Twyford to lunch at Chalgrove
Posted on Monday 19 March 2007 by Robert Johnston
I looked out of the window when I woke up on Sunday morning, it was pouring down and freezing cold. I decided to give the ride a miss as I don’t really like cold or wet! Then I remembered I was leading this ride!
On checking the forecast it was to be cold with wintry showers. (Just how I like it, not.) Five of us turned up at Paddington for the 9.13am train to Twyford and at that time although cold it was a pleasant enough morning.
John, Paul, Ken, Kevin and I set of in bright sunshine from Twyford St, within a few km John who was suffering with his knee had to return home. The rest of us ploughed on. All was going well in what was still a bright sunny day until on a quite steep gravely descent I had a puncture, just to make sure I did not get to complacent while fixing the puncture there was a downpour of hailstones. However it cleared up even before we got moving again and once more we were cycling in bright sunshine.
We arrived at Chalgrove in good time but the planned pub was fully booked up for Mothers Day, fortunately Ken and Paul knew exactly where they were and where the alternatives were, we settled down to a very nice Mothers Day lunch, just as it started another severe and prolonged bout of rain and hail.
Oooh I forgot the wind! Not strictly speaking a direct head wind, we were travelling South to North on the whole and the wind was West to East, but it did make for excellent exercise of the legs.
Setting off after lunch, again in bright sunshine and oh yes in the wind, we headed for the main two climbs of the day up from Watlington to Christmas Common and up to Frieth fortunately both these climbs had the wind at our backs, but even so they tested the legs, but the sun was still shining!
The good bit is that after these two climbs the rest of the day is practically all down hill to the weir at Mill End just before Henley-On-Thames.
Timing is all as they say and having arrived at the pub just before the worst downpour of the day, we arrive back at Twyford one minute before the train. Which as Ken pointed out was not the best timing as we did not have time to buy a coffee before jumping on!
All in all I really enjoyed the day, 80km or so by Ken’s Speedo. I hope every one enjoyed it as well. Once again not nearly as bad as you would have thought going by the forecast and what it looks like when you first role out of bed in the morning.