OP
OP
- Location
- The TerrorVortex
That's teh cake scuppered then!!!
Have a good time Sig
Have a good time Sig
Sunny Hertfordshire Ride 5 September
- Thread starter TheDoctor
- Start date
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OP
OP
- Location
- The TerrorVortex
SteveVW, redflightuk, me and you.
Not one of the better attended rides, certainly!
Not one of the better attended rides, certainly!
OP
OP
- Location
- The TerrorVortex
Today is a good day to ride!!!!!!
And eat cakes.
And eat cakes.
OP
OP
- Location
- The TerrorVortex
Not if I see you first! 
I'll be at the station...
I'll be at the station...
OP
OP
- Location
- The TerrorVortex
Well, that was good.
Met up with TopCat1 at the station, and headed on up to Fairlands Valley where RedflightUK was waiting with a mostly-drained mug of tea. Further tea was acquired and we sat and drank it in the sun. The lakes are now full of water (they'd been drained for a repair to the liners) and it was all rather peaceful. Almost a shame to wreck it with a ride, somehow...
Anyways, we rode off on the cyclepath through the valley, and continued to the Eastern edge of Stevenage, where we picked up the road to Walkern. This was a bit busy, and remained so till we turned off towards Halls Green and Weston, and got onto quiet country lanes. Weston seemed to be setting up for a fete of some sort, which would have given us a potential bonus tea stop, but we withstood temptation and carried on past Clothall, across the main road and up to Quickwoods. The lane down from here to Baldock is delightful - downhill, virtually traffic-free and there's a good view just as you drop off the ridge. There's often a model aircraft club doing thier radio-controlled thing down there too.
Into Baldock, and into Cafe Plus. More Tea, and a plate of egg and chips for TC. Entertainment was provided by Flappy Teenager trying to keep her fry-up untainted by wasps, with no great degree of success. I thought I'd been undercharged here - two cups of tea can't cost as little as £1.40, surely? Oh yes they can. 70p for tea - bargain!!!
We were delayed slightly by the restored MGTF for sale in the MG place - a snip at £25000. Want want want!!!! All donations welcomed.
From Baldock we climbed up to Willian - the less said about the road to Willian the better. It's an awful surface on the climb itself, and it just seems a lot harder than it really ought to as a result. Past The Fox, where I met up with SteveVWs ride a few months ago, and thence on to Great Wymondly, St Ippolyts, Gosmore and up Preston Hill. Preston Hill is a bit steep and long for my taste, but it does set you up for a lovely long descent into Whitwell. Avoiding the temptations of the watercress farm and a potential tea stop, we turned off just before the stables where RedflightUKs horse lives, and got to Vanstones. This was supposed to be a tea-time stop, but my timings were out by a mile, so it was more like lunchtime.
This was a bad time to discover that the restaurant was being rebuilt. One small panic later, we found they had a temporary coffee shop elsewhere in the garden centre. No hot food, other than sausage rolls and the like, but the cheese scones were excellent. So were the raisin scones...
From there further small lanes awaited to Nup End, Slip End and a long downhill to Woolmer Green. After a tailwind-assisted climb to Datchworth, another long descent to Watton at Stone. Very pleasant. Less good was the climb out of Watton towards Aston. By now we had circumnavigated Stevenage, never more than about 8 miles away, but never really aware of its existance. Back in on the same road we'd come out on, and back to the lakes for further Tea. We then split up as we left Fairlands - RFUK heading South, and TC1 going back to the station. I then came back through the town center, where some random Stevenage chav told me my wheel was round. Gosh, thanks, that's original!!!!!!
Total Distance - 48 miles.
Avarage Speed - a less-than-heroic 12 mph.
Tea Stops - 4
Met up with TopCat1 at the station, and headed on up to Fairlands Valley where RedflightUK was waiting with a mostly-drained mug of tea. Further tea was acquired and we sat and drank it in the sun. The lakes are now full of water (they'd been drained for a repair to the liners) and it was all rather peaceful. Almost a shame to wreck it with a ride, somehow...
Anyways, we rode off on the cyclepath through the valley, and continued to the Eastern edge of Stevenage, where we picked up the road to Walkern. This was a bit busy, and remained so till we turned off towards Halls Green and Weston, and got onto quiet country lanes. Weston seemed to be setting up for a fete of some sort, which would have given us a potential bonus tea stop, but we withstood temptation and carried on past Clothall, across the main road and up to Quickwoods. The lane down from here to Baldock is delightful - downhill, virtually traffic-free and there's a good view just as you drop off the ridge. There's often a model aircraft club doing thier radio-controlled thing down there too.
Into Baldock, and into Cafe Plus. More Tea, and a plate of egg and chips for TC. Entertainment was provided by Flappy Teenager trying to keep her fry-up untainted by wasps, with no great degree of success. I thought I'd been undercharged here - two cups of tea can't cost as little as £1.40, surely? Oh yes they can. 70p for tea - bargain!!!
We were delayed slightly by the restored MGTF for sale in the MG place - a snip at £25000. Want want want!!!! All donations welcomed.
From Baldock we climbed up to Willian - the less said about the road to Willian the better. It's an awful surface on the climb itself, and it just seems a lot harder than it really ought to as a result. Past The Fox, where I met up with SteveVWs ride a few months ago, and thence on to Great Wymondly, St Ippolyts, Gosmore and up Preston Hill. Preston Hill is a bit steep and long for my taste, but it does set you up for a lovely long descent into Whitwell. Avoiding the temptations of the watercress farm and a potential tea stop, we turned off just before the stables where RedflightUKs horse lives, and got to Vanstones. This was supposed to be a tea-time stop, but my timings were out by a mile, so it was more like lunchtime.
This was a bad time to discover that the restaurant was being rebuilt. One small panic later, we found they had a temporary coffee shop elsewhere in the garden centre. No hot food, other than sausage rolls and the like, but the cheese scones were excellent. So were the raisin scones...
From there further small lanes awaited to Nup End, Slip End and a long downhill to Woolmer Green. After a tailwind-assisted climb to Datchworth, another long descent to Watton at Stone. Very pleasant. Less good was the climb out of Watton towards Aston. By now we had circumnavigated Stevenage, never more than about 8 miles away, but never really aware of its existance. Back in on the same road we'd come out on, and back to the lakes for further Tea. We then split up as we left Fairlands - RFUK heading South, and TC1 going back to the station. I then came back through the town center, where some random Stevenage chav told me my wheel was round. Gosh, thanks, that's original!!!!!!
Total Distance - 48 miles.
Avarage Speed - a less-than-heroic 12 mph.
Tea Stops - 4
Yes that really was good.
Met the doc and went over to Fairlands to meet Redflight
Stevenage is full of cyclepaths
and on all the roads the drivers were very good (not 1 toot for the whole day), we passed loads of pubs
but this was a tea n cake ride.
After breakfeast in Baldock the doc fell in love an MG
and then we were out on the lanes enjoying the view.
Thanks Doc and Redflight, must do that again.
tc1
http://tinypic.com/a/1aj3l/3
Met the doc and went over to Fairlands to meet Redflight
Stevenage is full of cyclepaths
and on all the roads the drivers were very good (not 1 toot for the whole day), we passed loads of pubs
but this was a tea n cake ride.
After breakfeast in Baldock the doc fell in love an MG
and then we were out on the lanes enjoying the view.
Thanks Doc and Redflight, must do that again.
tc1
http://tinypic.com/a/1aj3l/3
redflightuk
Guru
- Location
- going round in circles
The vanstones entertainment was good too. First time i've seen stampeding Geese. The kids in the car park didn't look very impressed.
OP
OP
- Location
- The TerrorVortex
Well, I'm happy to revamp this as a November ride for the Home Counties CC people.
Glad you both enjoyed it - a ride is always better with like-minded companions
Glad you both enjoyed it - a ride is always better with like-minded companions
Arch
Married to Night Train
- Location
- Salford, UK
TheDoctor said:
Ah. <sings> "Memories....."
