Simon's Tuesday Audax.

Tuesday 3rd May 2016.

Another enjoyable day. The weather was cool to start, but then just about perfect. We rode from Alresford to join a number of other riders at Crawley Pond. We decided to go to the Army Flying Museum for coffee. As we were going through King's Somborne a red kite flew over us. This is the furthest SW I have seen one. Shortly afterwards on the River Test I spotted a yellow wagtail. 

The Wallop villages looked lovely in the bright sunshine, lots of wild flowers in the hedgerows and the gardens all looking splendid with lots of tulips. The wild flowers are changing now, with Garlic Mustard, Stitchwort and others making their appearances, but primroses and celandine still in plentiful supply. 

We had a nice break at the cafe, but I was the only one to sit outside in the glorious sunshine.  I enjoyed a chat with a lady who was there looking after two of her grandchildren who were off school for an INSET day. We discovered we had much in common, she having lived very close to my daughter in Hedbourne Worthy.

In the woods lots of bluebells, also providing a lovely scent, in places on the other side of the road the Oil Seed Rape was competing both with scent and colour.

On our return journey we split into two groups near Stockbridge with four of us heading back up the Test Valley to Wherwell. Here we further split into two pairs and Simon and I paused to photograph the thatched houses.

After we had crossed over the A303 I suggested a small diversion down a lane into Forton. This is a hamlet, part of Longparish. It has a number of very nice houses and is much larger than I had imagined. One thatched house, Kingfisher Cottage, had been recently re-thatched and painted. and was under offer. Was I tempted to put in a rival bid, Nah! Much too big for a single man!

We continued to Whitchurch where Simon suggested a second stop at H's. I was a bit peckish by now so had a bacon bap. Very tasty. We now only had about 15 miles to get back to Alresford but needed about 20 to clock up the magic Audax figure of 100km, so we decided to use the PinkPal diversion through Itchen Abbas to achieve our aim. 

It was only 4.15 when I eventually got home. Nice timing for a cuppa.

Thanks Simon for a well run day and for my bacon butty and coffee.

Gridironman.