Winchester CTC Tuesday Ride.

Tuesday 12th April 2016. 

The forecast was mainly for good weather with the possibility of thundery showers. Fortunately we did not have any of the latter. It was overcast and misty in places to start but the day gradually improved and the afternoon was lovely and sunny, Cycmon and  I rode to the WH where we joined the Winchester CTC Tuesday ride. A good number of riders were there, all fairly strong.

We had gone less than three miles when the first drama unfolded. Ken had a puncture. This held us up for about 15 mins.

After the lovely down hill run to Standon I was of course last up Mardon Castle hill and when they waited for me at the top I zoomed past and led the "slower" group to Poppies. 

John  and Janet were already there having made their own way.

I was first of the group in the queue for coffee.

However I was to pay for my treachery later at Dandy's Ford where I had to wait to be served my lunch until everyone else had finished. I think the others had told the cooks what I'd done and they made me suffer. I know now not to be last to order a baked potato at Dandy's.

Sue explains how she would have mended it.

It was gone 2 by the time we set off for home but the dramas were not over. First a lose brake had to be fixed and then Ken had another problem, this time a broken gear cable. He had to ride the rest of the way home on a single gear. He made a very good job of that.

Regrouping Discussions outside Mottisfont House Grounds,
while we wait for John and Rob who had gone to look for us!

After King's Somborne we split into two groups one group of nine going via Farley Mount the other of seven through Crawley. One rider continued into Littleton whilst six of us continued to Three Maid's Hill where we split again. 

Cycmon once again set a good pace over the last six miles with PinkPal and I following closely in his wake. We parted company at "Farewell Corner" our regular dispersal point at the bottom of New Farm Road after using the footbridge over the river Itchen.

Another eventful but most enjoyable day out.

Nature Notes.

Bluebells now well out in many places. A lovely swathe of them in the woods at the top of Mardon Castle Hill. Sorry didn't have time to snap them! Lots of other flowers coming out with the fine weather. Tulips and Honesty on the roadside in one place and of course the carpets of Celandines are still everywhere. Skylarks singing and the ubiquitous Chaffinch singing his repetitive  trill in lots of the hedgerows. Also heard Robins a Wren.