England : Hertfordshire Jays ride through Herts, Bucks, Oxfordshire & back. 21st April.

[RiflemanSmith]

What sort of pace will you be riding?

 

[jayonabike]

Around 14 - 15 mph I reckon

 

[rb58]

Sorry Jay, on my pootle up to London today I noticed the signs saying it's the London Marathon next Sunday. We always go along to cheer, so I won't be able to make this ride after all. I will get on one soon though.
Cheers
Ross

 

[Marshmallow_Fluff]

I'm afraid I will have to cancel as well, as I was persuaded to go for my club's event (Bedford-Oxford-Bedford).. Sorry!

 

[CharlieB]

Around 14 - 15 mph I reckon

Flippin' 'eck.

 

[Flying Dodo]

Although I hinted the other week, I might come along, I'm sorry that I'd forgotten I'm staying up in York, so maybe another time.

 

[jayonabike]

The weathers looking good for tomorrow (no rain!) I've eaten a big bowl of pasta, cleaned the bike, and pumped the tyres up. I'll be at the station around 9.15 in the morning. See you there.

 

[ianrauk]

My train get's in at 9.19am so see you then.

 

[toptom]

Bike clean and ready me and James will see you at the station

 

[ianrauk]

Good to hear that clean bikes will be in attendance.

 

[jayonabike]

6 of us on todays ride, Charlie, Dave, Ian, Tom, James & myself. The sun was shining and the morning was warming up quickly. We headed out of Hemel up the hill into Bovingdon to warm the legs up, carrying on to Chesham where we picked up the lanes to Gt.Missenden. Back on the quiet B roads and up and over Longdown Hill into Monks Risborough. That was the hills done with for a while as we were heading into Oxfordshire and towards Chinnor. After a few miles we were back in the lanes riding in a bunch, chatting and enjoying the spring sunshine. We stayed on the quiet lanes to Haddenham and then on to Stoke Mandeville where we were back on B roads and the pace picked up a bit heading for the coffee stop just outside Tring.

Coffee, cake, pasties and toasted sandwiches didn't last long and it was warm enough to sit outside. After the stop we were heading into Tring and onto Aldbury. The last big climb of the day was Ivinghoe Beacon, one of my favourite climbs, the views across the shires are fantastic. The group was down to 5 as we headed into the National Trust Ashridge estate as James had to get home for a well deserved roast dinner. Past the stately home, now a collage/conference centre, through the woods and past the golf club and the strange men wearing over priced brightly coloured clothes (you won't catch cyclists doing that)

The group was down to 4 as Charlie left us to head off home and we had a couple of miles down hill back to Hemel train station. The ride was 63 miles, on B roads, country lanes, a few hills, and a flat bit in the middle.
73 miles in total for me, a great ride with great company in good weather. A roast dinner was waiting for me when I got home and a few whiskies have been drunk.

 

[ianrauk]

Cheers Jay.
An awesome ride in great company. Some fantastic riding up your way and at a nice speed too.
103 miles on the clock for me by the time I got home.

 

[CharlieB]

Great day out. Thank you Jay for a fab route and to everyone else for the company - I've got 1111m of climbing shown on my 74 miles for the day. Was trying to get 200 in for the weekend, and just failed by 5 miles.

 

[ianrauk]

Great day out. Thank you Jay for a fab route and to everyone else for the company - I've got 1111m of climbing shown on my 74 miles for the day. Was trying to get 200 in for the weekend, and just failed by 5 miles.

Day's not over yet.
Change over pedals and go for test ride

 

[topcat1]

yep excellent ride Jay, was so good i fell asleep in front of the 'puter loading the pics

apart from the ghost train we missed, a great day

some pics
http://flic.kr/s/aHsjENtJwn