I'm really not a big off road cyclist, but the Gorse plants in the forest areas around Blackbush are looking glorious atm, so I planned a repeat of a ride I did last year at the same time.
A few days ago it was 17 degrees and we were cycling in teeshirts. Overnight the wind changed direction, and so the thermal layers and snoods were back on again. It was a cold start with a "feels like 4 degrees", thanks to the winds of 20mph, but gusting at 40mph. Overnight rain was due to pass through by 9ish, so I didn't want to cancel. (I fully expected others to cancel though... but they didn't.)
I wanted a smaller group of just 6 today, so the ride filled up quickly. Rose, who is often my assitant, was keen to do this ride too, so asked if she could shadow behind me with a second group, with her ride called "Ditto." I said that was fine, 15 min apart. (big coffee shop so not a problem). Since our return route had lots of off road, I agreed we could ride back mostly in one group. However, she had 2 cancellations, and since she was down to one rider, I said they might as well just join us at the start. 😉😂 So we were 8.
(Me, with Louise, Kim, Sandra, Janet, Amy. Rose, with Gill)
Route link
I put my action camera on my handlebars today for some shots on the go. My drone in my bumbag too, but in 40mph winds, I wasn't hopeful. (My blog from 52 weeks ago, read the same! Strong winds and cold!!) It was suggested I could just cut and paste the blog from last year. 😊
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After a climb up White Horse Lane, we dropped down
Church Lane to dog leg over into Wick Hill Lane |
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| top of Wick Hill Lane, and into the messy Goose Green |
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| Goose Green. Sandra down first. |
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| Amy and Rose on Goose Green |
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| Straight over to drop down Dell Road |
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| Passing the pond at Eversley Cross. |
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| Dog leg at Eversley Cross into the pretty Chequers Lane. |
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| Chequers Lane. |
A slight deviation from my normal approach to Blackbush to avoid a large group doing a right turn off of a hill, so we cut through a residential street, but missed the pathway though (not signposted at all). A dead end cul de sac and a few yards back tracking, brought us to this pathway, which connects to the more familiar track next to Monteagle kids play ground . (usually park here with the grandkids to cycle into Blackbush)
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I've not used this cut through before,
nor had anyone else, which is why we missed it! |
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| Arriving at the top of the track and to the old runways. |
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Over the bumps to a SHARP right turn, which is
not easy. |
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| Bodies in all directions.😄 |
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| 1st attempt at selfie to show the strength of the wind from the windsock |
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| lol. no better. Not sure if my lens was the problem or just camera vibration from the wind! |
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Inside was packed, with 99% men, all dressed in dark clothing.
At least we brightened up the outside space.
(But it's drafty with 2 sides open) |
As we were leaving, I was attaching my Remote control for my drone to my handlebars on a holder, and a guy got chatting. I told him I was hoping to fly it briefly beyond the airport. He was very keen to see my youtube channel so he could see what I had done. 😉(I am just collecting footage for a spring film, so no film today).
We peddled around the huge car auction area, to find the little gap to sneak through to get onto a track. I really wasn't hopeful to get my drone out, since it was so windy! I decided rather than me fly the drone over the gorse, ( and risk never seeing it again), I just put it up for a static position, for us to ride under, where I could safely land it on an area of concrete.
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Getting the drone ready.
(photo by Rose)
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| Setting up the drone. |
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1st attempt at riding past... chopped us off,
so we had a second go, keeping well over to the right.
But to get us in, I needed to lower the gimble angle,
which meant more concrete. |
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Terrible composition of a slab of concete, but at least we are in the shot.
I really needed to send the drone further back over the gorse and a bit
lower. But with the wind...... 😔 |
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In a more sheltered section,
the drone tracking me and Gill from the front. |
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| And all 8 of us in the forest track, heading down to Bramshill Road. |
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| Whilst the others continued, my drone came back to land on my hand. |
As we got the Bramshill Road to cross over into further track, Amy's chain got jammed. Louise was on hand to fix it. 😇
The next section of the forest track, to take us to Ford Lane, was a right mess thanks to tractor tyres, and quite a few puddles and "wey heys", and oooh, I don't like this. But we all made it one piece to the tarmac of Ford Lane.
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Tarmac. Bliss! Who planned this route anyway? 😂
Gill, Sandra, Amy, Rose, Kim, Janet and Louise.
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Beautiful day now, apart from the wind.
Looking to Farley Hill from Part Lane, Swallowfield. |
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Waiting for them all to catch up. Part Lane,
Swallowfield. |
Two groups, (with the "V" sign as a reminder 😄), as we split up to ride all the way up to Arborfield X, and over the roundabout into The Coombes. I've only walked this once, but never ridden it. My route was accurate as it turned out, but Kim volunteered to lead this next section, since she is very familiar with it.
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| The Coombes track was all perfectly dry, even after last night's rain. |
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All downhill to cross the ford.
( I nearly knocked Sandra flying into the water as I pulled up! oopps. Sorry ) |
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| All uphill away from the ford. But a good surface, and kept us warm. |
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Janet and Amy reaching the top of the rise away from the ford.
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We emerged at Bearwood Road, which is currently "closed" to traffic. Janet left us here, heading to Sindlesham, and the rest of us to Edneys Hill, to Nashgrove Lane.. in a hail storm! It went mad!!!
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A very quick goodbye today, since
the heavens opened with a hail storm.
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Blagrove Lane was turning white. It was painful on my face.
At least it happened in the last few minutes, rather than at the furthest point.
Thanks all for your good company today, for your patience with my drone, and for sharing the lead. Hope you enjoyed the route.
