I think I was lucky to get 2.5 hours sleep last night, so I'm doing my best to stay awake a little longer to write my blog! 😩
I had asked my riders who were driving to the start, if any of them had any spare plant pots in their shed, could I please borrow them for a few weeks? (A home project). Karen and Kate kindly did bring some pots, but I had stupidly not planned how I would get them home! 😂😂😂. Karen's husband who had dropped her off, very kindly dropped the pots off at my house too. Thankyou!
The Breeze leaders are hoping in future, where possible, to get 3 Wednesday rides out each week, with smaller groups. But with 3 leaders not free this week, I ended up with 9 today. (Rose / Hazel also out with a group). The ride had filled up then had a couple of changes as often happens. I had wished Amanda T "happy birthday" a couple of days ago on FB, and she had commented that she would see me Wednesday. But she wasn't registered.😖 Very strange. She had received an email notifying her of a place now available, and thought she had booked on. I guess that someone else must have logged in at exactly the same time as she was booking a space. So, I agreed she could come along even if no one else cancelled, but didn't want to risk adding a place incase someone else booked it.
Garmin route screenshot at end
From Cantley, we all introduced ourselves to "young" Amy, who had driven from Farnborough. I believe she had ridden once with Sue, but most of today's group had not met her before. With Caroline assisting today, we left in 2 groups and by the time we reached the top at Forest Road, quite a string of cars behind, so we pulled over. (A road closed somewhere? Much busier than usual).
Caroline announced that her Garmin had shut down, so after a reset, we set off again in two groups, until we reached Broadcommon Lane, Hurst, and a quick drink stop. It was warm already.
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| Sunny September morning, with tee shirts and shorts. |
A zig zag through Shurlock Row to Waltham St Lawrence to start our gentle climb towards Crazies Hill.
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| Crazies Hill, and now flat or downhill for several miles to Aston. |
We ignored the "Road closed" sign on Aston Lane, but did need to slow right down where some work was happening all across the road. I chatted to the workmen, since that road has only just been beautifully tarmacked! One explained that it still floods, and so they were putting drainage pipes in under the road, to hopefully avoid the flooding in the dip in future.... and so avoiding the road breaking up. About time! It's been dreadful for years. So now, a patched road again. 😖
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| The view to the Hambleden Valley along Remenham Lane. |
A queue of cars as we joined the main road over the bridge in Henley, but the cars were very obliging.
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| The lights on red, so a chance for some photos. |
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| A big indoor space, so a good one for winter too, but today, we sat outside. The young man serving was very pleasant. |
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| Caroline, Anne, Kate, Amanda T, Karen Amy, Diane, Louise, Geraldine. |
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| Here comes the gatecrasher, Amanda T, just back from a very flat Dutch cycling trip. |
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| Kate and Caroline, with Diane following. |
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| It's pretty dark in there. |
