A wet and windy day in December – ideal weather for a picnic ride? At least it was nothing compared to the torrential rain up north.
The day started with gale force winds and the rain forecast for later kept the numbers riding this week down. But the brave souls who ventured out were soon heading west to Belsize and Flaunden. The fierce wind was unnerving going through some woods, but I suppose anything that was going to blow down did it last week when the wind was even stronger.
Crossing the river Chess from Latimer we went up the steep and bumpy hill opposite - the steepest climb of the lot to get up to the Chalfonts. Our stop in Ozzy's in Little Chalfont was OK, but the place may have changed hands and we were treated with exaggerated politeness - how often does the owner of a caff open the door for a bedraggled bunch of soaked cyclists and bow when you are leaving?
Lunch was now only about three miles as the crow flies, so a loop was called for. Quiet lanes took us to Chalfont St Giles, then Winchmore Hill and Holmer Green. We dropped down the delightful valley road to Little Missenden and then up and down again to lunch in the Pheasant in Chesham. They are quite happy for us to eat your own picnic of sandwiches in the pub, washed down with soft drinks, real ale or coffee to suit personal habits. From there a direct way home was called for as the rain was getting to be persistent, but we still managed almost 50 miles in less than ideal conditions.
Richard 06/12/2015The day started with gale force winds and the rain forecast for later kept the numbers riding this week down. But the brave souls who ventured out were soon heading west to Belsize and Flaunden. The fierce wind was unnerving going through some woods, but I suppose anything that was going to blow down did it last week when the wind was even stronger.
Crossing the river Chess from Latimer we went up the steep and bumpy hill opposite - the steepest climb of the lot to get up to the Chalfonts. Our stop in Ozzy's in Little Chalfont was OK, but the place may have changed hands and we were treated with exaggerated politeness - how often does the owner of a caff open the door for a bedraggled bunch of soaked cyclists and bow when you are leaving?
Lunch was now only about three miles as the crow flies, so a loop was called for. Quiet lanes took us to Chalfont St Giles, then Winchmore Hill and Holmer Green. We dropped down the delightful valley road to Little Missenden and then up and down again to lunch in the Pheasant in Chesham. They are quite happy for us to eat your own picnic of sandwiches in the pub, washed down with soft drinks, real ale or coffee to suit personal habits. From there a direct way home was called for as the rain was getting to be persistent, but we still managed almost 50 miles in less than ideal conditions.
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