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Past Ride

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Sat Sep 3rd 2011

Saturday afternoon ride from Grove	3*

Leader: Chris Walters	Start Time: 1:00 pm	Start Location: OMH
Description: A tough 75 km hilly ride at the end of the Summer season, heading up Chain Hill, and then Combe Gibbett via Boxford, into Hungerford for tea and back via Newtown, the Goodings and the A338. There are 5 decent hills on the route, meaning lots of up and down (700m) and not a lot of flat between.
Riders: Adrian West Chris Walters Derek Boutle Frank Schroer Iain Kent John Tranter Steven Rogers Riders = 7 Report: We set off as a group of 5, picking up Frank and Steve on the way through Wantage. It's a hard old slog going up Chain Hill before you've warmed up. We were treated to the descent and then re-ascent of Chain Hill by a peloton of supercars - a Ferrari 599 GTO and a Porsche RS GT3 - lots of noise coming from them on the ascent, and we did wonder what rich idiots were out playing with the new toys today... Descending down to Boxford was a nice break, Adrian leaving us at Wickham to look after his poorly knees. Another descent to Kintbury was followed with the slog up Combe Gibbet. I'd like to apologise here and now for laughing audibly when Derek's chain "did a Contador" at the bottom of the hill - inexcusable! The descent down to Hungerford was pleasant, and the courtyard at Azuza provided a perfect suntrap for our tea stop, which Adrian joined us at having been home and changed. He let us know that the Ferrari and Porsche were parked down the High Street and he'd seen Jeremy Clarkson wandering around... I guess that answered our earlier question perfectly! After tea a none-too-steep ascent of the traffic-free lanes around Poughly and a drop down the Goodings to East Garston gave a route choice home - we took the Seven Barrows and Vale option, which proved to be a good option, giving us a very pleasant warm-down with the wind on our backs for a change. A hard ride, and pretty long for a half-dayer too!
Distance: 83.00 km (51.57 mi)	Ride Details: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/111529518
Proposed Route: http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=291227"
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Start Locations: WMP
Wantage Market Place; OMH
Old Mill Hall, Grove

Categories: 1* - Suitable for irregular, social, beginner or family riders, pace will match the slower riders. Not hilly or long. Expect rides up to 3 hours. Gentle exercise.; 2* - Suitable for regular riders who prefer to cover some distance but at a more relaxed pace. Likely to be half-day rides. Solid exercise.; 3* - Suitable for experienced riders, may be hilly, long, quick, or any combination! Likely to be half or full-day rides. Challenging exercise.; 4* - Suitable for athletic riders who can ride safely above the 3* standard. Quick rides for the fit.; More Information