What another great week. We are moving into autumn now though and I wore my arm warmers at the start of all three rides and a gilet on two of them too. The dry weather has continued making it a real pleasure to ride. Only a few flowers, birdsfoot trefoil and cyclamen and autumn croci. Apart from one sugar maple no real autumnal colours yet.
Tuesday 28th August. I had an invitation from my good friends Nic & Julie to see them off to Spain along with about 16 other riders including four of the group that had ridden the M2M with me in 2016. I cycled to Portsmouth to join them for lunch at the pub just beside the port. It was great to see them all and exchange news.
Thursday 30th August.
Saturday 1st September.
Decided that as I was feeling fine I would ride to Winchester to join the CTC ride to Farley. It was a cool morning but it was warming up quickly as the Sun rose higher.
At the start, we were briefed by Sarah B. who had planned an excellent if lumpy route. Also present there were Kate, Sarah M., Jane, Karen, Margaret, Paul, Andrew, Clive, Tessa, Tony, Steve, John and Ron. As you can see a fine percentage of ladies adding glamour to our sweaty macho male group.
Our first objective was Houghton where we stopped for coffee and cake. Very nice too. here are some pics of the group enjoying the fare:
We climbed the hill onto the Roman road and headed towards the Winterslows. I managed well on these undulations being near the front a lot of the time. I also enjoyed a lovely downhill freewheel into West Winterslow. We had lunch outside enjoying the broken sunshine. Our landlady had her unusual way of taking our orders. Drinks first, then food later. It was not impressively fast but it seemed to work and we enjoyed a decent lunch. I had lobster bisque, very tasty.
Our return trip was easy to start with being mainly down to the valley at Dunbridge. The hills from here onwards were taking their toll on me and I was last up most of them (Except for Steve who had drawn the short straw of backmarker). Bryce's Wall was almost too much but I just managed it. After the descent to Standon things started to go wrong as the stronger riders went ahead and the group disintegrated. Some riders went over the ridge to Sparsholt while others turned along the Old Sarum Road into Winchester. Steve had waited for me at the junction and we too went on to Sparsholt. Here I had a phone conversation with Sarah M. who was on the road into Winchester and we agree to find our own ways to Alresford. Steve headed for Littleton and home while I went through Dean and Harestock catching up with Karen just before Headbourne Worthy. I had expected Sarah M. to catch up with me on the last few miles into Alresford but although she was not far behind me and gaining for most of the way, she never actually caught me. I wonder if she saw me.
A really good ride. Thank you Sarah B. Also all in the group, you all made it a most enjoyable day.
Saturday 1st September.
We climbed the hill onto the Roman road and headed towards the Winterslows. I managed well on these undulations being near the front a lot of the time. I also enjoyed a lovely downhill freewheel into West Winterslow. We had lunch outside enjoying the broken sunshine. Our landlady had her unusual way of taking our orders. Drinks first, then food later. It was not impressively fast but it seemed to work and we enjoyed a decent lunch. I had lobster bisque, very tasty.
Our return trip was easy to start with being mainly down to the valley at Dunbridge. The hills from here onwards were taking their toll on me and I was last up most of them (Except for Steve who had drawn the short straw of backmarker). Bryce's Wall was almost too much but I just managed it. After the descent to Standon things started to go wrong as the stronger riders went ahead and the group disintegrated. Some riders went over the ridge to Sparsholt while others turned along the Old Sarum Road into Winchester. Steve had waited for me at the junction and we too went on to Sparsholt. Here I had a phone conversation with Sarah M. who was on the road into Winchester and we agree to find our own ways to Alresford. Steve headed for Littleton and home while I went through Dean and Harestock catching up with Karen just before Headbourne Worthy. I had expected Sarah M. to catch up with me on the last few miles into Alresford but although she was not far behind me and gaining for most of the way, she never actually caught me. I wonder if she saw me.
A really good ride. Thank you Sarah B. Also all in the group, you all made it a most enjoyable day.
Another fabulous week. I feel really privileged to be able to enjoy weeks like this. I clocked up over another 150 miles and enjoyed them all, even though I found it hard at times.
Gridironman.
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