I offered to assist Sue today, since I've not seen her for several weeks, due to her epic holiday in Australia. After my Chiltern ride of 2,000 feet yesterday, I was grateful for a more gentle route today.
I did some of this route from here just a few days ago, and as we passed Warfield Church, I was on the lookout for the little white calf, which on Monday was hiding behind its mother, quite close to the fence. Today, it was rather too far away.
I led for a bit now, and my instinct is a left turn on Malt Hill, so a shout from behind "RIGHT TURN" at the junction, soon corrected me. 😄 I have to confess I'm not so keen on this option, since we then joined the Bracknell Road (B3022) to Brockhill, passing Oaktree Nursery. Straight over at the XRoads, and onto the much quieter Winkfield Lane. A right turn after half a mile or so into Crouch Lane where the Honesty Cafe is.
Only 1 person serving at the cafe. She took all the orders, then 3 at a time brought the drinks and cakes to the table. At least they were all hot, and I'm told the coffee was good. It was very pleasant in the sunshine, so not really a problem to wait, as we found plenty to chat about.
Our conversation over coffee included Breeze Ride Leader training course, and the fact that the leaders also need a first aid certificate. I mentioned that I don't understand the need for that, since there is always someone in the group who is much better able to cope in a medical crisis than I am. I can organise, just not deal with any blood or gore! There is usually a retired nurse, doctor, brownie leader, or someone who has done first aid.
As soon as the grey car came to a halt, air back fully inflated, the young, female drive, absolutely hysterical, shouted that her baby was in the back seat, and ran around to the back door behind the passenger seat. My group all dumped our bikes at the roadside to go to see it was ok. At the same time, the male driver of the Micra walked out of his car. I asked if he was OK? Thankfully yes. (I did say I would be useless if there had been any blood). I was initially really concerned that the car might burst into flames, or that the back door was stuck and she couldn't get the baby out.
A call from Sue at 9am, with the news that she has a puncture! She suggested I go and start the ride from Cantley, and she would hope to have her bike sorted and ready to meet us at the Oakingham Bell. As we climbed towards the Binfield Road on the cyclepaths along Diamond Jubilee Way, looking in my mirror, I was trying to make out who was wearing the 3rd orange or red jacket at the back of the group. As we halted to cross at the roundabout I realised it was Sue! lol. She had been dashing after us for a while. 💨💨💨😄
Route link (screen shot at end)
We split in two groups to continue our route crossing all the traffic lights under the A329M (my group got lucky with green lights today), and all liaised at Jocks Lane, where at last we were traffic free. Downhill now on Jocks Lane, with the climb over Cabbage Hill to follow. It was another gorgeous day, and already we were mostly complaining we were too hot.
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| The favourite photo spot on Cabbage Hill. |
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| Our ride leader. |
I did some of this route from here just a few days ago, and as we passed Warfield Church, I was on the lookout for the little white calf, which on Monday was hiding behind its mother, quite close to the fence. Today, it was rather too far away.
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| White calf near Warfield Church. |
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| Church Lane, Warfield. Nicki up front. |
I led for a bit now, and my instinct is a left turn on Malt Hill, so a shout from behind "RIGHT TURN" at the junction, soon corrected me. 😄 I have to confess I'm not so keen on this option, since we then joined the Bracknell Road (B3022) to Brockhill, passing Oaktree Nursery. Straight over at the XRoads, and onto the much quieter Winkfield Lane. A right turn after half a mile or so into Crouch Lane where the Honesty Cafe is.
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| Beautiful blossoms at the Honesty Cafe, Cranbourne. Still some trees between them to come into flower. Maybe pink blossoms? |
Only 1 person serving at the cafe. She took all the orders, then 3 at a time brought the drinks and cakes to the table. At least they were all hot, and I'm told the coffee was good. It was very pleasant in the sunshine, so not really a problem to wait, as we found plenty to chat about.
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| Sally P, Sue, Jo, Louise W, Anne, Nicki W, Louise J, Sally H. |
Our conversation over coffee included Breeze Ride Leader training course, and the fact that the leaders also need a first aid certificate. I mentioned that I don't understand the need for that, since there is always someone in the group who is much better able to cope in a medical crisis than I am. I can organise, just not deal with any blood or gore! There is usually a retired nurse, doctor, brownie leader, or someone who has done first aid.
Our return loop was to Nuptown, soon into Weller's Lane, and dropping down Bowyers Lane to the junction at Moss End garden centre, on the A3095 Maidenhead Road.
Sue and 3 riders set off first heading for Bottle Lane, and with a decent gap, my group followed. With nothing following us as we approached our right turn into Bottle Lane, we saw Sue's group disappear round the corner. Signalling as we moved into the middle of the road, slowing now with a grey car approaching us. At the same time, a small red Micra arrived at Bottle Lane, and unbelievably pulled out, right infront of the grey car approaching on the A3095, with more cars behind it.
I just knew that there was no way the cars could not collide and a very loud crash of metal on metal was the result. The approaching grey car was shunted onto the wrong side of the road, heading straight towards me! It was so scary. (the photo below shows my bike on the roadside and how close I was from being hit.)
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| I've masked out the number plate of the red car. |
As soon as the grey car came to a halt, air back fully inflated, the young, female drive, absolutely hysterical, shouted that her baby was in the back seat, and ran around to the back door behind the passenger seat. My group all dumped our bikes at the roadside to go to see it was ok. At the same time, the male driver of the Micra walked out of his car. I asked if he was OK? Thankfully yes. (I did say I would be useless if there had been any blood). I was initially really concerned that the car might burst into flames, or that the back door was stuck and she couldn't get the baby out.
The baby appeared to be fine, but the mother insisted she wanted an ambulance to be called. At this point, I told her we had a Doctor in our group, who could check baby over, and basically take control of the mother too. Another driver also called the police.
The driver of the car behind the grey car, tried to drive around the two cars to get under way. I stopped him to ask if he has seen what happened? He clearly did, and I asked if he could wait until the police arrived. He was a tradesman and not keen to wait, but he gave me his name, and I also photographed the art work on his car with phone number.
Sue and I then became "traffic officers", stopping and starting the traffic, maybe 10 at a time in each direction, on this busy road, now 3 way junction. The drivers were all very grateful to be able to get on with their journeys.
Nicki called an ambulance for the baby only to be told it would be 2-8hours, since not an emergency category, with no one visibly wounded. The police eventually arrived, and Sue and I assumed they would take over the traffic control They were about as useful as a chocolate teapot!ðŸ˜
The driver of the red car was foreign and didn't speak much English. I heard the police ask if he had a driving licence and passport. Who knows. In my opinion he will get a conviction for dangerous driving.
The father of the baby arrived on the scene too after a while.
I asked the police if I could go, but was asked to wait to make a statement. Well, lets do it then! When I asked what would happen now, the policeman said I would get a text message. He hadn't even asked for my phone number or email, so how was that going to work?!!! Honestly. They were hopeless.
I was a bit shaken up at the prospects of "what if I had been just a few feet further forward" , but that doesn't bare thinking about. Such a shame for both of those drivers, but thankfully apart from two cars written off, and the huge inconvenience that causes, everyone lived to tell the tale.
The final ending of our ride, was that Sally P got a puncture on the Binfield Road on her way back. Sue called me to let me know, since I was waiting ahead with a few others wondering what was holding them up.
A memorable ride for all the wrong reasons, but we did enjoy the heat of the sunshine.