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.