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Past Ride

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Sun Sep 15th 2019

Easy on A Sunday Morning Off Road Ride	2*

Leader: Robin Tucker	Start Time: 10:00 am	Start Location: Wantage Market Place
Description: Once up to the Ridgeway and then mostly flat, with plenty of woodsy singletrack. I have a few new bits for you this week. Pace adjusted to whoever comes, and then a bit slower because it's Sunday morning. Regular off-road rides for 2018 we are toning these down and keeping them closer to Wantage. Free parking at The Beacon, and meet at Wantage Market Place, by King Alfred.
Riders: Barry Baker Brian Hipwell Richard Pethybridge Robin Tucker Riders = 4 Weather: Report: A glorious day for the last 'Easy on a Sunday' of the year. Sunshine, and a gentle breeze so it didn't get too hot. And four very different bikes: from zero suspension, to 150mm at both ends - they all worked fine for this route! The route out of Wantage was familiar, the cycle track East, then up Goddards Brook and Bitham Wood to the Ridgeway. We breezed along with a following wind. Splendid views to be seen - Didcot sans cooling towers, but still with one tall chimney. We went down at Ginge, taking advantage of the track that twists around the main route town. Unknown to many, this added a bit of interest, even at low speed. Then we picked our way around Harwell in the woods. In the near-noon sun, the shade was welcome. The trees were close on the wider handlebars, but we all survived - although Barry clipped something just after the hard bit! Angling North was got to Rowstock, then a left and right brought us down into Steventon. Unusual for a Wantage ride, although familiar for me as we passed 300m from my house. We weren't stopping though and headed off for an opportunistic trip around the fields between Steventon and Ardington. Normally the bridleways are muddy or overgrown, but just now they had been cleared for harveting and were riding well. We saw two tall deer prancing across the fields. (I noted the potential post-Brexit food supply). The track zigged and zagged (I'd rehearsed this a few times with OS Maps on my phone) and finally popped us out on the A417 just opposite Ardington. Resisting the Boar's Head we rode back to Wantage. A very pleasant 'countryside tour'. I think any longer and we'd have wanted a proper lunch stop as we were all feeling ready for lunch by the end!
Distance: 33.80 km (21.00 mi)
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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