Ride report, Sunday 30th October

John W led this Steady ride to Wilbarston and writes:

On the way to the ride start my bike suffered a front wheel puncture at the Vineyard in Earls Barton.  This meant I had to turn around and get my only bike left, my Giant TCR with FFWD wheels and Tubs fitted.  After changing shoes and seat height, I still managed to make it to the Co-op at Moulton in time.

Seven riders set out for The Milking Parlour at Wilbarston. After passing John Coddington just after Old, he turned around and joined us, and continued to a cafe he had never visited. The eight of us enjoyed some excellent savory food, before setting off for home. 

We left John C just outside Mawsley, where he lives, and the rest of us continued on a reversal of our route out. I waited at the Holcot turn off, but after some time, continued home after no sight of other riders. A very brisk wind made our route home more difficult, but I think everyone enjoyed the morning ride. Despite some gravel sections on the return my Tubs proved to be fine.

John

Advertisement

Ride to Wilbarston, Sunday 30th October

JohnW is leading this ride and writes:

Start time: 9.30 a.m.
Meeting point: Moulton Co-op, Stocks Hill, Moulton, NN3 7TB
Distance: Steady 37 mls
Café stop: The Milking Parlour, Wilbarston
Time expected back: Around 1.30pm

This Sunday’s Steady ride takes us to Wilbarston.

Setting off from the Co-op in Moulton, we will ride through Holcot and Walgrave, passing through Harrington to our cafe stop, the Milking Parlour at Wilbarston.

The return route is via Rushton, Rothwell and Loddington.

Please ignore the references to “Moderate” on the RWGPS route, this will be a Steady.

We look forward to seeing you, and as Philip keeps (rightly) reminding us, COVID is sneaking back, so please consider appropriate precautions.

As usual it is very helpful for our planning to follow this link to book a place on Signup: Group rides

Link to route on RWGPS: MCP-37m-Wilbarston

Ride to Harrold, Saturday 22nd October

James C is leading this ride and writes:

Start time: 9.30 a.m.
Meeting point: Hunsbury Hill library, Overslade Close, East Hunsbury NN4 0RZ
Distance: Brisk: 45 mls, Moderate: 40 mls
Café stop: Dragonfly Cafe at Harrold Country Park
Time expected back: Around 1.30pm

Start point EH, destination Harrold Country Park – 40 miles for the Mods and 45 for the Brisks. The Mods take a more direct route to Weston Underwood while the Brisks go a bit further via Stoke Bruerne and Tathall End. Then both groups go through Lavendon to the Dragonfly Cafe at the country park. Then both again home via Castle Ashby and the Houghtons.

I’ve attached GPX files and the routes on a Strava map at the links below:

Moderate Route

Brisk Route

RWGPS Links:

Moderate route

Brisk route

James

Please follow this link to book a place on Signup:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4DA5AE23A3FDC61-group

(COVID is on the increase, please be mindful and take appropriate precautions)

Ride report, Sunday 16th October

PhilL led this ride and writes:

Six of us enjoyed superb Autumnal weather and ‘Fall’ leaf colours on the Four Reservoirs ride. Why pay to go out to America to experience the same!

Interestingly, the reservoirs themselves are well-down on their usual ‘fill’ capacities with ‘tide out’ marks visible in all of them. That and the unusual iridescent leaf colours shows how little rain we’ve had and is evidence of climate warming I guess.

Our coffee/brunch stop co-coincided with a lot of visitors queuing at the cafe for coffee etc. But we got served plus a table in the sunshine. What was nice for me was that unknown to me, my son Sam, daughter in-law Kenny and children Elsie, 6yrs and Henry, 3yrs were here also on their bikes and visiting the new playground. So a family catch-up WHILE the kids ate all my snacks…….

Only a short ride back and only ONE more hill I kept saying to myself. Despite shouting the age-old ‘shut up legs’ to les jambes, the hills meant I was always lagging with the good old AF but my ride gang were as good as gold and always waited for me at the top of the hills. Thanks folks.

And thanks for the company.

Lovely ride-day.

regards,

Phil Letts

‘Four Reservoirs’ Ride, Sunday 16th October

Phil Letts is leading this ride and writes:

Start time: 9.30 a.m.
Meeting point: Brampton Valley Way, Welford Crossing, NN6 8AA
Distance: 40 miles
Café stop: Daventry Country Park
Pace: Steady-12mph
Time expected back:2pm

This will be moderately paced ride taking in Pitsford reservoir via Holcot, Hollowell reservoir via Cottesbrooke and Guilsborough, and then Ravensthorpe reservoir on the way to Daventry. We go on to our 4th reservoir Daventry Country Park and reservoir via Long Buckby for the coffee/brunch stop. (27m)
Then it’s a shortish section (12 m) via Norton, Whilton and Great Brington back to Northampton.

The Ridewith GPS is here: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40873553

I’m on 07867388592
Sign up with Genius or mail me direct.
regards,
Phil

Ride report, Saturday 8th October

BrianT led this ride and writes:

Clear blue skies, plenty of sun; what a great day for a ride. Temperatures were autumnal with a nip in the air when we rode into the occasional stiff breeze. Of the 12 riders at East Hunsbury four chose the brisk group led by Chris Holt with the remaining eight in the moderate pace group. We all went out along Banbury Lane to Bugbrooke where the routes split, the brisks going further north to Weedon Bec and around to Everdon and Preston Capes before dropping almost due south through Maidford to Silverstone and on to Whittlebury whereas the mods headed for the A5, crossing it to Litchborough and Farthingstone before joining the other route at Maidford. The first part of the route for both groups had plenty of hills but beyond Blakesley we had a tail wind and a fast drop down almost to Silverstone.

There was a short steep kick up the road just before the Whittlebury bakery with a welcome stop at the cafe at the top.

Despite being in the shade it was warm enough to sit outside and enjoy the coffee and wide selection of cakes and pastries you would expect from a bakery plus of course the conversation. It was still a glorious sunny day as we left Whittlebury and set off on the 10 miles back to EH. Just beyond Towcester the mods overtook the brisks who had stopped to mend a puncture. We arrived back at EH at 12.45.

Over most of the route the roads were very quiet with little traffic which made for pleasant riding. Thanks to all for a very sociable ride and to Chris for leading the Brisks.

Ride to Whittlebury, Saturday 8th October

Brian T is Leading the Moderate ride and writes:

Start time: 9.30 a.m.
Meeting point: Hunsbury Hill library, Overslade Close, East Hunsbury NN4 0RZ
Start What3words: == linen.pines.zones
Distance: 39 miles / 33 miles
Cafe stop: Whittlebury Bakery
Pace: Brisk / Moderate

Choice of two rides at either a Brisk pace (14mph+ average) 39miles or Moderate pace (12-13mph ) 33 miles.
Both groups meeting up at the Whittlebury Bakery Café for coffee.
The ride is mainly on quiet roads in rolling countryside.

From East Hunsbury the route is out through Bugbrooke and Weedon Bec, Everdon, Preston Capes. From there we loop back through Maidford, Blakesley and Silverstone to Whittlebury and the café (At Bugbrooke the Moderate pace group takes a shorter route through Litchborough to Maidford and then Whittlebury ). After that it is a short ride home via Stoke Bruerne and Blisworth to EH.

Ride with GPS route links below.

EH/39/whittlebury bakery

Please sign up via CTC Northampton: Group Rides (https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f4da5ae23a3fdc61-group)
More details from Brian on 01604 622073 or text 07722 055149

Do join us.

Ride report, Sunday 2nd October

Peter B led this Steady ride to the Bikebus at Bourne End and writes:

I’m not sure how it happened that the weather forecast changed so drastically from a few days ago, but yet again we had perfect warm, sunny weather for Sunday’s steady ride to the Bikebus at Bourne End.

Nine riders started from the Canoe Centre, with Viki and then John W joining on the road to Cogenhoe. It was great to have two new riders joining us, Nick and Matthew, who both seemed to like the hills a bit too much for my liking! But we all enjoyed their company very much.

This is a very pleasant route, and the Bikebus, packed with fellow cyclists, was excellent as always.  Sitting outside in the warm Autumn sunshine, consuming great coffee & cake was just too tempting for Alex and John though, who gave lame excuses to stay for a while longer, ordering more coffee (and a bacon butty for one rider).

The return route was slightly more exciting, with Matthew getting a puncture after Olney.  This was quickly sorted in good humour, despite some unrepeatable comments about Matthew’s pump technique by Gurj. Chris was under time pressure, so made his way back solo at this point. 

Matthew & Gurj peeled off towards Grendon, thereby neatly avoiding Cogenhoe bank. Viki and Hartley peeled off after Cogenhoe, with the remaining four riders arriving back at the Canoe Centre at 2pm with no further incidents.  

Before we finally went our separate ways, Ian very kindly slipped into “teacher mode” and furthered our education about the lesser known operas of Dmitri Schostakovich – absolutely fascinating, and I’m sure he would be delighted to repeat to anyone who shows interest on our next ride 😊.

A great day out, and thanks to all who joined, especially to Matthew and Nick.

Cheers Peter

New boy Matthew punctures on first ride.