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Past Ride

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Sat Jan 3rd 2015

Saturday afternoon ride from Grove	3*

Leader: Katherine Boyce	Start Time: 1:00 pm	Start Location: OMH
Description: With the Christmas excess to redress, what better way than a ride up on the downs. As many of you know I lead best from the back on hills, so don't be put off if you feel hills are not your forte. They certainly aren't mine! We'll start with a climb up from Letcombe Regis on to the A338, leaving it at the Betherton turn, wiggling our way through to Chaddleworth, Leckhamstead and Peasemore before joining the Wantage - Newbury road at Liley for our return to Wantage via Chain Hill. We may stop at the excellent Saddleworth Farm Shop for coffee if we have time, otherwise we will stop at Costa on the way back to the Old Mill Hall. Whilst we will have passed the shortest day, the sun will be setting about 4pm, so you must bring decent lights with you in case of delays completing the ride. I will be keeping an eye on the weather forecast and if there is any doubt, I will make a final decision on running the ride by 11.45 on the morning of the ride. UPDATE 11.15 Saturday 3rd: although it is cold and damp it's not as wet as forecasted so I am intending to still run the ride. However I reserve the right to change my mind at 1pm if it is hammering it down!
Riders: Alan Delaney David Talboys John Tranter Katherine Boyce Nicole Pethybridge Richard Pethybridge Richard Preece Simon Payne Riders = 8 Weather: Report: Well it was definitely one of those days when it is touch and go on whether or not to run a ride. However the rain wasn't as bad as predicted and just before 1 it looked as if it was clearing. So 8 brave souls decided that a post-Christmas ride was worth the dodgy weather. We said goodbye to Nicole and Richard P at Court Hill when the Christmas lurgy reappeared. As we ventured on to the A338, the weather really felt as if it was setting in, the clouds were down, visibility severely reduced, what were we doing! However the 6 of us carried on and picked our way through the Downs villages until we came to Stanmore, passed through it and arrived at the left turn to Lilley, well that was what the GPS said, on the ground it was a track designated as a footpath . So we retraced our steps and followed the signposted road to Lilley and emerged on the Newbury road exactly where we should have! We all decided we'd skip a coffee stop, Richard needed to get back as quickly as possible so Simon and he belted back to Grove. The rest of us set off at a more sedate pace and had almost reached the first Farnborough turn before the dreaded words from John "I think I've got a puncture". It turned out to be a slow puncture, so John decided he'd check it again just before the descent. Just before that point, David needed to change his light battery, so we paused, John put some more air in his tyre and set off whilst Alan adjusted his brakes. So then there were 3.... but we met up with John again at the bottom of Chain Hill. John then helped us pick our way through Wantage to Grove, where we said goodbye to him and then the last 3 made our way to Old Mill Hall. Despite the awful weather, the lack of scenery, the technical hitches, the good company ensured that it was the right decision to run the ride!
Distance: 44.50 km (27.65 mi)	Ride Details: http://www.strava.com/activities/236186706
Proposed Route: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/6658426"
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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