08 Mar 2020: Hatfield to Old Stevenage (not Streatley)

At last there was a reasonable weather forecast for a Sunday ride - it was warmer than it had been recently and only light rain showers were predicted in the afternoon. Steve and I cycled over to the Hatfield start along the Alban Way. We picked up new rider Katie in Fleetville and guided her to the start location in the Asda car park. There was a person in the cycle shelter at the car park but I didn't think he would join us as he was flat out, sleeping on some trollies and didn't appear to have a bicycle.

Spot the rough sleeper!

Six of us set off on the planned route, while Jon and Judy took a more direct way to join us at the coffee stop in Hitchin. All went well until Katie had a puncture in Ayot Green which was quickly dealt with by Steve. After this we carried on through the country lanes via Kimpton Mill,

Ronny's photo near Kimpton Mill

until we came across a group of cyclists contemplating a significant flood in a lane in Shilley Green. It included a pair of Chiltern Society riders we know out doing a reconnoitre of a planned ride for April. All agreed the flood was too deep to risk going through, so we diverted to the main B656 Codicote-to-Hitchin road where we passed the CS riders and followed the fairly flat route to the café where we found Jon alongside Steve and Jackie who had ridden there directly. Judy subsequently joined us among the fairly crowded tables.

After good coffee and very reasonably priced food, and as we were running late, we abandoned the scheduled destination of Streatley and took a re-planned route to Old Stevenage via Baldock, Clothall and Weston. I got a puncture climbing up to Clothall,

Dressed for puncture repair

so while Steve again fixed it, we told the others to go on and we caught up with them at the Standing Order (formerly a bank) after passing the childhood home of the novelist E.M. Forster. It's called the Rook's Nest

and the house in the novel Howard's End is based on it. I found this link to the EM Forster country website which describes a campaign to prevent the land north of Stevenage being developed and gives history of his links to the area.

After lunch we waited for a heavy rain shower to almost finish before making bee-lines to our various homes. It was about a 53-mile round trip for the St Albans' riders on a largely quiet Spring day.

Carol

23 Feb 2020: Hatfield to Hatfield!

Well, after Ciara and Dennis we had a storm-free Sunday, but it seems all the regular riders wimped out today. Steve and I cycled to Poppins but no-one else turned up. Jackie and Steve Whatsapped to say they might join us at the planned lunch stop at the edge of Letchworth. This meant we would actually do the planned ride so we set off at 10:30 into the stiff south westerly breeze. Cycling along to cross the A1(M) we were nearly knocked off by the wind as we passed gaps between the houses, so as we reached the crossing we decided to abandon the ride and return home. Proof below.

As far as we got!

Afterwards we spent a while in the Galleria looking for a new windshell jacket for Steve before getting home and stripping a 30-year-old wallpaper border in the afternoon. Total 15 miles I think! Better luck next week I hope.

Carol

02 Feb 2020: St Albans to Asheridge

Seven of us came out on a blustery day and, after a good breakfast, set off from St Albans to Asheridge, just outside Chesham.

A grey breezy day

The route went though some lovely lanes via Potters Crouch, Abbotts Langley, Belsize, Flaunden and Ley Hill, although, thanks to the heavy rain last night, we met with substantial puddles along the way!

National Air Traffic Control "mast"!

The big "golf ball' we saw was actually a relatively new Air Traffic Control "mast" built sometime after 2010 when the locals of Bovingdon objected to it. From Langleybury towards Flaunden the lanes were closed for a marathon event but the marshalls kindly let us through and we cheered the runners on as we made our way to our lunch stop at the Blue Ball and a good meal . It was a long climb up to Asheridge so we were pleased to head downhill on the way back and, with a tailwind, followed the river Chess via Waterside to Latimer and back to Flaunden, where we went our separate ways home. Thanks to everyone for coming and I look forward to another ride soon.
Talia

Note from Carol: Thanks to Talia for volunteering to lead a ride for the first time for our group and choosing an interesting route out and back. Also welcome to new rider Jules ( or is it Jools?) from Gaddesdon Row.
Route here, about 40 miles out and back from St Albans: