I joined Sue today for a Thursday ride to Loddon Brewery. Thursday ladies are usually different to the Wednesday ladies, so always nice to see some that I don't see to so often. I've done lots of cycling this week, with various friends, since hubby is in Provence to climb Mount Ventoux. Which funnily enough I wasn't desperate to do.😂 But today I would climb all the way to Dunsden, so much the same really.
The weather is supposed to be cooling a little today, but still very hot, and Sue suggested a 9am start to get most of the riding done before the worst of the heat. Good call.
Over the motorways from Cantley and up Sandford Lane before heading to Sonning via Charvil. In Sonning, we cut through the little back lane to Sonning Eye, which some hadn't done before.
My new camera arrived yesterday! So, it's first outing, in quite challenging conditions today with bright sun and dark shadows.
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| Front, Jayne. Sue, Diane, Karen, Sue G, Louise W, Nicki W. |
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| The little back lane in Sonning Eye, just before we join the main road once more the try to beat the next lot of traffic to the Playhatch roundabout. It worked. |
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| We all did Dundsen Hill at our own pace. Sue G had not done it before, and Sue P paced her up to the top. Well done Sues. |
On the way up I was aware of my front brake squealing, usually means piston is stuck. Oh no! It gradually got worse and worse over the course of the morning, so apologies to everyone for the very annoying noise! The only way to make it quieter was to hold the brake half way on, so my legs are rather weary.
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| Gathering at Dunsden, trying to find some shade for a minute before we continue to Binfield Heath. |
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| The fields on our left on our way to Binfield Heath |
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| Cropped version Sue and Karen |
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| Jayne and Sue G |
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| Diane |
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| Louise W and Nicki W |
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| As we turned left to ride on Emmer Green Road, some beautiful Rhododendrons in the woods. |
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For a bit of variety, Sue's route today went into Sandpit Lane, which emerges in Church Lane, just near the Brewery. It was very bumpy today in the baked hard clay!
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| Waiting at the bend on Sandpit Lane, since the dustbin lorry was just around the bend heading this way. Typical!! We are in the middle of nowhere! |
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| We sat a two tables for 4 and mostly managed some shade. Hot, hot, hot once more. |
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| Views as we leave the Brewery. The two different green tones of the wheat and barley crops. |
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| Spotted this wild rose too with the crops in the distance. |
We left the Brewery on the bridle track leading to Foxhill to Playhatch. That was also very bumpy today since so dry, and we slowly edged our way along the track. I don't remember it being so long! 😄
I have just returned from Ferdi, who has fixed my bike, which he explained was probably just some dust or grease on the brake pads, and not the piston. So helpful.
Nice to see everyone, and thanks to Sue for today's route planning.
