The forecast this week is a mad mix, including Storm Ciaran arriving tonight. So today's ride was planned as a local loop, with the option of a later start if we needed to delay. Sue was assisting me, and Cathy was due to lead a separate ride to Fox's Den. I noticed last night that Cathy's ride had several cancellations, so invited her and Denise to join us if they wanted to... which they did.
I asked everyone to check their messages around 8.30am for a final decision on our start time. Message from Cathy about 8ish. "It's looking ok". I looked at 3 forecasts and none of them agreed with Cathy's prediction.😂 So we set off at 9.30 as planned. Still pretty mild at 13degrees, but everyone had a rain jacket on too. But first a technical issue as Amanda T had made friends with a TREE in Morrison's Car park, and her gears were stuck. Cathy to the rescue. Sorted.
( I've had a really bad back this past couple of weeks and the only relief was cycling. I had a visit to a Chiropractor called Amanda, and it turns out she recognised my name, since she has been following (stalking 😊) Breeze for about 4 years now. She just hasn't had the time to join us yet. So if you are reading this Amanda, thanks so much for your help. Slept really well last night, pain free at last. Here is her website, and am very happy to recommend her services. BACK TO MOTION
We left Woosehill via the greenway cyclepath to cross Kingfisher Bridge, then over the railway bridge into St Paul's Churchyard. I was at the back, and requested a photo stop if there were any nice trees in the churchyard, which there weren't, so the group kept going.
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| Walking through St Paul's Churchyard. Nice light on the church but no colourful trees. |
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| But then this, as we left the front of the church. Not sure anyone else noticed, since by this time, they had all crossed the road, then had to wait for me. 😉 |
We passed Holt School and into Cantley to join the cycle path. I perched the camera on a post for this group shot.
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| Todays riders. Me, Amanda O, Gill, Louise, Rose, Sue, Denise Cathy, Amanda T |
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| We climbed Carters Hill next, and regrouped at the top at Billingbear Road. ( my bike is in for repair having peddled on Monday with the brakes stuck ON. So had my ebike today. Carters Hill was easy! 😉) |
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| Time to remove at least one layer. Cathy had a lovely orange jacket on today to match the foliage. |
Since we were 9 today, we travelled mostly in 2 groups. We enjoyed the downhill first, then up hill to pass Howes Lane, continuing over the motorway bridge to Shurlock Row. A loop around Beanams Heath, and then we met up again at the Haystack on Shurlock Road.
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| I love this haystack. The light not the best today for photography. Seconds later, the rain started. It was PROPER rain. 😨 |
Basically it absolutely threw it down, all the way to Hare Hatch, and by the time we arrived at H'Artisan, we were all drenched.
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| photo by Amanda O |
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| (photo by Amanda O) Those hot drinks were very welcome. We sat in the bike shed area of the cafe. Lots of good hairstyles going on! |
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| Terrible photo. These are Roses gloves and Garmin hanging up to dry. |
Nice chat over coffees and I think 4 different types of tea, and we were discussing how waterproof our gear was today? Not very was the answer. The rain was so heavy that most of us got wet under our jackets.
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| Charvil as we emerge from the C'ountry Park. |
I did check at this point "Is everybody happy?".... which of course they were. No loss of sense of humour just yet.
Beggar's Hill road next and then down Sandford Lane, where we waved goodbye to Gill. As we reached the bottom of Sandford Lane, I spotted my hubby passing the end, and shouted "hello". I abandoned the planned route home for here, to now just go the shortest route. He waited and peddled with us for a little way. He hadn't even taken a rain jacket! (not at all sensible).
Back in Winnersh, Cathy, Sue and Denise headed north, whilst the rest of us cut through Simons Lane to Woosehill.
The temperature was now 10 degrees, so not tooooo cold, but even with waterproof socks on , my feet were squelching in my shoes.
Thanks for your company everyone, and especially to Cathy with her excellent forecast. 😂😂😂
