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Past Ride

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Sun Dec 15th 2002

Mince Pie Ride to White Horse Hill

Leader: Laurent Chambard	Start Time: 10:00 am	Start Location: WMP
Description: Join the ride or meet us at White Horse Hill NT car park GR293866 from 11:15 for mince pies and mulled wine. Afterwards, join us for mlunch at tne True Heart, Bishopstone. Please book with Steve by Thu 12th December. Donations in aid of Whizz Kidz, the children's mobility charity.
Riders: Alan Jones (dec) Amanda Seddon Andrew Moore Barry Eastwood Brian Hipwell David Newnham Derek Boutle Des Higgs Diane Stuckey Dita Purmer Edith Hipwell Eve Thornton (decd) Ginny Henderson Ivan Scully James Dawton Jan McCabe Jane Bruffell Judi Boutle Kevin Fairs Laurent Chambard Lou Rose Marion Jones Mavis Rose Neil Warner Nick Stokell Nigel Stuckey Pat Hurt Piet Purmer Richard Divall Richard Jenkinson Simon Dales Stephen Quartermain Steve Bruffell Steve Swanton Stuart Booth Sue King Riders = 36 Report: 9 am: it was not looking good. Rain all night. Fortunately this was reduced to little more than drizzle by the time we started. Amazingly, there were 19 of us including newcomer Ivan, Stuart who we last saw on last years ride and Marion on her first MPR. We cruised through the Letcombes and climbed Holborn Hill to warm up everyones climbing muscles. We then swooped down to Childrey and followed the spring-line villages as far as Westcot. At Kingston Lisle we met the Lambourn contingent and later on Ginny at the foot of White Horse Hill. This year, everyone who cycled climbed the hill despite the misty gloom. Well done everyone. And there waiting for us in the car park were Laurent and Jan and nine non-riders with a feast of mince pies and mulled wine (served by the pint!). There too was Andrew Gill from the Oxford Mail to take a few pictures of Mavis and Sue with umbrellas on their heads. In total 30 rode (including a group of 5 from Oxford who left before we arrived) and the turnout from the section was 36, the largest ever on a section event. After a convivial glass or three, we descended to the B4001 and cycled on to the True Heart at Bishopstone to continue the culinary enterprise. 30 for lunch were ably catered for. The return ride was something of a ride leaders nightmare. Everyone was getting cold outside the pub waiting for the last few to get themselves ready, when it transpired that the idlers werent coming with us anyway. Des set off ahead towards Bourton and some, keen to get warm, decided to set off in pursuit. This stretched the group out. Cycling with Barry I commented these are ideal conditions to lose people The inevitable happened. The final bunch decided it would be a good idea to take a short cut to Shrivenham (Dohh!). So while the middle group got cold waiting for them in Bourton and everyone else got cold waiting for us in Shrivenham, Ginny, who had volunteered to sweep back around the route got cold by stopping at the wrong T-junction rendezvous. Steve and Kev came back to find us and then continued to find Ginny. By the time the middle group rejoined the rest, they were reduced to just 2, the remainder having decided that they would make their own ways home. After Longcot, the remnant were rejoined by the trio who evidently enjoyed their 27 mph (?/!) pursuit. Back through Uffington and Baulking we then joined the A417 into Wantage, where only two of us made it back to the museum to join Jan for tea. Special thanks to Laurent for mulling the wine (its getting better and better) - what will we do without you? Steve S. P.s. I believe over
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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