Loopy?

It has been another great week of cycling for me. In addition to four rides, which are detailed below, on Wednesday I gave a talk about my recent M2M adventure, illustrated with slides, to Southampton CTC at their clubroom.  Then an Friday I went to hear Rob Jordan's talk about his Race Across Europe at IBM. Much more impressive than mine! Well done Rob. I was fortunate to meet Rob's parents and had a pleasant meal with them before the talk started.

Tuesday 20th September 2016.

Thursday 22nd September 2016.

Up Somborne viewed from the lane leading to Sparsholt.

Saturday 24th September 2016.

Sunday 25th September 2016.

I Pause for a break in Medstead.

Do you know where this is?

Simon by the Gold Letter Box in honour of Peter Charles
Olympic Champion in 2012.

Making the most of the Indian Summer before a much chillier day on Saturday.

I have had another most enjoyable week with largely dry but variable weather. Temperatures varying about 12 degrees C from 28 to 16 C. The three rides were all different in character but they were all most enjoyable socially as well as good cycling days.

Paris has now completed another 120+ miles without further problems, so hope they are now history!

As Angela Westall is now retiring from the voluntary job of organiser the HCMF (Hampshire Cyclists' Midweek Fellowship) are now seeking a replacement. This need not be a single person but could be a group working together. Please consider whether you could help. If a solution is not found before long the Fellowship will collapse.

For those who don't know about the HCMF, it is an informal group that meets each week at a different prearranged pub to share lunch and a chat, beer is optional. Members cycle or, in some cases, drive to the pub from their homes. Of course if you have a like minded friend you can ride together as I frequently do with other members of the Alresford Groupetta. (The annual subscription, to cover administration costs, is a massive £1 per family). If you would like to join please let me know.

Tuesday 13th September 2016.

Thursday 15th September 2016.

Saturday 17th September 2016.

Gridironman.

Rides to Crofton, Abbots Ann, Kings Somborne & Conkers G.C.

I have had another fantastic week cycling with no fewer than four rides, each one different in nature.

Tuesday 6th September 2016.

Eight of us rode from Grateley to the Crofton Engine House for coffee. A very interesting destination for our ride. More details of this historic site can be found here:

 http://www.croftonbeamengines.org/

It was another test of Paris and Gridironman which went well apart from there being an irritating renewal of the funny noise from the back wheel. I could find nothing loose, but suspected it to be another minor movement of a spoke when the wheel is under stress. Further investigation has indeed found this to be true. (Paris has now been to Owen's Cycles to have the spoke tightened and the wheel re-tensioned.)

The day was grey and warm, in fact as it was quite muggy we all made sure we drank plenty to replenish our fluids.

Here are my map and data for the day:

Wednesday 7th September 2016.

Another M2M reunion.

I decided to find a fresh way home from Abbots Ann and rode through Andover before taking the road towards Hurstbourne Priors. Then I followed a very picturesque road to Longparish. Very quiet.
From here I chose to retrace my steps to Stoke Charity before a loop through Micheldever and Northington to home.

Thursday 8th September 2016.

A routine kind of ride but a most enjoyable lunch with chats with a lot of my cycling pals. I was there for over an hour and a half. Home in time to see the end of stage five of the Tour of Britain.

Sunday 11th September 2016. An Alresford Groupetta ride to Conkers G.C.

With a wet day on Saturday I suggested to the Groupetta that we should have a ride on Sunday. I plotted a route which I felt would be a little challenging for most of us. I did however have a little difficulty in finding a pub that would be able to provide snacks. Many of them seem to concentrate on more formal meals on Sundays. Then PinkPal suggested a garden centre. A good idea, I quickly rejigged the route to take us to Conkers in Old Basing. We enjoyed a good lunch here in pleasant and peaceful surroundings.

Our way home included a steep hill of 9% to Ellisfield which we all managed well, with me leading all the way for a change! I took them over a couple more pitches before we reached Alresford with a great overall average moving speed of 13.2 m.p.h.

I am pleased to say that apart from two settling down pings from my back wheel it remained quiet for the rest of the day.

Thanks Pinkpal and Cycmon for your company on another good day out.

The end of the ride today.
 The cows are included especially for my brother and John Moon.
Picture courtesy of Cycmon.

Gridironman.

Last of the Summer Wine?

I have had an interesting week with three very different rides. On Tuesday I rode with five friends to the Hawk Conservancy Cafe where we had coffee. That was on Posh because Paris, my new toy was in the workshop for a loose spoke to be fixed. By Thursday Paris was back home and I joined the HCMF at Bighton via a roundabout route. Then today I joined the Winchester CTC for part of their ride. I was glad I had to be home early as that led to me missing the heaviest of the rain. I hope the others did not get too wet.

Tuesday 30th August 2016. 

A visit to the Hawk Conservancy Cafe.

Thursday 1st September 2016.

Saturday 3rd September 2016.