Sunday, July 14, 2019

Sunday the 14th July

A Change of Plans.

I arrived at the Golden cafe to find Bob, Graham and Dave already seated and awaiting food. Soon the deluge of riders began to arrive. Ed arrived with me and soon Pam and Gemma appeared, then Ray Wren, Stephanie, Ann, Terry and Vic. The biggest turnout for some time.

I had debated Saturday night over the route to Dinton pastures and decided to change to Jealotts hill which was 3 miles shorter, meaning just 18 to lunch. Bob was not going to join us for lunch and neither was Ray who was going to do the rounds of bike shops looking for tubeless valves for his new wheels.

The route took us to Virginia Water and a brief spell on the A30 before turning into Blacknest road and onto Cheapside, where Steph left us, then through Ascot racecourse and through the edge of New Mile golf club and onto Chavey Down and the outskirts of Bracknell which has some lovely cycle paths that I took advantage of. Before touching the edge of Warfield and back roads to the New Leathern Bottle at Jealotts Hill. I hadn't booked but the pub had no trouble in feeding 9 hungry cyclists. After lunch Terry had decided to cycle onto Wokingham and catch the train back and Dave headed off for his own route home.



Tea was planned for Windsor far shop via Cranbourne, Woodside and Windsor Great park and the welcome decent of Crimp Hill. We lost a few more before tea and only Pam, Gemma, Ed, Ann and myself stopped for a cuppa after which we headed for Runnymede with Pam guiding us over the meads and into Egham where Ed headed for the station, Gemma for Staines and I took Ann as far as Chertsey where she turned for Adlestone.

Lovely to see such a good turnout, the weather was good for cycling. Thank you all for swelling the ranks and for your company and to Dave for his back marking. A very pleasant 70+ miles for me.

Tony..

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