A Social Ride to The Phoenix, Twyford and another, Fast & Furious to Lasham & back.

Thursday 24th April a special day. My daughter's birthday! She was working at the Oxfam shop so I did not see her but went out with Simon on one of our gentle jaunts to link up with the HCMF.

Twyford is too near to home to go directly there, so we found a similar way to get there to that we used to get to Shawford recently. Simon was riding one of his vintage bikes. This one made in Southampton, a Rotrax. We headed through Ovington and up Gander Down, only to have to pause a while for Simon to replace a punctured tube.  Whilst he was doing so, Malcolm, one of the North Hants CTC riders, came by in his car, he was checking a route for Saturday. We had a short chat about his tea stop options before he departed.

We crossed the A272 to Lane End Down and from there down to Upham. (Actually the last few hundred yards into the village is anything but down being up a hill  of about 8%). We continued southwards along a very pleasant small lane to the outskirts of Durley. We must have been bordering a golf course for every now and then there were the metallic clunks of iron on ball.

It was now time to turn back towards our RV and Simon led me at a good pace through Horton Heath and Fair Oak and into Colden Common. Unfortunately here we had to stop again for another flat tyre. However as we were near Twyford Simon was able to pump it up enough to get to the pub.

I enjoy our visits to the The Phoenix more than some of our other venues. The landlord always seems to be welcoming and the food is usually good. On this occasion both Simon and I enjoyed the fish, chips and mushy peas. Excellent! John H. was kind enough to treat me to a pint of Flowerpots bitter.

There were about 20 or so other riders there so we enjoyed a good chat or two  before returning to the garden to repair Simon's flat. This necessitated applying a patch to the hole. Unfortunately I must have provided a dud patch as within a mile of the resumption of our journey Simon's tyre was flat again.

In the circumstances Simon decided to call Alresford Cyclists' Rescue Service (alias his wife Sarah) to be picked up. Having checked that Simon was old enough to be left on the street alone I continued the homeward journey on my own. I took the obvious route to start with to the Hockley lights and then along the new cycle path into the cantre of Winchester. 

When I reached the junction by the Black Boy I decided to take an unusual route and climbed the steep hill up Quarry Road to join the Alresford Road near the bridge over the M3. It was actually easier than I had anticipated provided I just took my time and it was blissfully free of traffic, an easier option than going via Winnall.

I was soon speeding down once more into Easton village and home through Avington and Ovington. I paused a couple of times, to admire this beautiful wisteria near Avington golf course and to sit on a bench in the sun to enjoy the view of Avington House and grounds.

Route and Data for Thursday 24th April.

Thanks Simon for another ride together, sorry about the dodgy patch. I have found them reliable in the past.


Saturday 26th April 2014

Before starting my ride I had to mend a slow puncture which I must have picked up on Thursday or was it caused by Simon sticking pins in my effigy to get his own back?

I decided it was time I tested myself and get in some training for the Naomi House Charity Cycle Ride on May 4th. My chosen route was based on one used by my friend PinkPal through the Candover valley and over the hill from Totford to Itchen Abbass and then home via the Tichborne ford.

My outward stage was to the Lasham Gliding Club Cafe via Medstead and Bentworth. I made good time up the hill to Medstead and enjoyed the fast downhill to cross the A339, registering  the top speed of the day. Just beyond Lasham village I heard a cuckoo. The first time this year.

I arrived at the cafe at the same time as a heavy shower. Perfect timing, it lasted slightly less than the time it took me to down a large cuppacino and a delicious jumbo sausage roll. When I resumed my ride the roads only a mile away were perfectly dry.

In Preston Candover the pumps are still going discharging water across the road. Here I joined PinkPal's route through the other Candovers where the roads are still wet in places with the recent rain causing the Candover Brook to overflow again.

Beside the Woolpack in Totford I sat on a salt box and took a breather whilst topping up with an energy drink and an apple. I exchanged waves with another cyclist as he left the pub. I had seen a number of other cyclists during the ride, mainly in pairs also one larger group. Most had given a friendly wave or verbal greeting.

Up the hill to Northington Woods was a test as the breeze was now in my face and I was tiring but my Garmin showed an average of just on 12 mph and I was determined to try to keep it there.

Fortunately once past the junction to Mollie's Dismount it was nearly all downhill or flat(ish) the rest of the way home. I completed the ride by crossing the footbridge by the ford and up New Farm Road.

Map and data for the day.

I was delighted when I uploaded the Garmin details to find I had more than achieved my aim of 12 mph riding speed. Not up to PinkPal's level though!

For further information on the Naomi House Charity Ride go to:

 http://www.naomihouse.org.uk/events/showevent/clatford-cycle-challenge

I hope to do the long route of this ride if the weather is favourable. If anyone would like to join me please let me know.

Whatever you do best wishes.

Gridironman.

HCMF Meet at The Angel near Privett. & Winchester CTC Intermediate ride to West Tytherley.

Thursday 17th April 2014 
Seven o'clock, I drew back the curtains and saw it was a lovely sunny day so jumped out of bed and got on to the Garmin Connect web site to plan a good alternative route to the HCMF meet at the Angel Privett which is only about 8 miles from home. Then I emailed Simon so he could upload the course to his Garmin.

I didn't shy away from some of the nice little hills which can be included in such a ride.

I joined Simon at his home just after 10 and we headed our favourite way south across the footbridge by the ford, Tichborne and Cheriton to climb through Kilmeston and up Rooksgrove lane. A slight hiccup with reading Simon's Garmin unit lead us to take a very small detour before heading down Wheeley Down at very high speed, would be even faster but for that little kink half way down!

We were soon through Warnford and climbing the Harden lane up Old Winchester Hill. We stopped halfway up to take a few pictures of this beech tree and the glorious panorama.

Beech Tree on the slopes of Old Winchester Hill.

Panoramic view of the Meon Valley from Old Winchester Hill. 

We had made such good time that we decided to continue along the ridge to the Sustainability Centre Cafe for a fix of caffeine. Just before we got there I tried to take a picture of a very new black lamb but before I could get my camera ready I was given the cold shoulder!

Cold Shoulder of Lamb!

We sat outside the cafe in the sunshine enjoying the chatter of a number of children along with their families nearby. Soon we were on our way again, down another fast hill into East Meon. 

Here Simon discovered another of my Surprise Nice Little Hills over the ridge to join the A272.

Of course there was yet another hill to the village of Privett. Near the top I stopped to take this shot of the church apparently rising out of the Oil Seed Rape. ( Really I was looking for an excuse as to why I was so far behind Simon!)

Privett Church 

Now we were only a mile or so from the pub and we were soon there to find fellow cyclists scattered all around both inside and out. As expected there were many from North Hants and only a few from the South. 

We indulged in a platter of excellent food from the carvery along with a pint of the pub's own very good ale. We seemed to find plenty to chat about too.

When it was time to take our leave of the remaining few we decided not to take the direct and shortest route home but to find an alternative.

We headed North along a lane I'd not been on many times before to Monkwood and then to Lyeway and Ropley.

Our final test of the day was White Hill not really a tough hill but still a tester at the end of a ride.

The Latest Cash Crop on White Hill near Alresford.

 Saturday 19th April Winchester CTC Intermediate ride to West Tytherley.

I had originally decided not to join this ride as I was worried I might not be able to keep up, but Graham the leader for the day persuaded me that I'd be fine, so I drove to Kings Worthy where I left my car at my daughter's house. Rode to the start where I arrived just in time for the start.

As well as Graham also in the group were Karen, Jenny, Ken, Simon, John and new to me Colin.
It was good to see folk I'd not previously met this year and to make a new friend.

Colin asked me if my bike was new. I told him it was about 2.5 years old. I must have made a good job of cleaning it yesterday! Simon Turner would have been proud of me. I noticed  that it did seem easier to ride and  that it freewheeled better than most of the other bikes on the ride.

The first leg of the ride was via a familiar route out of the city via Three Maids' Hill and Crawley.  Next Graham led us over the hill to Leckford and across the Test to Longstock. I noticed that the little shelter on the ancient eel trap is being rebuilt.

We climbed up to the Old Stockbridge Road which links Stockbridge to Middle Wallop. We sped along this and were soon at our coffee stop at the Army Flying Museum. Another nice surprise here, Caroline and Ian were already there enjoying their coffee and cookies. I was surprised as Ian had undergone surgery earlier in the week. Well done Ian on your speedy recovery; no doubt due to your fitness and determination. We left Ian and Caroline at the Cafe.



Graham next led us in a loop through the edge of Grateley and back to the south to Over Wallop. Here we took a right turn which to Graham's delight was onto a lane I'd never ridden before! For the next seven miles I was on unfamiliar roads. There was some broken sunshine but I was glad I was well layered up as there was a cold breeze too.

My Seven Companions taking a well earned breather near Tilshead.

We lunched at the Black Horse in W. Tytherley. Generous sized portions of excellent food for the other seven, I'd self catered as I prefer to eat little and often but I did help John out with his cheese ploughman's by disposing of his cheddar cheese and half an apple!

The Black Horse.

Outside I met another Ken. Here he is having just been ridden a couple of miles to the pub, he declined a drink. Proving the old saying. "You can take a horse to water but can't make him drink!"

Ken, The Brown Horse!

We had completed more than half our ride so the return trip was not too hard, but Graham did chose a fairly hilly route via Farley Mount which near the end of a ride was a little tough.

Before we got there we enjoyed more of the fine views which had been a feature of the day, though bright yellow fields of Oil Seed Rape seemed to dominate.

At the foot of the hill, Beech Tree Walk, Karen and Ken took their leave of us and headed for their homes in the South while the remaining six continued through King's Somborne where there was ample evidence of the recent floods. I was struggling a little to keep up here as I was getting tired but the others kindly waited for me a couple of times. Near Ashley we spotted a group of about 15 deer laying down in the middle of a cultivated field. Most unusual!

Deer near Ashley.
(Apologies for the quality of the picture, they were some way away!) 

Once to the top of the The Mount I urged the others to carry on while I paused for a breather. John waited with me. As we rode the undulations along the Old Sarum Road  we kept seeing the others tantilisingly near up ahead, but every time we seemed to gain on them they spurted ahead once more.

John turned off down Kilham Lane and I continued my pursuit eventually catching Colin at the junction with Chilbolton Avenue and passing Jenny and Simon soon afterwards! Jenny and I rode the last couple of miles to King's Worthy together.

Thanks Graham for an outstanding day. I was so pleased you persuaded me to join you. thanks too to the others who made it such an enjoyable ride.

The usual map and data :-

For an interactive map go to :

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/482891057

Gridironman.

Springtime is here!

It has been a lovely week for cycling, for the most part Sunny but cool with lots of spring flowers to enjoy.

On Thursday 10th April Simon and I joined the HCMF at the Swan, Barton Stacey. As I had animal minding duties to perform our route needed to be via Kings Worthy. Naturally as we were in no hurry we took the scenic route through Ovington and Easton to get there. Once the chores had been completed we continued via a roundabout way through Crawley, Leckford and Chilbolton. Here we paused for a break and for some photos.

Simon with one of his period bikes & Chilbolton Church.

We continued to the pub clocking up our fastest speed of the day down the hill into the village of Barton Stacey.

Service was very slow in the pub so we only had a pint and a chat for a while before calling at the next door  Village Shop for coffee and cookies. Adjacent to the shop was the local library!

On our way home we passed many fields of oil seed rape. The colours reminding me of my Aussie friends.

Green & Gold (for my Aussie Pals).

The Reading Room of Barton Stacey Library.

We also saw lots of flowering blackthorn which reminds me of my dad who always referred to it as "Blackthorn Winter" because it looks so like hoar frost.

Blackthorn Winter.

It was another great day out enjoying the countryside and the company!

Thursday's Route & Data

Because of family commitments I had had to pass my CTC leading duties on to Daren, hoping that at the last minute I might be able to join the ride anyway. However it was not to be so on Saturday 12th April 2014  I joined Simon to follow one of his planned routes to Odiham.

Dramatic Clouds

A very patient Simon
 looking after the bikes
 while I take photos.

Here is the route from which you can see Simon had made a good job of selecting some unfamiliar lanes as well as favourites.

Saturday's Route & Data.

Along the Candover Valley there was still some flooding in places where cellars are still being pumped out but it was almost back to normal. Later near The Hoddington Arms in Upton Grey there was still inches of water on the road as well as in the fields.

We had lunch outside The Bell Inn near the church in Odiham.

Next we had the toughest climbing of the day ascending to the highest point of the day. However Simon had planned for more hills and having misrouted the way to Shaldham we had a very steep climb out of the valley to rejoin the planned route in the village. However this was a benefit as we came across this lovely display of bluebells in the woods nearby.

Bluebells

 On through Bentworth to Medstead we went. Here despite Sarah's remark that I wouldn't lose Simon in his bright red outfit I managed to do just that. I had lost sight of Simon on Trinity Hill and following the Garmin route I had bypassed him near the church.
Eventually we were reunited in Bighton and completed the ride together.

I hope you enjoy the report and pictures as much as we did the two days on the bikes!

Gridironman.

Cyclocross!

A bit of an odd week this last one. Only one ride, that on Thursday 3rd April when Simon and I found a novel route to The Bridge at Shawford.

The weather was dominated by the smog which was not too bad here, but did give the views a distinctly Turneresque look and a little metallic taste on the tongue. The sun did break through at times and it was quite warm.

We headed out of Alresford via one of my more favourite routes, the long but gentle climb up Gander Down. From home to the top of Lane End Down is over 5 miles, most of it uphill! The next few miles to Owslebury is now well surfaced and we made the most of the gentle down slope to improve our average speed. I had suggested to Simon that we should take a loop through Fair Oak so we crossed the B2177 and took Stroudwood Lane southwards. We caught and passed another couple of cyclists as we neared Fair Oak.

Next we explored a couple of minor streets in the town to avoid the traffic lights on the main road and turned west through Bishopstoke. We used the cycle path for a short way but it soon disappeared, nothing unusual about that in the UK!

We soon were into the centre of Bishopstoke and turned north up the 7% hill past St Mary's Church. At the top we passed a sign 'Road Closed' assuming we would be able to squeeze past any obstruction.

We were soon proved wrong, the road was totally closed even for pedestrians with a tall metal fence, but not wanting to turn back, with the encouragement of two local residents, we took to a faint path through the roadside woods and across a pasture to join the road about 100 metres past the workers who were resurfacing a part of the road.

In Colden Common we came across these two very attractive flowering trees:

When we arrived at the pub we found the nucleus of the southern riders already well ensconced in the smoking area. (Not that they are smokers!)

We ordered our lunch and then joined them. Soon a lot more riders appeared, including Mollie, Mary and Brian who I'd not seen for ages, It was great to see them all.

In Shawford it seemed colder, probably because there was less sunshine now and I began to feel chilly so suggested to Simon we should get going again.

We decided not to return through Winchester but to go back over the hills with a variation of our outward route, so we went up Hazeley Lane to Morestead. Once over the peak we zoomed down the A272 to Cheriton and then through Tichborne to our homes.

A very social and enjoyable day out.

Saturday 5th April. Simon rang to say he had decided not to join me for a ride, so with the promise of a fish and chip lunch with Jean, followed by three Heineken Rugby matches and the threat of all day drizzle I chickened out of the Winchester CTC ride. I had a rather sore hand too from weed pulling on Friday so that was another excuse!

Plenty of time to catch up with the miles as the longer days and warmer weather come.

Gridironman.