Monday ride today minus Daphne who is babysitting (kids on inset day). Dave and Linda have both not been out much for weeks, due to holidays. So a gentle route today, planned by John. We picked them both up and drove to Riseley, to whizz down Welsh Drive.
Route link screenshot at end.
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| Less than a mile from the start, Dave has a puncture.😖 |
John fixed it for him, and we shared blowing up the tyre. But a bit of concern initially as Dave had a tube much to wide for his tyre, (38-48?) and since we were on our road bikes today, had skinny inner tubes as spares, and Linda is tubeless. Anyway, it seemed to work.
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| Vyne Road as we approach Sherbourne St John. I liked the trees on the bend, as Linda carried on. |
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| We cut through the lane to the church (as we did last Monday), |
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| Crop fields looking nice today. Beyond the hedgeline is the road I more often ride to Ibworth on Ewehurst Road, which we will come down later. |
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| The boys catching me up on the bend on Rookery Farm Lane. |
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| The view before we cross the A339 |
Once over the A339, all very flat again on the unnamed lane which joins Ibworth Road, arriving at the Junction near the church in Wooton St Lawrence. I am convinced I have never turned right here before.... despite what John says! I know it's a long downhill from the top at Ibworth, since I've done that many times, but the climb up was very gradual. Easy on my road bike today anyway.
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| Wheat fields as we climb away from Wooten St Lawrence. |
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| A few yards further along. |
So the climb to the top was easy, and we soon enjoyed a long downhill, to dogleg back over the busy A339.
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| Dogleg at A339, to now head towards Ramsdell, and Charter Alley |
Our plan was to stop for coffee at Charter Alley stores, but Linda requested Rose's Coffee Shop instead, just a couple of miles further on, so that we could enjoy the field view, rather than parked cars at Charter Alley Stores. A lovely downhill run on a good surface until we nipped onto the footpath to reach the coffee stop.
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| Rose's Coffee Shop at Pamber End. |
Not far now to get back, as we climbed through Little London to reach Ash Lane. We crossed a dry Clappers Farm Ford, up Park Lane, then to Green Lane back to Welsh Drive. Linda opted to climb Barge Lane/Bull Lane so we all followed.
Well done to Dave and Linda who have hardly been out for ages, and to John for planning a suitable loop, with new bits for me (or in the opposite direction from normal at least. 😄) A pleasant temperature today and not too windy either. The weather breaking tomorrow, so hoping for much needed rain.
