Having ridden 35 miles and over 2000 feet on yesterday's Breeze ride, I offered a much shorter, easy ride to Wargrave today. ( Sue is away this week and we try to offer a Thursday ride if we can.)
I contacted the riders yesterday suggesting a slightly later 10am start, since the forecast was sub zero overnight, but warming to a balmy 2 degrees with sun by 10am. I fully expected (and secretly hoped) that they would all cancel. 😂 But only one did, and her place was taken within few minutes, so a full group of determined riders today.
Good news this morning that although there was frost on the ground, our pond had no ice on it, which is always a good indication of damp road conditions. But flooding was also a worry, so I checked the latest info only to find that the area around Waltham st Lawrence was pretty bad. Oh dear, that's the way we are going.
Route link (screen shot at end)
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| Flooding map. Orange means flooded area. |
We all met at Woosehill, with Jodie, Angela and Nicki W driving to the start. The first time I have ridden with Nicki, and I think she said only her 5th Breeze ride. Angela has been busy for months doing other things, and Jodi just recently back on her bike after a long break. Jeanette joined us too, and Jo who peddled down from Forest Road to meet us, having got her place at the last minute. Well done ladies for wrapping up in lots of layers and coming out!
We started off heading towards Cantley via Emmbrook, and with the sun trying to break through the mist, it looked very atmospheric. Jodie who had driven from Sunningdale, had seen no fog until she got to Wokingham.
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| Frosty grass as I peddled to the start. |
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| Sun trying its best as we joined the cyclepaths towards Cantley. |
Jeanette took the lead as we climbed over the motorways to join the Hurst Lanes.
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| We pulled over on Broadcommon Lane to allow a car to pass and everyone reached for their tissues. |
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| Thick fog where we stopped on Broadcommon Lane. |
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| A little bit of light breaking through approaching Shurlock Row. Very atmospheric. I said I would catch them up at the pond. |
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| I often turn left into Darvil's Lane and Brook Lane to WSL (passing the school), but with the floods around, that would have been a disaster today. |
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| Also on The Straight Mile. |
From Shurlock Row, we headed to Waltham st Lawrence, riding along Beenhams Heath Road, to soon arrive at the 5way xroads. With a few cars behind us, a quick stop in the sunshine at the church.
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| WSL pub lighting up now in the sun. |
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| It was pleasantly warm in this little spot even though my Garmin temperature was still below zero. |
Over Milley Bridge now to head for the A4 at Hare Hatch. As we approached the railbridge, I realised that my gears wouldn't change down. I have electronic gears and I even brought the battery indoors over night rather than leave it on my bike in the garage in case the cold affected it. It had worked fine for the first 10 miles, and now suddenly I was stuck in one gear. It was intermittent all the way into Wargrave. Just shows how cold it was.
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| It was quite busy in the main part of h'Artisan, so we sat with our bikes in the other part. |
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| 5 and a half cyclists. 😂 Me, Angela, Christmas Tree, Jeanette, Jo, Nicki and Jodie. |
We set off to climb School Lane, and now my gears weren't working again. I had a spare battery with me, so quickly changed it over and it was fine all the way home. Phew. The climb back up to cross the A4 once more, and continuing to gently climb to Ruscombe Church, kept us all nice and warm. It was blue skies all the way now.
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| Dunt Lane. Our only flood today and not very deep. Jodie offered to test it out first. 😇 |
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| Jeanette on her way through. |
Jo left us here to head home , riding away from the flood, whilst the rest of us return over the motorway on Davis Street, and back to Woosehill using the Reading Road cyclepaths.
Everyone said how much they enjoyed the morning, so thank you everyone for NOT cancelling since that would have been such a shame. My Garmin reports that our average temperature was just below zero but it really didn't feel like it. With the right clothing and crucially socks and gloves to keep you warm, I hope we gets lots more rides in over winter. btw I wore my Sealskinz gloves and Sealskinz waterproof socks today, and at no point had colds hands or feet. I see they have a sale on atm.... just mention it incase anyone is interested.
