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Sun Apr 27th 2014

Thame Special	3*

Leader: John Talbot	Start Time: 9:00 am	Start Location: Thame Leisure Centre
Description: As an alternative to the regular Wantage Ride we are offering this special ride starting from Thame. Starting from Thame Leisure Centre on the outskirts of the town which has ample parking (https://goo.gl/maps/cBQVJ this 90km ride will take in some of the most glorious cycling routes in Buckinghamshire which are especially pretty in the spring. The route heads into Thame before heading southeast towards the Chilterns requiring the fairly steep but not very long climb of Chinnor Hill to surmount. From the top the route undulates towards Great Missenden following the Chilterns Cycleway. A teastop at Café Twit at the Roald Dahl Museum will set us up for one of the most stunningly beautiful rides in the area through the foothills of the Chilterns and the traffic free tarmac through Eythrope Estate Park and Waddesdon Manor Park. Lunch stop will probably be at the George & Dragon in Quainton before we head back to Thame on quiet lanes via Long Crendon. The ride is 90km (56 miles) and reasonably hilly but not outrageously so. The Chilterns as you might expect being the toughest section of the ride. This is an area that is rarely visited by CTC Wantage and is right on our doorstep. Don't miss out on what Buckinghamshire has to offer the leisure cyclist!
Riders: Chris Walters David Talboys Jan McCabe John Talbot Nicole Pethybridge Richard Pethybridge Riders = 6 Weather: Report: It was grey and drizzly as we arrived at Thame and with a forecast of heavy showers two riders packed before we even started! However we only had about 30mins of drizzle towards Chinnor before the clouds began to break. The (short!) climb up Chinnor Hill was like ascending into a tropical rainforest and had us all warmed up by the time we got to the top. Many Sportive riders were coming down towards us as we climbed, a few a bit all over the road. We joined the Chilterns Cycleway which had a couple of very nasty steep hills, the first up Smalldean Lane was particularly steep. But we had sunny spells to help dry the roads and cheer the spirits. The route undulated considerably towards Great Missenden. Chris suffered a puncture on the last climb which was quickly dealt with. Café Twit was closed (despite supposedly being open) so we stopped at Coffee Approach for a well earned break. A tough opening 35km! After refreshment the route was much easier, it's a beautifully scenic stretch north to Stone and much flatter! We waved at the security cameras at the entrance to Chequers as we passed We entered Eythrope Park, the best surfaced bridleway you could hope to find! Very picturesque, no cars, great cycling. Straight over into Waddesdon Manor Park for more car-free tarmac and through the village to Quainton. The lunch-stop at the George & Dragon did not disappoint. There were six hungry cyclists to feed! Big plates of food were demolished before the final stretch back to Thame. The skies were overcast but bright for the rolling and quiet roads through the small villages of Buckinghamshire and it wasn't long before we were flying through Long Crendon and an unplanned blast along the Thame bypass back to the leisure centre. I really enjoyed the ride, a tough first third and then a great rolling 60km. Thanks for the company And what happened to the promised showers? We seemed to have missed them all
Distance: 94.50 km (58.72 mi)	Ride Details: http://www.strava.com/activities/134794978
Big puddle Eythrope Park Waddesdon Manor Park Top of Smalldean Lane
Proposed Route: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4204355"
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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