Spring has sprung at last! We had riders in shorts, crops and full length trousers today. It was 16 degrees by late morning, and no wind, so it was a perfect day for cycling.
Hazel assisted me today, and we were joined by Janet, Kim, Louise, Amy, Julie and a new rider called Debs. New to us, but infact an ex Breeze champ from London! (who now lives in Hartley Wintney). Debs had peddled to the start to meet us in Riseley. We chatted for a few minutes and set off bang on 09.45.
Route link screen shot at end.
A messy Bull Lane led to Welsh Drive and Chequers Lane, where I was mush relieved to see that the road was open today. (It was closed to everyone including cyclists on Monday).
Skirting Stratfield Saye a brief drink stop at the 5 way X roads at Fair Oak Green.
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| Fair Oak X Roads, on Folly Lane |
To the edge of Bramley next, and left turn after the railway bridge onto Minchens Lane, where there was a snowdrop display along the verges.
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| Minchens Lane Bramley |
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Waiting for me on Minchems Lane, Bramley
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Amy still has her Christmas tree up! So her Christmas trousers came
out to play today. 😄 (photo by Julie) |
We left Bramley turning into Vyne Road which apart from a couple of undulations, is mostly downhill as we head into Sherbourne St John. We cut through to pass the pond, where we stopped for a photo, since quite a few had not been this way before.
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| Was not expecting to photograph a cycling helmet in the pond. 😂😂😂 |
Kim had taken her helmet off for some reason, and it had dropped into the pond and proceeded to drift away out of reach! A few ladies ran off to the woodland next to the pond to find a stick, whilst Kim started getting her shoes off ready to jump in. It was hilarious. Amy then appeared just in the nick of time with a long stick which JUST reached the helmet. Phew.
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| Screengrab from Debs video of Kim retrieving her helmet. |
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| photo by Julie |
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Getting her shoe back on. Dry feet but soggy helmet. 😂
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Panic over. Photo by Debs.
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we saw thousands of these today. So cheerful.
(photo by Julie) |
A quick dash over the busy A340 and a dog leg into the quiet Ramsdell Road rising gradually up to Charter Alley, where we had a quick stop to feed the Alpaca called Nibbles and Crumpet, and the goats Angus, Maggie and Riley.
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| Selfie by Debs. |
We had done 12 miles so far, and too early for a coffee stop at Charter Alley, despite grumblings in the ranks.😉 The first 4 of us climbed the final bit of a rise, and turned on the left bend, as I watched in my mirror for the second group catching us up. But they didnt appear around the bend, so we pulled over. Strange.. then I wondered if they misunderstood that we were NOT stopping at Charter Alley Stores? I went back and no sign of bikes at the stores, so I headed back to the goats. Amy had her bike upside down at the side of the road. 😖😖😖 Thankfully it wasn't a puncture, but her chain had got well and truly stuck. We managed to get it back on, and we were off once more, heading downhill now on Baughurst Road.
A little loop of around 5 miles to bring us uphill again passing St Peters Church. A ROAD CLOSED sign up, and we were told there was a funeral at the church. We cycled as far as the church then got off to walk. We were waved through by the funeral directors, and I had spotted some steam ahead of us.
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| The coffin was carried pulled along by this old steam engine. |
The road had been closed, since all the cars were parked behind each other, and we walked our bikes past. They would all be leaving in the same direction after the funeral service.
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| Church Lane, Tadley. |
So far quite an eventful ride! We would soon be passing through Charter Alley again enroute to Pamber End, but I had a request from some of the riders who had been this way before, that we allow time to nip in the buy some Samosas. lol. We all bought one or two to take home.
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| Paying for our Samosas at Charter Alley Stores. |
An easy downhill now, passing the Priory School to Pamber End. Its a strange location, within an industrial park, but a nice stop with plenty of seating inside. But we opted to sit out in the sunshine.
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Debs in stripes, Kim, Janet, Amy, Anne, Louise, Hazel and Julie.
Very pleasant in the sunshine. |
It was however rather noisy since a farmer was using his tractor to cut loads of branches off hedges and trees just out of shot to the left. What a row!
A few ladies had ordered toasted sandwiches which took a while to be served, so a longer break than normal. Note for future, lunch only works if we are all having lunch. I suggested that it was time to get going, and Debs decided to sit a bit longer and enjoy the sunshine before heading off. No problem at all. She has the route and knows her way back to Hartley Wintney. (she always planned to peel off anyway).
The rest of us peddled in two group on the slightly busier Boars Bridge road into Bramley, but once through the village, all quiet lanes again back to the start, turning once more at Fair Oak X Roads, this time on Great Dover Street around the other side of Stratfield Saye Estate. A few figures of 8 on today's route.
A good average speed of 11mph, helped by all the downhills, which followed the uphills 😉. Well done ladies. I know there were some new roads for a few today, so glad you enjoyed it.
