Sunday 28th September 2014

That'll be Dave,Moira (brother & sister) ,Irene & Alan

Graham's singing at elevenses is just a little tedious :-)

There was around 13 at Michael Jordan's Caravans basking in the late summer sun.
Very pleasant it was too.
Daniel was the last to arrive having been marshalling..........no rush though, today was a day to linger.
No posh coffees here but tea & filter coffee satisfied the majority.
I detected a Canadian accent coming from the peloton - Dave's sister was over for a visit - welcome Moira!
The Downs Link provided a few miles of easy riding taking time for a photo at Bramley.
We're on the very platform that saw steam trains stop running 49 years ago.
NCN 22 was stony around Shalford as it snaked around houses to emerge in Shalford Park.
Food arrived quickly at this efficient "Spoons"........my tuna baguette & chips (£5.39) was delicious!
By now half of Dave's family had joined us but Pewley Hill beckoned.
Daniel rode his fixed and no-one climbed off.
Onto the NDW and a short stretch of rough-stuff with fine views down the valley, apparently it's the driest September for 65 years.
Early tea.........before three!
Substandard scone but okay tea albeit in a paper cup at this Tillings aquired place formerly The Barn now called the Cornerhouse café.
Everybody took the NDW homewards where we became aware of an enthusiastic 6 yr old pedaling like mad away from his parents.I was doing 10 mph and never caught him.
Janice decided that it was time to reel him in and point him back toward his elders."Mummy said I could ride as far as I want..............then turn round and go back"
By now his sister had appeared and we were satisfied he would eventually be reunited with M & D.
I found it quite suprising a young child could be allowed to cycle so far from his parents when it seems children go missing ever more frequently.

A very warm day...................Kew recorded 25C!
44 miles.

 Talk about near miss!
http://road.cc/content/news/130745-video-incredibly-close-call-cyclist-russia-caught-middle-crash-between-lorry-and

This Sunday's ride (change of lunch/tea)

This Sunday, 28th September, Michael Jordan Caravans will be the  elevenses.
Due to a party of 75(!) at The Sun in Dunsfold, lunch will be at W'spoons,Guildford.
Tea will be at the newly opened Cornerhouse café at Newlands.
ADVANCE WARNING - That means Pewley Hill and the NDW ............ little or no rain due but rough stuff all the same :-).

Sunday 21st September 2014

Sunday, 21 September 2014

 Runnymede - Marlow - Egham (PJ Tea Parlour)

 

The C&M's very own Dyson has reinvented the truly aerodynamic wheel. demonstrated at Runnymede. Carbon disc wheels, goodbye! Alan had to keep stopping to let us catch up - then he got bored. I hope that he has taken out a patent.

No, not you Vic!!

To the sound of gnashing molars, our venerable leader grinds out a winsome smile.

  Lunch in the sunken garden in somewhat wan and reluctant sunshine. Longs recommended.

 Our shy and retiring Pam makes an elegant entrance for the photoshoot

 

 I'm told this is a viewpoint, though Vic may be disapointed about the view. Where are the hills?

Beside the towpath we came across the Church of St Mary Magdalene, Boveney, adopted by the Friends of Friendless Churches. We should have lingered to find out more about this gem, but at least we can click on the link to discover a little of what we missed.

Sunday 21 September 2014

Runnymede Cafe at the surprising early (for me) time of 1010 was the first stop. Within seconds three became seven and eventually fifteen had gathered. Vic's first lead drew an audience of twelve and started as expected: back road through Old Windsor, Datchet, Eton (full of coat-tailed scholars). But after Eton Wick there was a left by Dorney Court, and then on to Bray using the M4 northern footpath across the Thames. Over and later under the A404(M) took us through Cox Green and Pinkeys Green. After a delightful Lees Lane, an unpleasant but mainly downhill dash on the A308 saw us crossing (third time)  a very busy A404 into Bisham. Thus was Marlow reached unusually from the southwest.

The Marlow Donkey was our lunchstop, an honest boozer named after the train which stills runs between Marlow and Maidenhead. It was perfectly suited to our needs and we dined in the sheltered but almost deserted garden.

The return began with a climb to the Winter Hill viewpoint then downhill through Cookham and on to Maidenhead. Sustrans got us back to Bray where The Fat Duck is closed for refurbishment; the prix fixe at £220 on our next visit? To balance the ride, the southern M4 footpath delivered us to the Dorney rowing course. Embarrassingly we could find a way out other than onto the towpath to Windsor! One final crisis arose when the first five reached the M25 roundabout at Egham whilst the rest crossed the Meads to Pam's for tea. But any differences were soon forgotten.

It's appropriate that the autumnal equinox is tonight; it felt like summer when the sun was out but autumn when the northerlies prevailed. Around 65 miles door to door.

Sunday 14th September 2014

Kennington Park

Ed Shard

A table..............finally!

Those poppies

A trip up to London in September must mean only one thing............The Friends Life Tour of Britain.
Seven of us enjoyed a new elevenses at Kennington Park (NB this establishment doesn't open until 10.30am on Sundays) then CS7 to London Bridge where we saw the time trial.
Blink and you'll miss Wiggo (winner with a time of 9:50.710).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkyEiC1mKU4

After a disappointing hunt for a free table at The Liberty Bounds (some folk headed home) we eventually got a window seat thanks to MM and his (persuasive?) powers.
The main race of ten laps didn't start until 3.30pm which was a bit much especially as the time trial finished at 1pm!
We walked across the road and viewed the poppies around the moat of the Tower of London,read more here:
https://poppies.hrp.org.uk/buy-a-poppy/


Our vantage point in front of the pub:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT2_hgG8uVU


The view from our tea stop (Pret a Manger,King William Street):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsTC8uqT7nw&feature=youtu.be


Marcel Kittel won the sprint with Cav second (1:50.33).
Overall winner Dylan Van Baarle of Netherlands (Garmin-Sharp).

Sunday, 14 September, T of B TT

 North Cheam - Kennington Park - London Bridge

 The café in Kennington Park hasn't changed much

 Gearing up for the TT at North Cheam

 Don't ask me who this was!

Tour of Britain stage 8 photos 14th September

Here are some of my photos from the day in London. I ended up with 150 in total and I have selected 17. The quality of the photos isn't as good as I'd hoped from my Lumix TZ40. A last minute change of mind made me take my TZ40 instead of using my DSLR, as it's smaller and easier to carry around.

Sunday 7th September 2014

Ed.......doing his Bruce Forsyth impression (Good game,good game)

Looks like crab.............but isn't

"Now.......WHERE do I start?

One of life's couples...........Daniel & Roast!

Blue skies,gentle warmth...........tea & cake £1.50...........final tea 14th Sept