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Tuesday 1* Evening Ride | 1* |
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Leader:Steve Swanton |
Start Time:6:30 pm |
Start Location:OMH |
Description:Our leisurely and sociable 10-mile club rides are designed specifically with adult newcomers to cycling and youngsters in mind, or those who just want some relaxed and sociable exercise. We cover a distance of about 10 miles at a gentle pace of 8-10 mph, following quiet country lanes and the occasional easy off-road track. We stop regularly to catch our breath, to take in the views and anything that takes our interest along the way.This week we'll be heading to Childrey with its picturesque village pond overlooked by thatched cottages. We'll ride out through Denchworth and West Challow before taking a tarmaced bridleway up into Childrey. We'll return via the track to East Challow and a back route via the canal. A round trip of about 11 miles . |
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Riders:Ben PaineDavid Paine Ellie Paine Lorna Swanton Nicky Clark Sheena Arnold Steve Swanton Riders = 7 Weather:Report:A gentle ride for a very hot evening, and probably unique in that we delivered all riders to their front doors along the way.The main off-road sections also provided us with very welcome shade as the temperatures hovered in the high 20s. Notable too that the canal towpath, apart from one bobbly section at the Wantage end, has become lovely and smooth - an excellent surface for cycling. Unfortunately at present it comes out at the meeting point of 3 building sites (Downsview Park, Letcombe Fields and Stockham Farm) as the westward expansion of Wantage continues... Nice to see Ben out with Ellie and Dave for his first ride this year. See you all next time. | ||
Distance:17.70 km (11.00 mi) | ||
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Tuesday Off Road Evening Ride | 2* |
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Leader:David Yearley |
Start Time:6:30 pm |
Start Location:OMH |
Description:Off-road ride around local tracks, usually about 15 miles. Knobbly tyres and good lights required. We are keen to welcome new riders and have spare lights available to borrow if you let me know. Dark, cold and wet - we'll ride in any two. But please let me know if you are coming so I can tell you if I decide to cancel due to really bad weather. |
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Report:Today was the most perfect day for mountain biking. The trails were dry, the sun was shining and the light was perfect, even in the singletrack woods.We headed out from Grove via Crab Hill to Wantage, and from there via Goddard's Brook up to The Ridgeway above the point-to-point course. Travelling eastwards, with the sun on our backs, we headed towards the Harwell drop. The descent here was fast on the firm, dry ground, and we then continued, finding sneaking woodland singletrack from there towards Steventon. The return trip brought in a nice, fast descent of the Bridge of Doom, before returning to Wantage and Grove. | ||
Distance:32.19 km (20.00 mi) | ||
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Tuesday 2* Evening Ride | 2* |
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Leader:Jane John |
Start Time:6:30 pm |
Start Location:OMH |
Description:Weekly 1.5 hour rides at a riding pace of 18-20km/h (11-13mph). Not likely to be very hilly.Led by Jane on her first ride leading effort! A longer ride, but very flat. A good loop around the north and west Vale. We will keep a good steady pace, minimise the stops and see how we can eat up the miles! If all else fails, there are some short cut options. 24 miles / 38km at a good pace of 12-13 mph / 20kph. |
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Riders:Gareth SmithJane John John Hibberd John Tranter Jordan Slater Karen Townsin Katherine Cook Mike Bailey Phillip Folkes Sara Ward Sheryl Hibberd Simon John Susan Holdroyd Tony Clark Val Smith Riders = 15 Weather:Report:What a glorious evening to be out cycling around the Vale, and with two new riders as well, welcome to Kat and Jordan.After Simon’s minor altercation with a squirrel, (rider and animal emerged unscathed) we left Denchworth and headed towards Stanford in the Vale. Once the peace of the countryside was restored, after being disturbed by a low flying Chinook stalking us along Northmead Lane, we bowled along at an average speed of 12.2 mph. Once over the A417 we all enjoyed the glorious views of the White Horse from Shellingford onwards. At 24.5 miles this was a slightly longer, but flat 2* ride which was managed comfortably by all the riders. Thank you to everyone for coming along, to Karen for sweeping and to John T (and Simon) for moral support. Also to Sara for keeping me company at the beginning of the ride, it felt strange setting out with no one in front of me. Phew, that’s the first ride led then. Riders lost = 0 Mechanicals = 0 Double phew! | ||
Distance:39.43 km (24.50 mi) | Ride Details:https://ridewithgps.com/trips/15453501 | |
Proposed Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/22126013" | ||
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Tuesday 3* Evening Ride | 3* |
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Leader:David Smith |
Start Time:6:30 pm |
Start Location:OMH |
Description:Weekly 1.5 - 2 hours at a riding pace of 20-24km/h (13-15mph). May be hilly.Enough daylight to attempt John's Boar's Hill route. It's a fairly long one for 3* at 49km but it's well worth it on a bright summer evening. Pretty flat other than the climb to Boar's Hill to look down on the dreaming spires of Oxford. Quiet lanes throughout apart from a short stretch of the A415 and A338 between Marcham and Garford where we normally split into smaller groups. |
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Riders:Adrian WestBarry Stanton David Smith David Talboys Des Higgs John Groves Jon Townsin Karl Blake Katherine Boyce Kirsten Smith Nick Dunton Nicole Pethybridge Sharon Bedford Steve Joyce Ursula Hallam Riders = 15 Weather:Report:The ride was a little disconnected at first due to unusually busy traffic getting out through Grove and Denchworth, a wrong turn by the leader just after Denchworth didn't help either.After that the group settled in to a nice rhythm and we made good progress to the top of Boar's Hill. We initially regrouped right at the top but then moved off to admire the view and take photos. The descent from the top was enjoyed by all and the rest of the return journey was assisted by a slight tail wind. Hopefully the ride challenged most people, but was not too challenging for anyone. Thanks for coming along and to Ursula for sweeping. | ||
Distance:49.40 km (30.70 mi) | Ride Details:https://ridewithgps.com/trips/15454853 | |
Proposed Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/22092414" | ||
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Tuesday 4* Evening Ride | 4* |
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Leader:Phil Ward |
Start Time:6:30 pm |
Start Location:OMH |
Description:Weekly, a 2 hours + ride this week, at a riding pace in the region of 27-29km/h (17-19mph). May be hilly, aiming to ease the pace for regroupment rather than stop."Wakey wakey, Rise and shine, (the LONG 4* ride) It's on again..." (Radiohead Webcast 09-11-07 - Faust Arp) highlighted this evening's featured location of Wittenham Clumps recording at their acoustic best on the fabled hills, albeit at dawn. Weather permitting (see below*), we however will thread our way Eastwards in an almost Mid-Summer's evening glow to the atmospheric Bronze Age fortress via gentle lanes, with the prospect of a couple of particularly good hard "pulls" up to the Cholsey Downs and Hagbourne Hill on our return, prior to a pacey run-in along the A417, now becalmed with the falling dew (I'll get my coat...). Fluids, not druids.... Please fuel and clothe for 65km/350m. *FLUIDS essential, 2 bottles sensible... ETA returning via Wantage (8:40pm) to Grove around 8:50pm running at 28kph average.... |
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Riders:Frank SchroerJason Jones Louis Hall Nick Stokell Paul Jarvis Phil Ward Richard Kembleton Riders = 7 Weather:Report:"The heat is on, on the street"Â ..... Glen Frey (1984), popularised by its use in Beverly Hills Cop came to mind in sweltering conditions as six lined out on the A338 towards Hanney. The Steventon Road proved calmer and enabled compact pairwise riding and conversation as we settled at a steady ~30kph into a welcome cooling headwind drift. Topics under discussion included "how hot does it need to get before you jettison the leg warmers Louis ?"You can make a break, you can win or lose, That's a chance you take, when the heat's on you" 6 became 7 around Steventon after a spirited chase-on to the group by Frank who is leaving it progressively later to join - we'll catch him out one day, but he likes a good work out To enliven the ride further, homage to 617 Squadron was made by sudden and unannounced deployment of bouncing bomb bidons, twice from the ride leader's cage and a further attempt on group harmony by Nick joining in the bottle-dropping game. Needless to say, such hazards were expertly avoided by the 4* crew as we kept excellent pace over the climby portion of the Clumps loop. Turning for home, we picked up pace a little with the help of falling temperatures and a light tailwind. Traffic was light on the A417, but the temporary traffic-lights conspired to split the group on the last stretch into Wantage. No matter, all crew returned safely to base at 8:45pm, slightly up on schedule having averaged 28.7kph. Many thanks all for the smooth completion of a good long summer evening's ride. In particular my appreciation for trialling the "slow, but don't stop on hill tops" mode, from which my data suggests a mere 22 seconds spent stationary (thus avoiding "the sweats" ) on a 2h17 / 65km ride - nice ! Next week ..... Wiltshire hills | ||
Distance:65.60 km (40.76 mi) | Ride Details:https://ridewithgps.com/trips/15465364 | |
Proposed Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/20243285" | ||
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