106 km forum ride from Leighton Buzzard to Chilterns and Aylesbury Vale, 5th Aug 2017

[shirokazan]

Works ok for me. Now I've got to decide weather I'll get round in the same day as the rest of you

I wouldn't worry about that @toffee, I'll be lagging at the back. By contrast, Colin will be off into the distance as these gradients will barely register with him: if it's bone dry and the sun's out, that might confuse him though!

 

[ColinJ]

I wouldn't worry about excessive speed - we took about 10.5 hours to do Saturday's 105 mile Humber Bridge, including stops! There was only about 1/4 of the climbing that we will be doing on this ride so I doubt that we will average much more than 10-12 mph overall. Maybe 15-16 mph on the flat if we don't get unhelpful winds?

Most people understand that most forum rides are sociable, chatty affairs. I have only had a handful of riders complain about us going too slowly and I found it a bit annoying, given that I ALWAYS mention in advance the kind of speed that we are likely to do.

We usually ride together on the flat roads, but climb and descend at our own speed. I don't see why a good climber (not me!) should be held back when they can attack a nice climb, and I like to descend quickly and don't want to wait for terrified over-brakers! (I can never quite understand why someone who is happy riding at 20 mph on the flat is scared of doing more than 10 mph downhill! ) BUT ... if you go ahead on a climb or descent then you need to know where you are going! If you don't know the route or have it on a GPS (or map), wait at any junctions ahead in case we are going to turn off. I had someone guess once and he went the wrong way. He guessed again at a second junction and got that wrong too and it took several phonecalls and a lot of hanging about to get him back! I'm not sure if @Calum still visits the forum ...

 

[Aravis]

As I'd originally expressed interest, I ought to say I can't realistically do this one but hope for better luck in September.

Basically my car needs to be in Birmingham that evening even if I'm not. There are ways I could possibly organise things, but if anything went slightly wrong it would probably mean a lifetime ban from cycling, and I risk that often enough anyway.

Heading north of the Chilterns in September sounds like a very good idea. The ride on the 6th looks a bit hilly for me, though I'd've given it a go. Feel free to use this information in any way you wish!

 

[ColinJ]

As I'd originally expressed interest, I ought to say I can't realistically do this one but hope for better luck in September.

Basically my car needs to be in Birmingham that evening even if I'm not. There are ways I could possibly organise things, but if anything went slightly wrong it would probably mean a lifetime ban from cycling, and I risk that often enough anyway.

Heading north of the Chilterns in September sounds like a very good idea. The ride on the 6th looks a bit hilly for me, though I'd've given it a go. Feel free to use this information in any way you wish!

I will definitely be down that weekend in September because my sister is having a 60th birthday party on the Saturday. I will bring my bike with me so I can get a ride in on the Sunday.

 

[ColinJ]

I just bought my rail tickets for next week and am looking forward to this forum ride!

I am calling in to visit my other sister in Coventry on the way down and may opt to do another 100+ km ride from there to Leighton Buzzard a couple of days before this ride. There aren't any major climbs on the way down so I should be fine with a day's rest in between. (If the weather is dodgy though, I'll hop on the train in Coventry and bring my bike down on that.)

I'll post again before next Saturday.

Is anybody else interested in coming along? You'd be welcome to join us.

 

[jayonabike]

I can't make this as something's come up for Saturday. Have a good ride.

 

[steverob]

Is anybody else interested in coming along? You'd be welcome to join us.

Any idea of where you're thinking of stopping for your coffee & cake? Unfortunately I can't do the full route as I've got plans first thing on Saturday, but might be able to intercept you en route later and perhaps do the second half with you. Guessing that would be easiest by meeting you at said rest stop, or otherwise placing myself somewhere on the route and working backwards until I find you!

 

[ColinJ]

I can't make this as something's come up for Saturday. Have a good ride.

Thanks. Maybe the September ride then?

I've just uploaded the route to my GPS and phone. I won't be taking my laptop with me so I won't be able to modify the GPX files in case of unexpected diversions due to roadworks, whatever, but I'm sure that @shirokazan would be able to reroute us on the day if it were necessary. (I have all the OS maps on my phone so I could consult that, but I don't have a bar mount for it so it would involve a lot of stop-starting. I also wouldn't like to use the phone if it were raining because it isn't waterproof.)

I'll just trawl back through the thread to check on who is coming ...

There are one or two who hinted that they might make a last minute decision to join us and others who wanted to, but now can't, which (I think!) leaves:

• Me (ColinJ) and possibly my sister's cyclist neighbour
• shirokazan
• Dogtrousers (meeting us at Ringshall at about 10:00 - junction of Beacon Rd and the B4506)
• toffee
• steverob (somewhere around the cafe stop?)

Any idea of where you're thinking of stopping for your coffee & cake? Unfortunately I can't do the full route as I've got plans first thing on Saturday, but might be able to intercept you en route later and perhaps do the second half with you. Guessing that would be easiest by meeting you at said rest stop, or otherwise placing myself somewhere on the route and working backwards until I find you!

It looks like Chinnor for the cafe stop. Shirokazan mentioned the 'Wee Bookshop' cafe so we'll probably go there. It is obviously difficult to give an accurate ETA but I would be surprised if we got there in less than 3 hours (12:00) and expect it to be more like 3.5 hours (12:30). I expect that we will stop for a minimum of 30 minutes, maybe 45? So, if you aim to get to the cafe at 12:30 we should either be there or not too far away. If you can't find us then text me and I'll reply to let you know where we are. (@steverob and @toffee - I will PM you with the number of the phone that I will be using on the ride, in case you need to contact me on Saturday morning.)

 

[steverob]

It looks like Chinnor for the cafe stop. Shirokazan mentioned the 'Wee Bookshop' cafe so we'll probably go there. It is obviously difficult to give an accurate ETA but I would be surprised if we got there in less than 3 hours (12:00) and expect it to be more like 3.5 hours (12:30). I expect that we will stop for a minimum of 30 minutes, maybe 45? So, if you aim to get to the cafe at 12:30 we should either be there or not too far away. If you can't find us then text me and I'll reply to let you know where we are.

Sounds good. I'll aim to get to Thame somewhere around 12:15 and will follow the route backwards from there to Chinnor, just in case you're running ahead of schedule. If not, then I'll end up meeting you at the cafe at about 12:45.

 

[toffee]

Sorry but I am not going to make it.

Unfortunately life has has got in the way of enjoyment.

Have a good ride.

 

[ColinJ]

Sorry but I am not going to make it.

Unfortunately life has has got in the way of enjoyment.

Have a good ride.

Oh dear, that sounds unfortunate - good luck with whatever it is!

See you another time.

 

[ColinJ]

I have just had a look at the Wee Bookshop online. I hadn't appreciated the pun in the business name - I had assumed it was just 'wee' as in 'small'. I had a Scottish mum so I was very used to that usage. In fact all profits from the business go to help the fight against bladder cancer, so the name is a pun.

It looks like a nice place to stop. It will be the first time that I browse some books on a forum ride cafe stop!

 

[toffee]

I'm assuming I can just rock up at Leighton Buzzard station and get a train back to Euston afterwards. National Rail Enquiries tells me it's London Midland and the cycle policy is "Reservations not available. Two cycles per train."

Anyone know any different/have any advice?

That is correct.

 

[shirokazan]

Anyone know any different/have any advice?

I wouldn't worry. The train will be at least four coaches (possibly eight or twelve). Each coach has two vestibules and you can easily fit one or two bikes in each one. I've always just propped my bike up against the door (non-opening side of the train) and sat nearby in case it falls over or needs moving at all . If the train stops at Tring, the doors open on the other side to the other intermediate stations.

As it is, you're most likely to be the only person with a bike on the whole train. And you're going against the flow somewhat: on Saturday, daytrippers into London mean the trains tend to be busier going into London in the morning and vice versa in the late afternoon / evening.

 

[shirokazan]

BBC weather forecast for tomorrow is dry, cloudy, 17C in the morning becoming showery, thundery, 18C in the afternoon. Thankfully, @ColinJ is taller than me so hopefully he'll be the path of least resistance for any lightning.