Flying Dodo
It'll soon be summer
Well, the weather forecast is looking rather fine for Monday, so no arm warmers needed.
Anyone fancy riding out to Birmingham from London on Monday 1 July?
- Thread starter User
- Start date
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Flying Dodo
It'll soon be summer
I'm taking 2 - it's already warm out there.
Flying Dodo
It'll soon be summer
So, I'm sat on the green in Chalfont St Giles, and Davy's running late as he broke a bike and had to go back home to pick up another one.......too many kebabs I think!!!!!
Flying Dodo
It'll soon be summer
Yes!
Wobblers
Euthermic
- Location
- Minkowski Space
That's a start!
I'm feeling somewhat sub-par, so don't worry if you don't see me at Middleton Cheney, and don't wait. I'll be cycling the route from Brum, so you'll probably meet me going the other way along the B4100. Don't forget to wave (and shout)!
Flying Dodo
It'll soon be summer
Cuurently having lunch just south of Great Missenden. About an hour behind schedule, so I'll have to up the pace once we get onto the Aylesbury Vale.
Flying Dodo
It'll soon be summer
Just met Andrew in Middleton Cheney. Definitely sunny up here!
lilolee
Veteran
- Location
- Maidenhead
Just got home after bailing at Banbury and catching the train home.
Fun, and eventful day out. Many thanks to adam for leading this, and it was nice meeting User for the first time (when's the curry night?), and always a pleasure to meet up with DW.
Fun, and eventful day out. Many thanks to adam for leading this, and it was nice meeting User for the first time (when's the curry night?), and always a pleasure to meet up with DW.
Flying Dodo
It'll soon be summer
Due to time constraints, I had to pass responsibility for User into the capable hands of Andrew, whilst I zoomed off towards Birmingham. Quick calculations showed I had to average just over 18 mph, to make my train. As I only managed 16 after riding another 10 miles, I decided to divert to Warwick Parkway to get a train from there.
Wobblers
Euthermic
- Location
- Minkowski Space
Not long back.115 miles for me, the most I've done this year. Not to mention the fine pints of Doombar and UHU to slake a definitely earned thirst - thanks for the pint, CoG!
A fuller report tomorrow, but I'll just apologise for the crap route back: I'm sure Adam's route would have been less hilly, but I would have got lost too many times, and taken far too long. And in the end, it was only two miles longer. Hope you got your kebab!
A fuller report tomorrow, but I'll just apologise for the crap route back: I'm sure Adam's route would have been less hilly, but I would have got lost too many times, and taken far too long. And in the end, it was only two miles longer. Hope you got your kebab!
lilolee
Veteran
- Location
- Maidenhead
I just hope User can get up in time for his meeting 
Flying Dodo
It'll soon be summer
When I first got a text from Davy, on the way to the rendezvous in Chalfont St Giles, my initial thought was he'd overdosed on a kebab, but it seems he'd had various mechanical issues which ended up meaning him returning home for another bike. Still, it gave me a change to sun bathe on the village green and amuse myself seeing how badly everyone parks their cars, and watching the ducks.
However, they turned up, raring to go.
We eventually set off at around 11:45, so quite a bit later than scheduled.
Now User and Davy, being on fixed, clearly hadn't looked at the map too closely, seeing as we were in the Chilterns, which are a range of fairly steep hills. So they did suffer a bit unfortunately, despite me picking the line of the easiest route. Lee of course, whom we met in Winchmore Hill, being sensible had a triple. Although he did admit he hadn't got his valves lined up properly.
As mentioned above, for the route out towards Banbury, I'd used the roads I'd picked for my HS2 ride which generally were quiet. To save a bit of time, I decided we'd try for lunch at the same pub, which did us proud in providing tasty food.
After dropping down into Aylesbury Vale, that meant most of the hills were out of the way for a while, so we could enjoy the views.
Once we'd gone through the Waddesdon Estate, Davy decided to peel off towards the A40, and head for home. His initial thought was to aim for Bicester, until I pointed out that was the wrong direction..............
The miles ticked away, the sun came out, although the head wind was a bit of a pain. On the plus side, there was some lovely scenery, including this field of poppies, just past Fringford.
After 80 miles, User was still smiling.
I realised by now, as we were about 1½ hours behind the original schedule, and that it would be sensible to go a bit slower bearing in mind User hadn't done this sort of mileage since last year, we wouldn't get to Birmingham until way past 9 pm, which would have meant I wouldn't get back home until past midnight. Therefore when we met Andrew in Middleton Cheney, I made a decision to head off ahead, as I knew Andrew had a route back (seeing as he'd got there!), plus it would enable them to go back at their own pace. Although I felt a bit guilty, as though User was being passed along like a package, first by Davy, then by me!
Anyway, although I tried an initial burst of speed, I could see I wouldn't make my timed train, so I decided to follow the route until past Warwick, and get a train back to Haddenham, as then it's an easy 20 miles back home.
I'm not sure who suggested the B4100, but I hope Andrew & User didn't go on it. Although it's a wide rolling B road, and there wasn't that much traffic, the road surface is big chip & tar, and after 10 miles of that, even on a Ti bike, it was starting to get annoying, so I wished I'd stuck with my original route.
Anyway, it was a good day out, in splendid company, and I hope User didn't suffer too much. Overall I did 131 miles at an average 14.5 mph. All good practice for Cardiff in 10 days time.
The rest of the photos are shown here.
However, they turned up, raring to go.
We eventually set off at around 11:45, so quite a bit later than scheduled.
Now User and Davy, being on fixed, clearly hadn't looked at the map too closely, seeing as we were in the Chilterns, which are a range of fairly steep hills. So they did suffer a bit unfortunately, despite me picking the line of the easiest route. Lee of course, whom we met in Winchmore Hill, being sensible had a triple. Although he did admit he hadn't got his valves lined up properly.
As mentioned above, for the route out towards Banbury, I'd used the roads I'd picked for my HS2 ride which generally were quiet. To save a bit of time, I decided we'd try for lunch at the same pub, which did us proud in providing tasty food.
After dropping down into Aylesbury Vale, that meant most of the hills were out of the way for a while, so we could enjoy the views.
Once we'd gone through the Waddesdon Estate, Davy decided to peel off towards the A40, and head for home. His initial thought was to aim for Bicester, until I pointed out that was the wrong direction..............
The miles ticked away, the sun came out, although the head wind was a bit of a pain. On the plus side, there was some lovely scenery, including this field of poppies, just past Fringford.
After 80 miles, User was still smiling.
I realised by now, as we were about 1½ hours behind the original schedule, and that it would be sensible to go a bit slower bearing in mind User hadn't done this sort of mileage since last year, we wouldn't get to Birmingham until way past 9 pm, which would have meant I wouldn't get back home until past midnight. Therefore when we met Andrew in Middleton Cheney, I made a decision to head off ahead, as I knew Andrew had a route back (seeing as he'd got there!), plus it would enable them to go back at their own pace. Although I felt a bit guilty, as though User was being passed along like a package, first by Davy, then by me!
Anyway, although I tried an initial burst of speed, I could see I wouldn't make my timed train, so I decided to follow the route until past Warwick, and get a train back to Haddenham, as then it's an easy 20 miles back home.
I'm not sure who suggested the B4100, but I hope Andrew & User didn't go on it. Although it's a wide rolling B road, and there wasn't that much traffic, the road surface is big chip & tar, and after 10 miles of that, even on a Ti bike, it was starting to get annoying, so I wished I'd stuck with my original route.
Anyway, it was a good day out, in splendid company, and I hope User didn't suffer too much. Overall I did 131 miles at an average 14.5 mph. All good practice for Cardiff in 10 days time.
The rest of the photos are shown here.
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