My latest prize possession:
Confirmation of my 1,000 km Audax!
Tuesday 5th July 2016
Catching up with the housework and visiting friends has left less time for cycling, but I have managed a couple of rides.
Saw this lovely field of flax/linseed near Old Alresford.
My main object was to visit friends, but took the opportunity to have a good ride too. It was a lovely day with lots of sunshine and we able to sit in the garden while we enjoyed a cuppa with croissants.
After I chose a different route home which was slightly longer, but less hilly.
Thursday 7th July 2016.
As I had other commitments earlier in the day I was unable to join The Alresford Groupetta for a ride to The Thomas Lord via Petersfield. However I was home in time to ride directly to the pub.
Here I arrived just a few minutes before the Groupetta. Lots of other riders there, it was a good opportunity to catch up with their news and hear their tales of foreign ventures too. Richard was able to tell us more of his challenge to ride from London to Paris later this month. He is raising money for a charity that he supports in a practical way. Here is a link to his fund raising page.
After a light lunch I led the Groupetta back to Alresford via Wheeley Down, my choice. The others seemed to be content for me to be the domestique leading them up the hill. I did post a personal best for the climb.
 |
My Record of the day. |
In Cheriton three of us were tempted by the thought of tasting a new beer in the "Pots", whilst PP decided to continue home alone.
Disappointingly the new beer was no longer available, but I did treat my pals to a pint in celebration of my recent birthday.
Saturday 9th July 2016.
Wanting to see something of my Alton CTC friends and enjoy some fresh routes I suggested to the Groupetta that we should join them for an easy ride. In the end only Cycmon and I did so. We left Alresford around mid day and rode to the start, arriving there in time to eat our sandwiches before the start. A large group of over 20 riders assembled and split into two groups, the faster riders opting to ride to Alresford whilst Tony led us a wriggly route to Alice Holt Forest. At Bentley station we were joined by a Comunity Support Officer on her bicycle. At first the ride through the forest was on a paved path, but then we went onto a track and then onto a gravel road. Posh not the best bike for this terrain, fortunately it was only for a very short way.
There is an activity centre in the forest with tea rooms, a bike shop and other facilities. Huge building works in progress to make a more permanent centre. I enjoyed an ice cream whilst others had tea or coffee.
Our return to Alton took in a couple of lanes I'd not ridden before and was very interesting. One of them had been recently gravelled so was not so much fun.
Once back in Alton Janice kindly invited Cycmon, Mick and I for a cuppa. So enjoyable we spent nearly an hour sitting in the garden chatting along with Janice and Dan.
Cycmon and I high tailed it for home, managing to raise our average speed from near 10 to just 11 mph for the day.
The only down side of the week was just as I reached the top of Broad street I realised I had a soft tyre. I thought it had enough air in it to reach home but I got off and walked the last few hundred yards. I have changed the tube this morning, nothing in the tyre, just a small puncture hole in both tyre and tube. I've mended the tube and have put some air in it to check it is OK before keeping it to re-use.
No comments:
Post a Comment