A long skinny ride today to the Blue Tin to keep it under 40 miles. Andrea, Jeanette, Martina and me today. A lovely sunny day, and some welcome shade in the leafy Chiltern Lanes.
My Orro is at Flat Harry's to fix a squealing front brake, which was sticking on my Wednesday ride. (Mountain Trax too busy atm.) I took it to Cookham yesterday, hoping it was a quick 10 mins replacement brake pad job.... but it has turned into a bigger job 😒. Picking it up tomorrow. So I was on my ebike today, with a brand new tyre which John thought it needed. Jeanette's gravel bike also not well, so she was on her old bike again today. We keep wearing them out!
Andrea led much of the first part of the ride today (no route), and her choice was through Dinton Pastures to climb up the hill at the end to the museum. Paths all nice and dry. We then wiggled through Woodley to Sonning, and up Dunsden Hill.
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| Thistles in a garden where we regrouped in Dunsden. |
Just passed the Brewery, Jeanette's chain came off, so we pulled over at the corner.
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| Pulling over for Jeanette to get her chain back on. My ebike. |
Crossing at Bird in Hand Lane, our gradual climb to Sonning Common, then left to Kidmore End.
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| Postlady Patrica, at Kidmore End. |
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| The house with the pond, almost hidden by the Willow Trees. |
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| I snuck through to see the display of Hydrangea Annabelle. Many more to the left, but I would have fallen in the pond to photograph them.😂 |
Through Gallowstree Common and a dogleg over to Wyfold Road. John had told me about poppies here, but they were not very dense at all.
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| Just into Wyfold Road on our right. |
We continued to the Wyfold X Roads, and I noticed another poppy field on our left, behind a hedge, so I stopped to sneak in for a photo, telling the others to turn LEFT AT the X Roads.
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| Near Wyfold X Roads |
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| Wishing I had my Fuji camera with me. |
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| I turned left at the X Roads, but no sign of the others. I thought they would probably wait, so then was worried that they HADN'T turned left! |
We more often carry on straight to take left at the next junction, so I called Jeanette just to make sure they had heard me should "turn left". They had, so I caught them up. Jeanette said she had never noticed a right turn option at those XRoads and wondered where it went? So we would come back that way to show her! 😇
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| Nr Hook End Lane junction. I asked the lady who lived here if she knew if the Quiet Lane to Exlade Street was clear to ride through? (it is very often flooded with farmers slurry) |
We took the Quiet Lane option, avoiding Deer Lane to Checkendon for a change, since its quite challenging. It was fine, although the road surface is shocking in places. Into Exlade Street, passing the Highwayman, at uphill to the junction. (A bit of geography here, so they knew where they were).
We had not gone far, when I just knew my back tyre didn't feel right (my brand new one!!) Puncture. Completely flat . Agghh..
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| First bit was easy, and the tyre came off no trouble. |
A group of 4 cyclist passed the end of the road just behind us. "Are you ok?" Of course we were.... at this stage. A large piece of flint was the culprit, and easily removed. But even with the handy tool, I really struggled to get the new tyre back on (have practiced with the old tyre before and it was easy.) A few ladies took a turn, and I was at the point where I was thinking about how I was going to get home. (John was out on a ride). Another try with the tool., and final push of the last few inches from Andrea and she managed to get it done. Phew. (Her "stronger" class a blessing today).
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| Jeanette had a really useful little foot pump, which pumped in enough air for my tyre to POP 3 times, so a good pressure. Martina rolling up the old tube. A great team effort. Thanks ladies. |
That all took longer than it should have. So annoying. We were all ready for our drinks and might even be time for sausage rolls by now. 😂
Left passing Checkendon Equestrian Centre, with a little foal in the field, and then almost at the Blue Tin, I spotted the Polo Ponies coming towards us. Quite narrow here, so we just stopped.
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| Polo ponies ahead. |
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| Did Jeanette mention she loved this view? 😉😎 |
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| Quite busy today with families as well as groups of friends. |
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| Andrea and I shared a sausage roll, so that we could also share some apple cake. |
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| Beer barrel and Buddlia. A winning combination. |
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| Teasels,and Fennel |
A little climb back up to the main road, then all downhill to Stoke Row, where we turned right in Busgrove Lane, passing the piggies.
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| I couldnt get a clear shot from the road, so for the next shot, climbed onto the bank. |
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| I climbed on the bank to get my photos, and the old lady who lives here came out to tell me off, as we rode away. She's a bit eccentric. |
Our next turn was at the Wyfold Road/Wyfold Lane X roads, where we had gone the opposite direction this morning. A couple of undulations and about a mile or so, and we arrived at the junction at the Unicorn Pub.
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| Ahhhh, we are here, they all said. |
Right turn and all downhill to Sonning Common, and right again at The Pet Barn. I suggested we just return the way we came, rather than do the down , the UP to Binfield Heath. They all seemed happy with that. Wonder why? Back to Sonning, and then the loop to Charvil back to Sandford Lane.
