With just 4 of us free today, I had thought it would be nice to take us all in the van, to start a ride from Odiham. But Gill needed to be back by 2.30, so that idea was scrapped. A ride to the Blue Tin then, and despite the fact that I shared the route, most seemed surprised by the route today. 😂 No point just going the same way every time!
Route link screen shot at end.
3 of us arranged to meet at Woodward Close, Winnesh.... except that 4 of us turned up (not Gill), but Jill (with a J). She is good friend of Jeanette's, and they have done many cycling trips together. I was surprised to see her, but Jeanette had asked a couple of weeks back, if ok if she could join us one week to make a guest appearance. Of course that was fine. But I never did see a message to say she was coming today. (I even checked when I got home.), So Jill (with a J), if Jeanette shares this with you, I apologise that I was surprised to see you. It was very nice to meet you.
We picked up Gill on Sandford Lane, to ride through Sonning. A left at the Playhatch roundabout today to soon join the cyclepath up to Emmer Green. Our first steep climb today, at a point where it gets to around 14%. We even got cheered on by a dog walker today. Gets the heart racing.
Over into Kidmore End Road, and first left into Grove Road to wiggle through to Gravel Hill, dropping down steeply into Bugs Bottom, only to climb straight back out again, steeply, towards Tokers Green. I suggested that Jeanette and Jill on their ebikes go ahead of us.
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| Top of Gravel Hill, as we drop into Bugs Bottom. |
Tokers Green Road is undulating, with a couple of steeper sections. I don't remember even spotting this house before towards the top of one climb.
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| Tokers Green Road, shortly before our left turn into Mill Lane. |
I gave all the ladies a heads up as to the conditions facing us on Mill Lane, which in all the years I have ridden it, has never had any repairs done. And after the second drop down, a steep uphill to the main road junction, where we stopped to recover before crossing over.
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| Andrea appearing over the brow of the final steep section. Well done. |
We walked our bikes over the dogleg junction, which today was quite busy was fast traffic, then we could relax on very quiet lanes for several miles. (Had we continued over the second X Roads, it drops down to Maple Durham.)
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| Private drive to the Almeshouses. |
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| A t the Almeshouses. Jeanette not paying attention. Her friend Jill in White. |
At Goring Heath X Roads, we have in the past taken a left turn, to head down steeply to cross the bridge in Whitechurch, enroute to Pangbourne. But we carried straight on today heading to Greenmoor Hill, on Long Toll Road. (Its a nice one to to come down😉). And funnily enough, it was a hill! Not steep, but a long steady climb, before it got a little steeper at the top.
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| Long Toll, towards Greenmoor Hill. |
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| Would be nice to revisit in the autumn. |
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| The Nuba Survival Sculpture. The barn next to it has been falling down for years now. |
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| I've not walked all around it before today. |
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| Walking back to our bikes, these two horses appreared and were spooked by our bikes, which are not normally there. |
Not far now to coffee stop. Through Checkendon village, past the Equestrian Centre, and joined the appalling roads to the Blue Tin. Hole! Hole! Hole!
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| Views at the Blue Tin entrance. |
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| Oh! what fun!! |
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| Whilst the others got their drinks in, I went for a chat with the riders. Or one of them at least. The other rider was chatting to someone else. |
They come from Henley and had been down to Goring today and come back up the hill from South Stoke. They have a fixed wheel and NO brakes! Amazing how to manage. They have been riding for 2 years and last year did a charity ride to Paris. I mentioned to John when I got home that we had seen them, and turned out he follows them on Facebook. I took a look. They do seen a little eccentric, but great to see them enjoying life.
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| "The Gentlemen" as they call themselvees, were now heading back to Henley. |
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| Ready? After 3,2,1... |
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| That looks a nightmare!😖 |
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| And they're off. |
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| Even gave us a wave, as Andrea filmed them. |
A loop back to Checkendon now, passing The Black Horse pub, to soon enjoy a long downhill on Deer Lane, thorough Hook End. Passing Kidmore End church, we arrived back in Emmer Green. A huge downhill followed on Lowfield Road, passing the BBC Radio building, down to the main road, and back to Sonning.
Finally, though Charvil back to Sandford Lane, where Gill left us.
Gill home in plenty of time, and the rest of us clocked up just short of 40 miles today! Well done everyone. We had about 6 steep sections today, thankfully not lasting to long each time, but feeling a little weary this afternoon.
(John, in the meantime rode over 50 miles, and climbed Watlington Hill for the first time. He reports that it wasn't as bad as he was expecting.😇 SO... maybe we'll give it go!😂😂😂. Bet you cant wait.
