Time to offer a Breeze ride to the Pyrton Daffodils at the church again. I was there last week, when the daffs had only started to open up, so I hoped today would be even better.
We all met at Sonning Common. I took Sue, Jeanette and Martina with me in the van. No one else in site when we arrived, so we made our way on our bikes to the newly discovered public loo.... and all bar Linda, the others had already "been". 😂 Linda got a bit held up in traffic this morning, so by the time we set off it was exactly 10am. I had shared the route with those who I know have Garmins, so we took turns at leading today. It was lovely to have Breeze Champ Karen from Windsor join us today, and welcome Martina to her 2nd Breeze ride.
Route link (screen shot at end)
Our usual route to Checkendon, via Kidmore End, where the Willow tree at the pond was looking nice with buds breaking.
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Kidmore End.
Sue, Amy, Rose in front.
Martina, Linda, Jeanette, Amanda T, Karen. |
Via Wyfold, we climbed the cheeky hill up to Checkenden. Since we had a lot of rain yesterday, I detoured to avoid the messy lanes around the Equestrian Centre, where there is often a flood. Instead we carried on to the T Junction as we entered Stoke Row, and then in 2 groups peddled gradually uphill to Nuffield. With a couple of stops to regroup and ensure everyone ok, we continued to Cookley Green (above Swyncombe) and all the way to Christmas Common.
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| Top of Hill Road, which drops down STEEPLY to Watlington. |
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| Views to the right part way down the hill. |
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| Arriving into Watlington |
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| Table booked for 11.30. It's now 11.34. 😇 |
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Taken by Amy. New space recently opened upstairs, ideal for bigger groups.
Anne, Sue, Rose, Amanda, Martina, Jeanette, Karen and Linda
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We had a to wait several minutes to order, since another group of cyclists
arrived at the same time. But we managed to chat, and chat some more.
I forgot to photograph the savoury options, which several ladies had. |
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| My painting I did recently, with lots of Artistic Licence! |
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| Getting ready to leave. We were only there 5 mins or so. |
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| Photo by Karen. Rose had the Fashion Police after her today. 😂😂😂 |
All nice and flat for a mile or so through Pyrton and out the other side, although some messy puddles to get through. Then the cheeky climb up, before we joined the very open road towards Britwell Baldin. It was blowing a hooley! We had to work hard.
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| First sighting of lambs this year, as we left Pyrton behind. |
A few relatively flat miles until we reached Ewelme, and most ladies knew what was coming after that. First the climb just to get out of the village.
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| Looking back into Ewelme. Always enjoy this view. |
We were all really looking forward to Nuffield Hill. Our big climb of the day, and it didn't disappoint. Peaks at 11%, so you know about it. Everyone did really well. Sue was first up with her camera.
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| Brilliant. Well done ladies. |
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This was somewhere else! Forgotten where. Martina up front.
Taken by Sue. |
At the top of Nuffield Hill, a quick recovery time, then as we set off to enjoy the downhill pretty much all the way to Stoke Row, Jeanette's chain was stuck in the highest gear. Her legs were spinning at 100mph but she was barely moving. Oh dear! Initially I said I would make my way back with her, at her pace. Then she insisted, I just go with the others, and once back, I would drive back to pick her up.
We all enjoyed the long downhill run through Kingwood to Rotherfield Peppard and Sonning Common and back to the start. It was gone 3pm! Martina called Jeanette as I drove, to check how far she had got and we were amazed that she wasn't that far behind us. She had sensibly pulled over at a place I could park to load her up, so we were soon all heading home. We got a bit delayed in traffic in Charvil with roadworks, and by the time I had dropped off people, I got home at 4pm. I think that is a record for a late lunch. 😨
Thanks all for joining me and Sue today, and glad you enjoyed your "day out", and apart from a pesky wind, the weather was fine. Martina, the youngest by 20 years, was almost asleep on the way home. lol. 😅
