I've now managed to extract my photos from my camera - like the SD card in the GPS playing up, I was also having technical issues with the camera yesterday. Fortunately, the only other technical issue was poor Tim suffering a puncture in Brixton riding up to the start of the ride, meaning we didn't leave Euston until just after 10. Still, it all gave us time to admire Davy's gleaming Dolan:-
Some of the others weren't interested in that, and preferred to try and stay warm in the sun:-
Yesterday was very tricky from a clothing point of view, as it was only just above freezing at the start, and yet we knew it would be warm by lunchtime, but it would then cool off again. I only had 1 thick layer under the jacket, but with hindsight wish I'd put shorts under over trousers, which I could have removed later on.
Heading off from Euston, for both Charlie and Mice, I'd deliberately taken the route via London Zoo, where the giraffes were outside eating. There's not a lot to say about the next 20 miles, as it was London! The climb up Horsenden Lane at Sudbury give us a brief glimpse of green, but at exactly the 20 mile mark, we reached a National Speed Limit sign (on a narrow, potholed lane) and we were out into the countryside and I could see some of the group were blinking at the alien surroundings, unused to the wide open spaces and rolling vistas. Dropping down the hill from Harefield, unfortunately we hit a red light at the bottom, which was very badly timed, but going over the bridge across the Grand Union Canal, we saw our first "No to HS2 sign". Crossing the M25, I showed where in 10/15/20/whenever years time, the HS2 will zoom across right next to the road bridge, before burrowing itself across the fields. We in turn headed north-west, and Charlie showed where he'd lived when younger, and we also passed the house of what had been a near neighbour of his - Graham Gouldman of 10cc fame. After such a heady mix, Chalfont St Giles was no match, although this gave us the second little climb of the day, but to compensate, there were some wonderful views. By now it was warming up and we got to the pub in Little Kingshill about 35 minutes late, so apologies to Alan for being kept waiting.
However, the Full Moon was a definite hit with the group
as some
greedy people in need of extra nourishment, had dessert.....
We also made sure we made use of the correct facilities, rather than the grass outside.
Cycleman had briefly joined us at the pub, just to say hello, but others left, meaning there was now 8 left to face the final 47 miles. I confirmed that there was a long, not too steep climb, and then we'd swoop downhill on the Vale of Aylesbury. First however, we stopped off at Chequers:-
One of the group made impolite gestures to the security camera. I distanced myself from Charlie, just in case any sub-machine toting secret service agents came storming out of the Gate House, but fortunately the only response was the camera dipping up and down, and its wiper going. Speeding off, we were then onto the flat Vale, with just quiet roads and fields to roll past, along with the occasional bit of propaganda:-
In fact up to last year, the signs used to say "No to the HS2". Most of those are now gone, being replaced with lots of little "Axe HS2 signs" and others saying "Use the money on the NHS" - which I though was a bit ironic as probably most of the people living in the mansions with those signs would have private healthcare.
Anyway, heading off into the Waddesdon Estate, I almost made a navigational error and made us go up a rough concrete road - seeing as the state of the normal roads in Buckinghamshire are bad enough with the potholes, that would have added insult to injury. We then had to endure a grotty stretch of the A41, but then we could turn off for Quainton, where Mice was over the moon to realise the steam engines were running.
For the rest of the ride, generally we were on really quiet roads.
With about 15 miles to go, we stopped off at a pub in Fringford for refreshment.
We discovered that the village was where Lark Rise to Candleford was filmed. The pub also seems to collect Marmite jars:-
By now, it was starting to cool down again, so jackets were zipped up again, as we headed on the final stretch towards Banbury.
The Pullman Express was just getting ready to leave which attracted more interest from the train spotters
Due to engineering works, we had a bit of a wait for a train back to London, and when it arrived, it was full of supervising police officers, due to it having various football fans on, so it was very cramped. At this point, one of our group did get a bit rowdy and started objecting about the route, claiming she was unaware of the profile. Fortunately one of the police was on hand to haul her away.
Seriously though, it was a wonderful day out in excellent company. It did seem very odd to be out all day in almost constant sunshine.
Thanks to everyone for coming along.
The rest of the photos are
here.
Did seem like very hard work much of the time anyway- that wind felt neither light nor across, to me at least, and I was often lagging behind a bit, unlike the person who kept moaning about all the hills (nice one M, you were clearly OK for that 
).
Nice indeed to see Cycleman (that's the YACF one, not the CC one) before the now reconfigured group carried on. The proliferation of
) I have just read FDs report - obviously he can name the places we went to (I can't) but despite that I did a little ride report of my own.....
that I was going to have so much fun. This was the perfect ride to start my 2013 cycling with my Boardman which hasn't been outside since November! 
They are so different. Four months of riding the steel framed Brompton and the aluminum Marin - both with racks meant that with one pedal push on the Boardman I was half way down the street - I laughed out loud! 
Pints of beer and pints of tea 
- with biscuits! (Tea is really good for dehydration - not sure I can wholeheartedly say the same about beer..!) But a really welcoming place. We sat in the sunshine and learned about nearby filming for Lark rise to Candleford.
. 
