Past Ride
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Sun Sep 9th 2018
| Easy on a Sunday morning Off Road Ride | 2* |
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Leader:Robin Tucker |
Start Time:10:00 am |
Start Location:WMP |
Description: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. The rides will be 15-20 miles, on quiet local tracks through the woods, and maybe up to the Ridgeway. Pace equivalent to 2*, best on a mountain bike, but a cyclocross bike and if dry a robust hybrid will be fine. Call/email Robin if you would like to know more. |
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Report:After a very wintery winter and our extraordinary summer heatwave, it has been pleasant to start autumn with seasonally appropriate, but not extreme, weather. It was a little bit breezy, colder – but only until the first climb, and there were some grey clouds around – but they didn’t actually drop any rain on us, as we rode out from Wantage to a little beyond Harwell and back. The dry weather and occasional rain have put the trails in top condition: firm, with hoofprints mostly smoothed out.With five of us out who had all ridden more than a few times over the summer, I slightly extended the ride to go down the back of the Ridgeway for an extra descent (and climb). We started up Lark Hill and Bitham Woods, then dropped down 'Ice Valley' to Lands End. Almost straight away, we were climbing again back to Scutchamer's Knob - Amanda calls this one 'Puddles' but thankfully there were none. Then we turned East and the wind turned out to be more southerly than westerly (so a side wind) as we headed along the Ridgeway and eventually under the A34. After this, we turned down another nice descent, then picked up the trail into Chilton, past Harwell Campus and with a diversion through the woods, back to Wantage. We clocked a total of 21 miles. Checking afterwards, the series seems to have achieved its aim of providing some gentle and sociable off-road rides to contrast with more ‘hardcore’ options. | ||
Distance:33.80 km (21.00 mi) | ||
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- 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.
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