Our first Monday team ride for a few weeks, thanks to Christmas, injuries and weather!
Speaking of weather, still cold overnight, so we delayed our start time until 10.15 meeting at California X Roads. Dave confessed later, that he got there for 9.15 and wondered why no-one else has turned up.😂 He re read his message and came back for 10.15. Linda discovered this morning that she had a flat tyre, so came on her old bike today. It's going well so far!
Since I am riding with Breeze to HW on Wednesday via Eversley and Plough Lane, I wanted to avoid that today, which is the normal way I would head to or return from SOL. Instead, we initially headed through California Park to Arborfield Green, and then to Swallowfield.
As we neared the top end of Charlton Lane, Daphne's chain came off. So the first photo of the day.
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| John helping Daphne get her chain back on in Charlton Lane. |
Other than a few bits of ice at the roadside, or icy puddles, we had not had any problems so far, but that all changed as we approached the " Green Bridge" on Kingsbridge Hill. It got worse once across the bridge and I opted to walk it. A large walking group headed towards us, all with poles, picking their way through. The others seems to manage, but I opted to be sensible!
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| Lots of ice on Kingsbridge Hill |
At the top of Lambs Lane, a nice whizz down over the A33, and right into Cross Lane, continuing all the way to Goodboys Lane, and into Wokefield Park. Had trouble with my camera focus today, so not great photos!
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| Loads of geese in Wokefield Park |
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| Emerging from Wokefield Park. I could NOT get my lens to focus on these Catkins. |
Left now all the way to Stratfield Mortimer (ignoring Barking Dog Hill 😉). Daphne and I almost collided as we did the right turn to climb up passing the church, (oops!) and soon into Pitfield Lane. I've not cycled the length of this lane for a long time, but have dropped into it from Drury Lane and Turks Lane. Near Drury Lane, a serious patch of ice and deep puddle across the road, so we all dismounted to walk around this one.
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| Icy Pitfield Lane. |
Short of Silchester, we turned left into Park Lane, and right at the top, continuing to the Fair Oak junction, and straight over on Mill Lane all the way to SOL. A few more icy patches on this lane too.
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| Iced Bun. Not had one of those for years! (Or is it a Chelsea Bun.... big debate.) |
John had the most enormous piece of Chocolate /Pistacho cake.
