom of the hill we crossed Chester Road and took the lanes down to Little Aston, passing Aston Wood Gold Club, bearing left at Little Aston Lane to avoid the climb back towards Streetly Village.

Left at the lights takes us past Blake Steet Station. Approaching the roundabout we go straight on, but unusually it means taking the right hand lane on approach, so get across early.

From here it’s back onto quiet lanes, where we pull over at the Holly Bush in Little Hay for a water break. On a warm summer evening like tonight it would have been very tempting to pop in for a pint, but we were only half way through the route.

We proceeded towards Shenstone via Park Lane. This takes us along a very open route with wide grass verges that give it the look of the approach to a stately home. At the end we reach Birmingham Road normally we would cross and climb up through Shenstone, but we turned left until we got to a big stone gateway that looks like the entrance to a very swanky home. There’s plenty of gravel along here but it’s pretty flat, and brings us out in the heart of Shenstone Village.

A left from here takes us to Footherley Road where we turn left for a short climb before turning left towards Stonnal. Watch out for the pot holes on the inside of the curve. A little down the road we take the left fork in the road for the climb towards Oak Tree Farm. This is where we stopped off for a picture, but really it was for a little rest before the climb.

After our ascent we get treated to a few hundred yards downhill before we cross Chester Road and head up Birch Lane back to Lazy Hill. This is a slow sustained climb, but by far the easiest of the lanes along that side.

At Lazy Hill we turned right on to Walsall Wood Road to head down to Salters Road. At this point we are back on the busier roads, but stick together and look out for each other.

Going across the lights at Street’s Corner we turn left at Oak Park leisure centre and then turn onto Black Cock bridge. This is a steep humpback bridge, but it’s a very short climb, and we are rewarded with a descent afterwards. If you embrace the speed it gives good momentum to take into Green Lane.

A turn right into Mob Lane takes us back to Fordbrook Lane / Vicarage Road and back into Pelsall.

We turn right up Pelsall road and then onto Norton Road. After all sticking together in solidarity, this is where egos are allowed to takeover as we sprint the quarter mile back to the pub. Last one there buys the beers.

Here’s the Strava Route. https://www.strava.com/routes/3378502724947743422

ride report by Adrian.