Summer Ride around Herts and Bucks

[martint235]

Well it's started with a very sunny day in Welling and it ended with a very sunny day in Welling. The bit in between was a different story however. Met up with iZaP and Topcat at Marble Arch for a brisk legstretch up to Harpenden (note to arallsopp, it must only be when I'm with you that it takes two hours longer

). Got to Harpenden with an hour to spare. Met up with Paulus, Jayonabike, Redflight, trickydicky and set off into the Herts countryside. A couple of showers but nothing much and a stop for coffee. Then it rained. Then it rained a bit harder!! Then it stopped and an executive decision was made to make a run for the pub 8 miles away.

The weather waited until we were about a mile down the road and then decided to show us what rain is all about. We waited and waited and eventually the decision to call it a day was made. Train from Tring to Euston. Quick zip to Waterloo where we said good bye to TC, me and iZaP shared the road for another mile or so then he peeled off for Croydon. I hit the Old Kent Road and it decided to rain again but by this point I was past caring.

Forget the rain, it was a good ride out. Shame we didn't make the pub for lunch, I remember it being nice the last time. 82 miles in total for me, short of the 130 I was expecting but hey ho.

 

[jayonabike]

A summer ride, yeah right. How silly of me to organise a ride in August! Everything was going swimmingly (pun intended.) We started out from Harpenden and picked up the lanes from Redbourn. A few light showers but nothing major, quite refreshing as it goes, cycling through the Hertfordshire countryside. A couple of climbs then a stop for coffee and cake ( I had the carrot cake. I often stop here for the carrot cake it is rather nice!)

Then it rained.

As Martin said, it rained a bit more.

10 minutes shelter under the trees was enough and as Tring station was a couple of miles away we made our way there. I got a puncture at the station, changed the tube on the platform. 10 minutes ride from Hemel station and I was home, 47 miles for me when it should of been 80ish.

I'll organise another for the end of September I think, maybe we'll make the pub then.

Jay

 

[iZaP]

No idea what those two are talking about... I didn't see any rain nor headwind!

85 miles in total for me....

From the Euston station I breezed past heavy traffic in Brixton and Streatham...and I was in the sunny Croydon!

Lovely ride nonetheless!

 

[martint235]

[QUOTE 1441678"]
So it took you an hour and a half from Marble Arch to Harpenden?

Not bad going considering you took in the delights that are Brockley and St Stephens Hill.
[/quote]

Brockley? That's Sarf East London that is.

Yeah about hour and a half. Straight up the A5, through Elstree and St Albans and into Harpenden.

 

[martint235]

No idea what those two are talking about... I didn't see any rain nor headwind!

85 miles in total for me....

From the Euston station I breezed past heavy traffic in Brixton and Streatham...and I was in the sunny Croydon!

Lovely ride nonetheless!

Arnold, have you stopped shivering yet???

 

[Paulus]

A good ride, marred by the weather. Even after getting off the train at Watford Junction, it poured down the last 10 miles home. Once home found out that no1 son had used all the hot water and had not put the boiler on. So after a luke warm bath and reflection, I am putting this ride down as character building. Bring on the next one Jay, Thanks for getting this one together.

 

[jayonabike]

A couple of pics from today (when it wasn't raining!)

 

[topcat1]

I had a few drinks last night

so i warned them i'll be watering the plants every hour

wrong every 10 minutes

so as been said a nice ride up traffic free, slight wind but good going

a very nice ride, i also had cake

i'm having probs with the pics, i'll post them later

nice to meet you Jay hope to make the next one

 

[jayonabike]

nice to meet you Jay hope to make the next one

It was nice to meet you too, and everyone else for that matter. Hopefully on the next ride we wont need to bring a snorkel.

 

[The_Wheelhouse]

After everyone bought tickets for the train it was quite sunny and warm for the ride home, which ironically was a very fun ride I had some ice cream on the way back

It's a shame that it was raining so much and i think if we stayed at the cafe and waited till it finally stopped it would have been quite a nice ride because as far as I could tell it didn't start raining again till about 7.

 

[redflightuk]

Thanks Jay for a nice route. After i left you at Ashridge i followed the road back past the cafe( through some very large puddles) and turned right to Little Gaddesden, the sun came out as i climbed to Studham but more of the wet stuff came down between Markyate and Kinsbourne grn. The sun came out again and after a nice 40mph downhill to Hyde i made it back to the stables(where i had a change of clothes)just before the next downpour.
Still enjoyed the ride despite the conditions.

 

[topcat1]

 

[lukesdad]

Blimey sounds like we had better weather in Jan was it ? Was a tad windy I seem to remember. Sorry I couldnt have been there.