Crazies Hill loop - 36 miles

on

Linda has been building up her miles again following wrist surgery,  She is happy now to ride 25ish miles, and although very fit from her daily "power walks", she needs to be careful still not to put too much pressure on her hands. For this reason, she is avoiding any major hills,  since you tend to lean forward more. I suggested she get dropped off at Crazies Hill and we could cycle home from there, the theory being that it's mostly downhill, with just a few inclines over railways etc. 

(I was due to cycle with Lucy tomorrow so my plan had also been to drive to CH, and collect the car later.  This would avoid me doing too many miles today, but since tomorrow's weather now looks like cycling is off, I decided at the last minute to just cycle there.)

I cycled the first part on my own, and had allowed an hour, thinking it was about 10 miles away. My first stop was for a photo of the beautiful weather and EMPTY Broadcommon Lane, Hurst. 

Busy!!

Just after I got going again, I noticed 2 cyclists coming in the distance. This turned out to be Cathy riding with Nichola, so we stopped for a 5 minute chat.  Then I turned into Hungerford Lane, and West End Lane,  and was looking to turn left into Brook Lane, passing WSL School. A lane called Mires Lane was on my left and I just knew this wasn't right, but went down it anyway. It turns into a track, so backtracked and continued to Sillbridge Road, realised where I had gone wrong... not wrong, just not right! (I should have continued on Hungerford Lane, not turned off into West End Lane) They all end up in the same place eventually. Must try Mires Lane in the summer on the track. This set me back a few minutes, so was feeling slightly under pressure when I realised at 9.5 miles, that I was quite a bit more than 0.5 miles to go to CHill. Anyway it was actually 13.23 miles, and I had managed an average speed of 13.1mph, so other than my stopping time, was there in 1.00.46. (not bad guestimate for an hour)😁

Linda and I set off downhill towards Warren Row to cross the A4, and into Bottle Lane. We did a bit of a loop around White Waltham, using the Knowl Hill circuit. At this point, we swapped bikes, so that Linda could test mine, hoping that it might improve her riding position, but also it is a much more comfortable ride due the future shock suspension in the handle bars. She rode it for a few miles, and seemed to like it.  We continued our route on the road between White Waltham and WS Lawrence, and spotted... or rather heard... this field full of lambs at Shottesbrooke Estate. They were all VERY vocal.

 

New layered hedge as turned into Halls lane at WSL.

Now through WSL (for the second time for me), and at the A4, we rode on the main road before
dropping down into Wargrave. We got a cuppa at the Crossroads shop and walked the bikes to the church. 


Cuppa tea stop at Wargrave Church in the sunshine


Green at Wargrave Church. Trees still in their winter state

We're off again, heading into Twyford next

At Twyford Xroads, a left turn and right at Ruscombe Church, passing the Vineyard to Hurst and back through lanes to Dinton, then Woosehill.

I road with Linda to Magnolia Way, as Carol and Barbara also arrived
at the junction!

So off the 3 of them went down Blagrove, whilst I headed for home. What a beautiful day and felt overdressed well before the end, when it was 12 degrees. 

Well done Linda. NO fear of you being left behind!