Cathryn
Legendary Member
- Location
- Marlborough, Wiltshire
Just back from a little three day trip from home! The goal was to test things out ready for our trip this summer. I wanted to test out a saddle. Our son needed to get some long miles in on his new gravel bike. My husband needed to rebuild his touring bike which has been in pieces since we moved back 4 1/2 years ago. One of these things didn’t happen! One of us went road touring on a ginormous full sus MTB!
Day One was home (just outside Marlborough) to Winchester. 48 miles. Great morning, cruising along. Along came the rain! We dried off at lunch in the fantastic Silk Mill Cafe in Whitchurch and then got soaked all the way to Winchester! Holed up in the Premier Inn and didn’t leave the hotel all night! Luckily the lovely @jay clock came to see us for drinks!
Day Two was 47 miles north to Wantage. Some retracing of yesterday’s ride but in the sunshine so very nice! Lots of hills. The Husband decided touring on a heavy MTB was too hard so offloaded his saddlebag onto the rack of our son who carried his dad’s bag without moaning and still cruised up every hill! Got caught in heavy rain/hailstorm just outside Wantage! Stayed at the Bear hotel which was surprisingly nice!
Day Three…Wantage to home. 45 miles in the sunshine, hurrah! Giant climb for the first four or five miles and then up and down all day! Early cafe break at Honesty in Inkpen and on towards Bedwyn. The Husband then decided his knee pain was too bad so left us to take a more direct route home on a busy road I wasn’t happy to take our son on. So off he went and me and my rockstar son shot off via Pewsey all the way home!
Despite the family shenanigans, it was loads of fun. I’m still undecided about the saddle and will look for another. My son is a monster and will not struggle at all. My husband is now motivated to get his tourer rebuilt! 🤣
I’ll post some pics below.
Day One was home (just outside Marlborough) to Winchester. 48 miles. Great morning, cruising along. Along came the rain! We dried off at lunch in the fantastic Silk Mill Cafe in Whitchurch and then got soaked all the way to Winchester! Holed up in the Premier Inn and didn’t leave the hotel all night! Luckily the lovely @jay clock came to see us for drinks!
Day Two was 47 miles north to Wantage. Some retracing of yesterday’s ride but in the sunshine so very nice! Lots of hills. The Husband decided touring on a heavy MTB was too hard so offloaded his saddlebag onto the rack of our son who carried his dad’s bag without moaning and still cruised up every hill! Got caught in heavy rain/hailstorm just outside Wantage! Stayed at the Bear hotel which was surprisingly nice!
Day Three…Wantage to home. 45 miles in the sunshine, hurrah! Giant climb for the first four or five miles and then up and down all day! Early cafe break at Honesty in Inkpen and on towards Bedwyn. The Husband then decided his knee pain was too bad so left us to take a more direct route home on a busy road I wasn’t happy to take our son on. So off he went and me and my rockstar son shot off via Pewsey all the way home!
Despite the family shenanigans, it was loads of fun. I’m still undecided about the saddle and will look for another. My son is a monster and will not struggle at all. My husband is now motivated to get his tourer rebuilt! 🤣
I’ll post some pics below.
