Monday ride today with Daphne and Linda B. Linda R was due to join us but unfortunately unwell, with sore back / legs. It was only 8 degrees this morning, and at no point did I feel overdressed with 3 thin layers on. Fingers were a bit cold too in fingerless gloves. Guess the warm weather cant last forever.
(John not riding today since unwell with cough and sore throat. 2 Covid tests done, and both negative, so fingers crossed.)
Linda had not ridden for a couple of weeks, (more holidays!), so felt that Wargrave was probably far enough. Daphne and I were just back from our 4 day cycling tour of Suffolk. My legs felt a bit tight yesterday, but fully recovered this morning. I checked my tyre pressures this morning (having had a puncture a couple of days ago when I was without the footpump,) and found that for the last two days of my Suffolk tour, I had been riding with 25psi in my front tyre... no wonder I felt tired! Today with 75psi, the bike was flying.😛
We wiggled around the back of Morrisons, and across Toutley Road to cycle up the new cycle path to the Binfield Road.
We cut through Monks Alley, which was still a good dry surface, and spotted this strange arrangement.
 |
| Monks Alley. Holding up the hedge😂 |
We whizzed down past the Jack o Newbury, then right to pick up Ryehurst Lane, then left at the end into Bottle Lane. A zig zag around Westley Mill, and then joined the rest of Howe Lane. Not much traffic on there today, thankfully. At the junction at Paley Street, a left turn, over the motorway, then a right to whizz down passing White Waltham Church.
 |
| Fields all ploughed and ready for planting at Knowl Hill Bridal circuit. |
 |
| Saltire Cross in the sky over White Waltham Airport |
Turning right to join the second Bottle Lane of the day, we crossed the A4, and all the way up to Velolife. We were possibly going to go over to Hambleden, but Daphne requested a coffee stop, so didn't take much convincing for us all to have a stop here.
 |
| Just our 3 bike at Velolife as we arrived. A few more came later |
We decided that this loop was probably far enough for Linda today (she did 37.6, and Daphne 40 round trip), so we continued to Holly Cross, then rode on Highfield Road, passing the barn conversions. Then Blakes Road and Tag Lane to cross back over the A4 at Hare Hatch.
 |
| Nut Lane, Waltham St Lawrence |
 |
| Virginia Creeper turning deep red a this cottage on Little Hill Road, Hurst |
 |
| Woosehill footpath just near my home. |
Well done ladies. So nice to be out in the October sunshine. Long may it continue. Can't believe you were at times a little lost on this route which I could do blindfold! 😎