With Sue due to be away this week, I offered a ride to the "Thursday ladies". (As it turned out, Sue wasn't away, due to imminent arrival tomorrow of our first named storm of the season, called "Austen".)
We have had loads of rain this week. Our pond is full for the first time since about March! When I planned this route last week, it was 26 miles. But with all the rain, I had to make a few changes yesterday to my route, to avoid the off road sections. This added a couple of extra miles. Due to a couple of other problems on our ride today we finished up doing 31 miles. It was a little too long for a couple of ladies, but of course we all did it. Well done everyone.
One other problem today was that the Let's Ride Website went down last night, before I got the chance to download today's register. I couldn't quite remember who was coming today, except for Annie and Wendy whom I had added yesterday, since their Wednesday rides had been cancelled due to heavy rain. I came to regret taking such a big group on my own, mainly because no one else had a Garmin device. Today's route had a few main roads, so we often split into 2 groups, with me trying my best to keep everyone in sight.
Garmin route screenshot at end
We left over Carters Hill, where the trees were looking lovely with the low sunlight.
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| Reaching the top of Carter's Hill. |
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| Nikki and Wendy nearing the top of Carter's Hill. |
Downhill of course then a little climb again to turn right into Howe Lane. Our route today was the whole length of Howe Lane to Paley Street. This road is often pretty empty.... not today unfortunately. I pulled into the car park of the Braywood restaurant in Paley Street for us to regroup. It serves delicious food here. I can highly recommend it. https://www.thebraywood.co.uk/
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| Karen, Annie, Nikki, Wendy, Joy, Louise and Sue G. At The Braywood, Paley Street. |
I had decided that we should all stick together now for the next section of road to join the Ascot Road into Holyport, but quickly changed my mind. We were not very good at keeping a tight enough group. Back to 2 groups again then to Moneyrow Green. A brief respite from traffic, before we joined the road into Bray.
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| parking up at Dorney court. |
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| That cake was delicious. Nice pastry base. |
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| Karen, Louise W, Wendy, Annie, Nikki, Joy, Sue G and Anne |
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| St James the Less church, Dorney. |
- Architecture: Features 12th-century origins in the nave and chancel, an early 16th-century red brick west tower, a red brick south porch added in 1661, an early 17th-century north chapel, and a 17th-century wooden musician gallery. [1, 2, 3]
- Interior Highlights: Includes a Norman tub font, medieval wall paintings, box pews, and the Jacobean monument to Sir William and Elizabeth Garrard in the north chapel.
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| Never seen a feather weather vane before. |
Retracing our steps a little along Marsh Lane, my route was to return on the opposite side of the motorway. We got at far as an alleyway, which led to a path alongside the Thames, which had "cycling prohibited". So we walked our bikes, passing some amazing properties!
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| The Private path, where we walked or bikes. At the far end of this private path, it was blocked with a fallen tree. No way past, although a dog walker managed to get through from the opposite direction. He advised us that we could detour around Dorney School to pick up the path. We never did see the school, but can see it clearly now that I am home. I spotted some ramps up to the M4, which I thought looked right, having come the opposite direction on this route a couple of years ago. But the ramps took us back OVER the M4, not alongside it, as I was expecting. I realised that we were now heading to the path we used earlier, but couldnt be bothered with this big group, to turn back again. So , this is where our route got a bit longer today. Sorry ladies! At the end of the cyclepath nr Bray, we now peddled across the M4 and joined Monkey Island Lane. What a roundabout way of getting there!😂 To Fifield now, and time for jacket off for me, as I knew we would be doing a little elevation over the next couple of miles. Very gradual, but it was warming up nicely now. At the junction with Drift Road, my original route had been to cut through a woods to Maidens Green, but considered it would be too messy after all the rain. So, for the first time, I took a group UP Drift Road (in 2 groups). The traffic was actually not too bad, and we even overtook a group of 6 cyclists. 😂💨💨. We all rode together along the wide Winkfield Road, and through the quiet lanes to Nuptown. I gave the group the choice of tarmac (Ascot Road) or Hawthorne Lane (bumpy track). Tarmac got the vote, and so we joined Ascot Road in 2 groups to take the first turn left into Weller Lane. Except that for whatever reason, group 2 didnt take the turn...😖. I waited, and waited, and they didnt appear. Because I had been unable to download my register, and since I dont ride very often with these ladies, I didnt have phone numbers. The rest of my group had carried on, despite me yelling at them to STOP, so when I caught them up, Wendy was able to call Louise. Phew! My group peddled back along the length of Wellers Lane to look out for them coming. (hence more miles added!). The remainder of the ride was uneventful, as we used Ryehurst Lane, then up the cheeky climb on Tilehurst Lane to Binfield. Finally back on Binfield Road, where Sue and Nikki left us a the junction with Diamond Jubilee Way. At least it was all downhill for the last mile of so. A little stressful today (for me anyway), but glad to be out on this beautiful sunny day. I normally ride on a Friday, but storm Austen has other ideas.😞. Good news at 3pm. Let's ride website is back online, so next week's ride will now be able to be planned.  |