Cycling UK Wantage | Programme of Rides and Events

Past Ride

We send details of upcoming rides in a weekly email newsletter. If you would like to be added to our mailing list please contact [javascript protected email address].

Tue Aug 2nd 2016

Tuesday Evening 4* Ride	4*

Leader: Phil Ward	Start Time: 6:30 pm	Start Location: OMH
Description: Weekly 1.5-2 hours ride at a riding pace of 25-29km/h (16-18mph). May be hilly. Route EDIT Sunday 31 July due to Winter Lane Closure.... Cogges or cogs ? Either way, you won't need many of them - this is FLAT, seriously ! Very do-able in a tad over 2 hours, possibly less depending on how good we are at echelons: a strong Westerly is predicted for a predominantly North/South ride..... ho hum! Four loops (hence cows' stomachs monica) heading Northwards to get us into some delightful (narrow) lanes up to Witney. Joints feature up this way too (no, not that sort !) - expansion joints, so bear with me over those "b-dunk, b-dunk, b-dunk" sections. Plenty of opportunity to cut a stomach out if the "usual" Tuesday evening weather catastrophe visits upon us a plague of frogs or somesuch.... more likely a plague of flies given the proximity to water in the flatlands North of the A420. Come and give it a go. Lights essential given sunset is 20 mins after our projected return & a heavy overcast is forecast, so it will likely get gloomy fairly early on.
Riders: Andy Cowan Frank Schroer Nick Fisher Nick Stokell Paul Jarvis Peter Cowan Phil Ward Riders = 7 Weather: Report: "Didn't We Almost Have It All?" With apologies to Ms Houston (RIP), but it always seems to rain when I go to Witney this year! A publicised flat route brought a flavour of the 20th century to the 4* camp... 3 steel mounts (1 a single speed) & 3 sporting mudguards. However, I can report use of a good array of seriously bright modern lights too, it was never going to be the fine sunny evening I'd hoped for. Undeterred, with regular changes of lead we made excellent pace to the quiet and sheltered lanes around Cogges. "Remember when we held on in the rain, The night we almost lost it....." she had it right there too, the now persistent drizzle and deepening murk forcing a brief pause mid-ride to clean glasses, Garmins and check we were actually still on course. With a nagging Westerly showing no signs of abating, we were grateful to mile-muncher Frank among others for deploying generous amounts of horsepower on the run in, culminating in an ultra long range bid for the Denchworth dash.... the result of which I was too far back to witness ! An awesome night folks, coping (dare I say, enjoying) some inclement riding conditions, returning some good figures too. "The ride with you was worth the fall my friend..." Good grief, Whitney, who wrote this song? I have to admit as I soloed gently in the dusky gloom around Old Mill Hall car park, I totally failed to spot the pothole that grabbed my front wheel and refused to let it go, depositing me in slow motion on wet tarmac, thankfully with relatively minor consequences. Next week, the (gear) tables are turned, with Nick Fisher putting Streatley Hill on the menu.... I can't wait
Distance: 63.20 km (39.27 mi)	Ride Details: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/10296245
Dancing reds a feature of the evening ride to Cogges I think I can confirm the intrinsic viscoelasticity of OMH tarmac too..
Proposed Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/15501713"
Comment on this ride

Written by : John Tranter

Posted on : August 3, 2016 at 8:13 AM

Nice comments! This might get the Club award for most poetical ride report of the season...

Written by : frank Schroer

Posted on : August 3, 2016 at 8:35 AM

Jump at the end was inspired by the 1985 (not 88 as I said!) world road champs winning jump of the last Dutch world champion, Joop Zoetemelk, video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewA2Ssh8jVM (fast forward to 5:30 though). Take the long way into the turn and then blast it - it worked for me as well (to beat a steel bike and a singlespeed though...)

Written by : Paul jarvis

Posted on : August 3, 2016 at 9:05 PM

Great route again Phil, just need improvement on whether if you can arrange that !? Hope no damaged after your disagreement with that pot hole ?
Paul

Ride Filter

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