Gorilla Coffee CC

Sean Lacey swings through town with this cafe-based club

- Sean Lacey

It feels a bit odd riding through busy streets and heavy traffic into an ever more urban environment, but it certainly makes a change from the usual spins to the start point of a club ride. There is no mistaking that we are in the right place either as the distinctive jerseys of the Gorilla Coffee CC riders spill out onto the road outside the Midlands cafe they are based at, a huge turnout on a hot sunny morning. The advantage of being formed by the cafe’s owner, James Connolly, is that even at this early hour on a Sunday they are open and ready to serve shots of caffeine and a bit of breakfast.

Connolly is a larger-than-life character and despite the bleary eyes of the assembled riders — there were a few late nights involved apparently — the mood is jovial and the banter in full flow. It takes a little time to get the groups organised due to the numbers here but a plan is formed, with two main groups heading out; a faster bunch of racing snakes and our medium-paced group.

The route out of Kings Heath, which sits just south of Birmingham city centre is easy enough — surprising given that even this early in the morning the traffic is busy. But the concrete soon gives way to greenery as we head south and skirt the village of Hollywood — somewhat smaller and less glamerous than its American cousin. The pace is pretty quick until we reach the first crossing of Earlswood Reservoir. One of the guys tells us how just a couple of months ago the torrential rain had caused it to flood violently causing a lot of damage, but here today in the heat the level was at an almost record low. British weather, never a dull moment.