A Thursday Breeze ride today, since Sue is away on holiday, and Jill is leading tomorrow. I'll offer them when I can over the next few weeks, as well as my longer Wednesday rides.
A bit of frost on the car windscreens this morning, but sunshine from the word go meant that it defrosted by the time we started our ride from Woosehill.
Denise had peddled down from Binfield. I don't see her very often, since she's not free for my Wednesday rides, so it's always nice to catch up. Sandra joined me too today, after missing out for several weeks due to her busy life, and Yvonne told me she had not ridden since October. This route was planned with all that in mind, but we still had to get over Carters Hill, which always helps to warm you up on a chilly morning.
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| Beautiful sunshine at the top of Carters Hill Sandra, Yvonne and Denise. |
The sunshine was a bit too bright at times today, at it's low winter level. Infact I only saw half the ride! 😎😂
From Carters Hill, we joined Howe Lane, and Bottle Lane, then with everyones agreement, a little "there and back" diversion to check the state of Ryehurst Lane. There was infact flooding at the Bottle Lane end (but only shallow), but the bridge area was fine.
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| Ryehurst Lane bridge. All clear |
We were not far to coffee, and reached Moss End just short of 10 miles. Lots of chat about theatre trips and holidays, and it turns out I am only one of the 4 who has not been to Costa Rica! 😄
Out the back of Moss End now, to Bowyer's Lane, where I waved them all past as I got my camera out. I loved the shadows from the fence.
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| Interesting Shadows on Bowyer's Lane. |
As we rounded the bend in to Weller's Lane, we all slowed right down. It's filthy, and water running down like a river this morning. ( Weller means Well or Spring, so that would make sense!)
Our route would turn right at the junction, but first a short detour to the left to check if the church here has any snowdrops? Nor really, just a few at individual graves.
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| Warfield Church. Beautiful light this morning. |
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| Warfield Church frontage |
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| Team selfie. Great shadows. |
Next via Watersplash Lane, we crossed Cabbage Hill on the cycleways, and then headed into Binfield, where we turned right at the Stag and Hounds. Poor Yvonne was missing her small chain today, so had to work hard on the 9% gradient of Tilehust Lane. Well done Yvonne.
Denise lives in Binfield, and could of course have left us here, especially as she had peddled down to the start, but she chose to continue. Since Monks Alley is a no go atm, we road the short distance on Forrest Road as we left Binfield, where the surface is APPALLING! We bumped our way towards Binfield Road, and enjoyed the tranquility and good surface of this pretty road.
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| We had clear blue sky all morning so far but just a few clouds now rolling in as we rode on Binfield Road. |
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| I liked this little cloud so much, I stopped for another photo lining it up with the telegraph pole. |
My route today also went south of Wokingham to get the milage in, and we used the other section of Binfield Road to connect. (It has lots of roadwords atm, so we needed to wiggle through various barriers)
Then down William Heelas Way and Waterloo Road, to cross the Easthampstead railway junction. As we knew, its closed to traffic atm, but pedestrial access is fine, but need to keep between barriers. There must have been more than 20 workmen in orange high viz jackets, with one driving a digger!
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| Easthampstead Road. Sad that the work for the new southern IDR will cross here to emerge near Tesco on Finchampstead Road. |
We made our way back to via Ludgrove and Woosehill cyclepaths.
We ended in a very pleasant 7 degrees. Thanks for joining me ladies. So nice to be out in the sunshine.
After I got home, I went out again with my drone. I've had little chance to practice thanks to stormy weather or freezing weather since I bought it! 😊 Fun and can't wait to take it out on the occasional Breeze ride.
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| Video screen shot of drone tracking me as I rode past it. |
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| On my way back to collect it. |
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| Following me on a narrow cut through. |