Past Ride
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Sat Jan 20th 2024
| 1* Saturday Half Day Ride | 1* |
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Leader:Steve Swanton |
Start Time:1:00 pm |
Start Location:OMH |
Description:For what will hopefully be our first 1* ride of the year, an afternoon ride out to Ginge via Ardington and the Icknield Greenway, returning to Wantage for refreshments. We will make a tour of Kingsgrove on the way using some of the new tracks and paths around the north of the site. There is an optional route back to Grove via Locks Lane and Stockham after tea.Not essential, but if you are planning to come do let me know by text. Monthly 16-32km (10-20 miles) family and social rides, usually with a tea stop, at a riding pace of 12-16km/h (8-10mph). Occasional short or gentle climbs. |
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Report:It was good to be out in the window of more benign weather between the floods and ice and the gales of Storm Isha. It was great to see Nick P out on his bike again too.We headed out through Charlton for a tour of the ever-developing Kingsgrove estate, less familiar to Steve and Anke. We stopped to take in the arrangements at the new “bus gate” (still being used by all and sundry) before passing the school to reach the junction of Rutherford Road with Gipsy Lane. Beyond, the next phase of the estate is in preparation. We walked the short stretch of Gipsy Lane over the course of the Wantage Eastern Relief Road and through to the woodland walk. Even so, several of us picked up sufficient mud on our rims to require major degunking before we could continue. Awheel again, we enjoyed the views across the vale from the path before recrossing the new main road by the entrance roundabout to the shared path on the other side. It was then a few hundred yards around the eastern edge of the estate to the A417 roundabout and the road to Lockinge. In planning the route, I had hoped to avoid any ice, so it was something of a surprise to find a stretch of slush on the corner of the Icknield Greenway in West Lockinge. We carefully negotiated it on both outward and inward parts of the ride. We then followed the Icknield Greenway as planned through Ardington, over the Bridge of Lesser Doom to Ginge Road and continued up to Ginge, with Anke leading us up the hills. To avoid flooding on the road down to Lockinge, we turned off at Betterton and enjoyed the long descent down to Ardington, and then headed into Wantage. The Bear Hotel in Wantage is doing a deal of a free cake with a hot drink for £2.50 until 5pm each day and we thought we would give a try. The pub was quite busy and a little noisy but we were able to find a table in the corner and there was a good selection of cakes with ample portions. Afterwards it was feeling decidedly chillier as we left town via Locks Lane. We said goodbye to Anke before the four of us returned to Grove via Stockham, the newly resurfaced track by the Crown Research Centre and Downsview Road. Thanks everyone for your company on an enjoyable ride. Apologies for the belated report and thanks to Anke for the pictures. | ||
Distance:24.78 km (15.40 mi) | Ride Details:https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45399367 | |
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| Proposed Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45354424" | ||
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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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