Recce 2 done today. Track here
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/2318227
We started from Charing Cross at about 6:55. Up to HPC, bypassed Park Lane and Marble Arch by going through the park and a wiggle through back streets and on to the A5. Well, it is straight, and it goes in the right direction. It's a right slog, and the frequent traffic lights never let you settle, but it was over soon enough, after about an hour.
Then up and over a hill at Stanmore, where we spent about 20 minutes fixing a malfunctioning front mech using the tried and tested method of random twiddling, and on to Bushey. We passed through Watford largely on cycle paths. It would have been quicker to stick to the main roads, but we deserved a bit of pleasantness after the A5. Nice, well surfaced cycle paths in the main.
North of the M25 the roads were showing signs of recent flooding, with lots of sand and gravel and mud slicks, much to the disgust of my riding partner who was taking his new carbin bling out for its first spin.
We rolled into Berkhamsted at about 10:05 and stopped for breakfast. We left Berkhamsted on the main 4251 to Tring, rather than one of the gratuitously hilly alternatives. From Tring to Mentmore, where we stopped for second breakfast. Then Wing, Stewkley, Mursley, Horwood, Nash and Beachapton. This was lovely country, nice weather with a slight tailwind. Fantastic. We followed, initially, the route of @
CharlieB 's Bucks ride from last year.
Much happier with the practicality of this route. Maybe the cycle path wiggles through Watford are a bit fiddly, but I do like them.
At this point we peeled off and headed to Milton Keynes for the train. As Wild Willy Barret sang "How can you ever find your way, when the roads don't go nowhere? 'Cos there ain't nowhere much to go ... in Milton Keynes"