Late night final! Read all about it.

This is the last edition of my blog "On My BIke 2019". Will need a new title for next year.

Only one ride to report but I have added a new page for my Data 2019 and updated My Bikes page too.

Check them out! (See the link tabs below my heading picture.)

Here is today's ride:

Tuesday 31st December 2019.

My average weekly mileage for the year finished at 92.8 miles per week.

A Very Happy New Year to All My Readers.

Gridironman.

Festive Season Rides

Tuesday 24th December 2019.

Christmas Eve.

With none of the Pedallers being available to ride I decided to join the Winchester CTC's Tuesday ride led by Ian.

Friday December 27th 2019.

Paddy and I went for an easy ride to work of a few of the excess Christmas calories. We needed to get back before 2 p.m. so we shortened our planned route accordingly. Our first and second choice of cafe were both closed so we went into the Anvil which was pleasantly quiet with just a few other customers.  Unusual nice cakes too. We were amused when the young lady serving us checked whether we were clean to avoid dirtying the carpets and furniture. We passed muster! We made it home in plenty of time.

 Sunday 29th December 2019.

Once again I was without riding pals so I set off without any clear destination, other than to go North. When I got to Dummer I decided to cut across to the B3046 and descend to the outskirts of Basingstoke and then head for Conkers. Exciting descent into Cliddesden topping 41 mph. Apart from getting lost on a cycle path through an estate near to the A30 I was soon at Conkers where I enjoyed a nice break before resuming my ride suitably fortified with Sussex Fruit Cake and a large coffee. Plenty of other cyclists about in groups both family and club, some on road bikes others on hybrids or mountain bikes. A fair size group from Alton, but no one I recognised.

Pleased that I have been able to top the "Ton" once more with a total of 116 Miles for the week. All of it on Txiki. The E-power has certainly helped me to keep going. My knee is back to normal aches & pains!

Still time for more rides in 2019, maybe with the Pedallers on Tuesday. 

Gridironman.

Sunshine with Flooded Roads & a Little Rain.

Just a few flints.
Did they all come off one field?

Reminds me of the story told by Eric Newby in his book "Love and War in the Apennines". Whilst escaping from the Germans during the war he was sheltered by an Italian family. He worked to pay for his keep clearing a field of stones. He thought "What a lazy bunch, why haven't they done this before". In the night it rained and the following morning the field was once more full of stones!

For my cycling friends:- "Where is the pile?"

Because of the very wet weather and other reasons I have only managed two rides this week.

Wednesday 18th December 2019.

Sunday 22nd December 2019.

Two more easy rides to aid recovery.

With the end of the year fast approaching I am a little disappointed that I will not achieve my aim to average 100 miles per week. However, I feel really blessed that I have managed my second-highest annual mileage already and have far outstripped my original target of 4,500 miles. This is partly due to my successful plan to combine Cycling with Motor-Caravanning during which I rode 777 miles over 8 away trips. I was not lucky with the weather on some of those trips or I would have done more. I did enjoy some good walks on those trips too and visited many National Trust properties. Apart from three weeks when I couldn't ride due to illness or injury I have ridden every week throughout the year.  Still over two weeks to go, hope the weather stays mild.

Wednesday 11th December 2019.

Saturday 14th December 2019.

Total miles this year to date: 4621.

Gridironman.

On the road to recovery.

Saturday 7th December 2019.

As my knee is much better I decided to test myself with a ride with Winchester CTC. I planned to ride into Winchester, with the option that I could, if necessary, abort at Kings Worthy and leave my bike there at my daughter's home. All went well and I made the rendezvous in good time to join Kate and six others. The ride was an easy one, with the help of E-power I lead the way a lot of the time. Our coffee stop was at The Village Cafe, Micheldever Station. Here we were joined by Ian and after our stop Clive and John left us. As we neared Alresford I was beginning to think I'd had enough and left the group to return home. No ill effects from the ride, after a warm bath and a pizza for lunch I was fully fit and ready to watch the UK Championship Snooker semi-finals.

I was very happy with my progress but I was glad of the help from the E-power as it kept any stress to the knee at a low level for even after just four weeks since my tumble my fitness was noticeably low. 

Sadly, I think I still need to take it easy a little longer and skip the Pedallers ride & lunch on Tuesday. 

On Thursday the HCMF meet is at The Brushmakers, Upham, so I think I will be OK for that.

Gridironman.

Face Plant & all that!

For those of you who haven't seen the news on FaceBook the reason I've not been active on my blog since 10th November is that on the 11th I tripped and fell flat on my face when walking up a neighbours path. The damage to my face was quite painful and I also knocked my knee badly. However, my "good looks" are almost back to normal whilst my knee is only slowly doing so.

It looked even more colourful the next day!

Fortunately I was able to get home with the help of my friend who brought me home in her car (100yds or so). She made me a cuppa and came back later to check I was OK. Thanks Angie.

On Thursday I drove for the first time since my tumble and took part in the HCMF Festive Lunch at the Cart & Horses. Kings Worthy. A most enjoyable day with 25 or so friends.

Then on Friday I tried a small bike ride. To the library just to check if I could still ride. My biggest problem was getting on and off the bike and getting started after temporary stops in traffic but on the whole it went well.

Today, I decided to try a little longer ride but avoided any hills. What better way to do this than to pop to the "Flower Pots".

Once more things have gone well but I am very careful not to overdo it. 

A big thanks to my many friends & family who have been so supportive and kept me from going stir-crazy when I could only hobble around at home. 

Looking forward to adding to my mileage for 2019, even though I will not be expecting to reach my target of 5,200 miles.

Gridironman.

Keeping the Pedals Turning.

Whilst I have no ambition to try and rival the gentleman who has cycled a million miles I too am a bit of a number cruncher. The tally for this week is 138.4 miles giving me a total so far this year of 4,543. Seven weeks still to go to get my total to 5,200. My best annual total over the last few years was 5,822 in 2016. That included my best ever tour across France which was about 800 miles.

However, the main point of cycling isn't to break records but to have fun and enjoy the countryside. This week has been good for that with three very different rides. The first with The Pedallers, the second with Simon to join the HCMF meet at the George, St. Mary Bourne, and the third a solo ride to the south of Alresford. The weather has been kind to us here in Hampshire. We shouldn't complain about the few spots of rain we have had when some folk in the north have been flooded out of their homes.

Today, with all the memorial events taking place I looked out for interesting sightings as I rode. This was the Lychgate at Swanmore.

Tuesday 5th November 2019.

Thursday 7th November 2019.

Chinook hiding in the woods.!

Sunday 10th November 2019.

My Lunch Break Spot.
Where is it?

Gridironman.

Loops

It has definitely been a more wintery week. I have been wearing four layers and gloves as well as tights over shorts and never got very sweaty except for on the return from Medstead on Thursday. When I peaked in South Town, Medstead my average speed (on Paris) was in single figures. I couldn't have that so went like the clappers on my way home. I managed to push the figure up to 11.2 mph, Result.

Travellers' Rest.

Wednesday 30th  October 2019.

Another of my make it up as I go rides. Decided to go south and had an idea to check out the cafe in the Manor Farm Country Park. There is a stretch of about 100 yards of gravel road to enter the Park from the Botley side but anyone with delicate tyres could easily walk that. Entrance to the Farm is subject to a fee but the cafe is outside that area. I discovered that it was not only open but very busy so I did not stop, also it was a bit early for a coffee break. The bad news is that from 1st November it will only be open at weekends. 

I carried on through the park enjoying the autumn colours in the trees. A couple of steep short pitches which needed bottom gear. Then I emerged onto Dodwell Lane, very close to the M27 junction for Burslem. I dived down a lane and joined the A27 to cross the River Hamble. Rode past NATS on my way through Swanwick. In Curbridge a massive housing development is taking place.

I returned to Botley for a coffee at Mrs. Potts by the River where I had taken the pedallers on a very hot day in the summer.

Not wanting to waste a perfectly nice afternoon I meandered some more, climbing over the shoulder of Old Winchester Hill to enjoy the very fast descent into East Meon. Rewarded myself with coffee & crumpets in Cuppacheeno in West Meon.

Footnote. HMS Mercury is a special place for me as I spent about a month there in 1953 when I was training as a Coder (E) in the Royal Navy. 

Thursday 31st October 2019.

Sunday 3rd November 2019.

A couple of photos taken with Simon's camera on Sunday.

Outside The Handlebar Cafe.

Now, what was the combination?

Gridironman.

Autumn Colours & Sunny Sunday.

Paddy Power.
At North Waltham.

Wednesday 23rd October 2019.

A somewhat dull day but at least it was dry. I found a somewhat lumpy route to and from the QE Country Park and was glad I had chosen Txiki for my mount of the day. 

The trees are really showing their autumn colours now and it was a shame there was not a sunnier day to show them to their best. Still a few odd flowers about and plenty of old man's beard to decorate the hedgerows. 

I even found a road I don't remember ever having ridden before, maybe I just forgot it. Will check with my maps.

Two red kites soaring over me as I climbed Wheeley Down. I think they had spotted a dead pheasant on the road. A little further on a buzzard took over the soaring duties.

I notice The Cricketers on Tichborne Down is still closed with some fencing round. I wonder if refurbishment is in progress or has it been bought by developers?

Thursday 24th October 2019.

With rain forecast over the next few days, I felt it would be good to ride to the HCMF meet at Easton despite the rain forecast for the middle of the day. As I rode the first few miles the roads were almost dry and apart from a spot or two of rain it was dry but just as I was riding out of Sutton Scotney it started to rain more. Fortunately not very heavily. When I got to the Cricketers I found Simon and Andrew on the doorstep so we went in together. It was good to meet up with them both as I'd not seen either for a while. The rain came heavily for the next couple of hours and it was gone 3 by the time it stopped and we headed home. So overall a good day out despite the weather.

Sunday 27thy October 2019.

A beautiful sunny day but rather chilly at around 6 deg C when we set off. Warmer in the sunshine. We had planned to go to Jolly Ollie's in Oakley but when I realised they were closed on Sunday we changed the plan and we stopped at the Old Barn Stores in North Waltham. We had to wait a while for our coffee and cake but it was well worth it as it was a lovely day to sit by the duck pond in the sunshine while other customers from the shop sat on a nearby bench and a lady and her two boys fed the ducks.

Many thanks Paddy, for making my day so enjoyable and for a post-ride dinner "en famille" with the entertainment of premier league football and "Strictly"!

Gridironman.

Another good week cycling despite various distractions.

A good start to the week with a Pedallers ride in the New Forest but then on Thursday rain delayed my start and then a flat tyre curtailed my ride. On Saturday with rugby and a family celebration, I didn't ride with the Winchester CTC as I had planned. So I made up a bit for that with a solo ride on Sunday between watching two more WC Rugby matches.

Tuesday 15th October 2019.

Thursday 17th October 2019.

Sunday 20th October 2019

Gridironman.

Welcome back to the Pedallers International!

Pedallers International having returned from their trip it was time to resume normal service. With other matters to attend to we were still only four on the ride on Tuesday 8th October. Sometimes small is beautiful, so it proved on this occasion with a most enjoyable ride. We were back in time to miss the rain too!

Thursday 10th October saw me out on my own again but meeting up with lots of friends en route, both during my visit to NH and in the pub at lunch. It was good to hear from June Morton that having learnt to ride as an adult recently she is now thriving on the bike and has joined her local Breeze group.

Sunday 13th October 2019.

It seemed to rain all morning so i was in no hurry to go out on my bike. However, after being entertained by the Japanese V Scotland rugby match while I had a delicious lamb steak for lunch it started to brighten up so it was time to get cycling again.

Still not quite averaging a ton. (99.8). Just 8 miles short. 

The most important thing is I am still greatly enjoying my rides thanks to a little assistance from Txiki! I still work hard but don't feel knackered when I get home. Today I used less than 50% of the battery.

Gridironman.

Pinging Nuts & Acorns & Scrunching Beech Mast.

As my friend Bob observed last Thursday there are plenty of hazelnuts littering the roads recently and every now and then as one runs over one it pings across the road! I can remember as a child going "nutting". It was an important source of food like blackberrying and gleaning at a time when we had rationing.

Tuesday 1st October

For a second week running the morning was wet but the afternoon dry so a late start enabled an almost dry ride.

Thursday 3rd October.

We are really into Autumn now, the temperature into single digits early on and not much into double later. Fortunately I'd checked before setting off and I was wearing my winter tights and gilet for the first time.

Saturday 5th October.

Not having any of the Groupetta to ride with I opted to join the Winchester CTC ride led by Bob. A good choice as the ride was much easier than my other recent rides with the elevations being more modest and plenty of flatish going along the valleys. I took Txiki because I knew I'd be covering over 50 miles, but I could have managed on one of the others having covered over 45 miles on the first 25% of the battery. 

Bob had planned a good ride with coffee at Leckford and lunch at St. Mary Bourne, where we had a lovely chat at lunch with the others, taking care not to overhear the rugby in the next bar.

Another over the "ton" week. My average weekly figure now 99.5 miles. Need to beef that up during the better weather.

Gridironman.

Some days wet some days wetter!

Some good rides despite the unsettled weather. At least getting wet was not too uncomfortable as it was quite warm. 

On Tuesday most of the Pedallers were playing away abroad, so with the rain coming in the morning, I went out on my own after lunch.

On my way home on Thursday from the HCMF meet I came the scenic route along the south side of the River Itchen riding past Avington House. I was reminded that is where some 29 years ago we celebrated the wedding of Sarah and Steve.

Avington House.
A special place for our family.

Fields greening up 
again after the harvest. 

Just after I had descended from Farley Mount I had the pleasure of watching a bird of prey for several minutes. I believe it was either a Merlin or Hobby. It flew fast and quite low overhead and then across the fields before it circled around a group of trees flying low over the branches. It then came back passing just ahead of me before disappearing behind the hedges. It was a lovely experience.

I used the e-power for most of the ride to see how much it used. The answer: 40 miles completed before 50% was used. I was pleased with that.

On Saturday I decided to go for a ride having no clear idea of where I was going but decided to head East.  When I got to Alton I followed a group of cyclists to Holybourne. A lot of them were wearing Jerseys with WHV on the back. When they stopped at the White Hart Pub I decided that they must be the White Hart Velos. I Can't find any reference to them on Google. 

Near Wyke, I passed another cyclist who may have been a friend but it is always hard to recognize other riders when they flash by unexpectedly.

I had lunch in the very smart cafe at Gilbert White's. I was a little disappointed by the food and the service was very slow considering they were not very busy. I wish I'd gone to the little Tea Shop just along the street.

In the week I managed another ton and my weekly average is now hovering just below a weekly average of 100 at 98.9. I am actually targeting 4,500, rather than 5,200, which I think is more achievable with the winter weather likely to intervene.

Gridironman

Indian Summer.

It has been another lovely sunny week encouraging us all to get out on our bikes. I have only managed two rides as it was also time I made good use of the weather to attend to other tasks which needed to be done in fine weather. E.G. demolishing the Wendy House, clearing out the garden shed and reorganizing storage.

I have been busy attending to the administration for the HCMF including the Festive Lunch which has been ably arranged by Trevor and Paul. Always a good excuse to meet at a pub! 

Paul & Gridironman plotting our next move!

Today, Sunday,  Paddy and I had planned a ride but the rain put us off. I was actually quite glad as I had a bad night last night with my cough returning and keeping me awake a lot and after my exertions demolishing our Wendy House and reducing the pieces to manageable size pieces for disposal I was feeling quite tired. It was a good excuse to watch the rugby too!

One of the Droxford scarecrows with two admirers.

Gridironman.