25 April - Thursday Ride, Wimpole and Sandy. 69 miles

Sunny day and temperatures over 20 deg. Still a south easterly wind making it hard riding head on. Many people away at the Manningtree jaunt so just seven setting off from Haslingfield. Joined by newcomer Carol for her first CTC ride. Also Tony, Mike M, Rupert and Richard, who was leader. Then another Michael appeared.

   

 Went back over Chapel Hill and on to Foxton and Fowlmere as a longer route to Lazy Dayz on the A603 near Wimpole. Sat outside, joined by fixie David.

   

 On via Shingay-cum-Wendy to Wrestlingworth, and up the hill towards Potton. Turned towards Waresley but then left on Tempsford Road and whizzed down the hill reaching 36 mph. Crossing open! First time in many visits. Crossed over the A1 to Blunham then along the cycle track back towards Sandy.

 Lunch at Gunns Bakery, nice toasted ham and cheese baguette.

   

Back via Gamlingay, Waresley and Caxton, then south to Bourne, Kingston and over Chapel hill for a third time today.

69 miles

24 April - Solo to Gamlingay, 30 miles

Sunny day so set off at 3.30 to get a run in before the REFOS boys' nosh at the end of the Winter League. 

Still windy, now from south east, so bit hard going off through Bassingbourn and out to Guilden Morden. Went on through Wrestlingworth and Potton, turning back then for the Hatleys and Wimpole.

 30 miles.

21 April - Solo To Linton, Ashdon and Saffron Walden, 47 miles

Nice day, sunny most of the time.

Wanted to try the route through Whittlesford again, to see how to get across to Sawston and Babraham. Found the lane leading up to Whittlesford church but then slightly overshot the cycle path, hence the blip on the map.

Continued on, using the cycleway from Sawston to Babraham and stopping at the Shell garage just over the A11 to buy a sandwich. Then on to Linton, stopping at the cemetery to eat the sandwich because it had a nice park bench.

Decided not to continue on to Horseheath but headed towards Bartlow, Ashdon and Saffron Walden. Getting a bit cooler so kept going on the route home, again having a blip in Hinxton before finding the lane with the ford leading towards Duxford. Cut across Grange Road with good views of the airfield, across towards Crishall Grange and right to the A505 crossing. On to Fowlmere and home via Melbourn.

Short excursion afterwards to deliver DVDs back to Graham B, so 47 miles in total.

19 April - Solo to Horseheath and Thaxted

Nice looking day with wind supposedly lower than the gales of yesterday.

Started raining early one so quite wet going out. The Garmin gave me funny responses, probably because I'd used navigate to starting place and didn't go all the way down to Greta's. It seemed to want to insist I did rather than pick up on the route thereafter.

So confusion at the start and not the route I'd intended. Went through Whittlesford and on to Ickleton and Saffron Walden, then out the on a standard route to Horseheath apart from turning off right towards the Camps in Ashton. Neighbour Nick flagged me down near there, by coincidence just driving by. Borrowed his map just in case of further misadventures.

Went on to Horseheath, taking the further route through Streetly End rather than braving the fast A1307. Nice pub lunch, big toasted sandwich, before setting off again for Thaxted. Not easy going and still a fair wind. Also some grinding from the front derailleur despite asking Trisports to adjust it.

Back via Wendens Ambo and Great Chishill, opting for the short route home from Flint Cross.

70 miles in all. Garmin not started until a bit into ride so showing lower mileage.

14 April - Ride with Tony

Very windy!

Set off through Bassingbourn then a figure of eight around Guilden Morden, Shingay, Arrington and Orwell.

Very trying conditions riding into the headwind and side winds. took the Ridgeback because of the problem with the mudguards on the Trek. Lovely on the calm bits but quite hard work into the wind.

33 miles.

11 April - Thursday Ride To Grafham

Less cold and windy until after lunch. Set off from Haslingfield but had yet another puncture within half an hour, this time a large thorn in the tyre. Adrian and Mike set to and changed the tube quickly.

The new mudguards were troublesome too, clogging up with mud and rubbing constantly until cleaned out. One of the stays also became detached so another stop needed.

Then the Garmin froze up at the coffee stop in Hemingford grey and was almost impossible to turn off then wouldn't restart. The touchscreen seemed to have stopped responding.

Rode on to Grafham with some opting to go round the lake but I and a few others were hungry because it was already about 1.15. Called in at the bike shop but they weren't able to help with the Garmin and didn't have other bits I asked about.

Long lunch stop waiting for the others to reappear. Some then wanted to go to the bike shop after lunch, by which time it was getting cold and grey. Bit of clicking coming from the back wheel area, which Mike The Bike diagnosed as over-tightness of the spindle, making the bearings creak. Okay after he'd adjusted the tension. Also had to stop again to tweak the rear mudguard. By the time I arrived home the front one had again clogged up.

Altogether a turbulent day's ride of 63 miles, something like this.

 

9 April - Tuesday Ride, St Ives

Better day, still an easterly wind but not as cold as recently.

Met Sue and Mike Stapleton at Orwell and went via Longstowe and the Gransdens to the meeting point. Joined along the bumpy stretch by the Cambridge group who had decided to come a different way from normal.

Nine of us continued the ride, Mike C, Eddie, Jim, Sarah, Averil, Sue, Adrian, Brian Mynott and me. Went up the quiet route to St Ives, stopping at the Nuts Bistro for lunch - chicken and brie toastie.

Came back part of the way with the group afterwards, but Sue, Brian and I turned off to come down through Knapwell and Bourn. Sue needing the loo so we stopped at Brian's and had a cup of tea in the conservatory before the final push home over Chapel Hill.

60 miles

7 April - Ridgeback to Fowlmere and Great Chishill

A nice sunny day for our visit to Barbara. Back at about 4.30 so decided to have a short trip to make use of the weather.

It turned out to be quite cold still because of the wind. Went across to Fowlmere then up the hill to Crishall and on to Greta Chishill. Back via Fowlmere and Shepreth.

20 miles

6 April - Ridgeback to Gamlingay

Sunny afternoon, first for a very long time. Trek in the Letchworth shop for new mudguards and derailleur adjustment so took the Ridgeback on its second outing. lowest gears not quite engaging properly and overall impression that it was

Set off through Wimpole and up Hatley Hill on the way to Gamlingay. Then continued on to Potton and back  via the Guilden Morden road and Wendy. Out onto the A1198 thinking I'd cut across to Orwell but because of the cold headwind (still!) decided to go down to Whaddon.

30 miles

4 April - Puncture!

Set off for Hauxton with Nick only to hit a pothole whilst following him. Two splits in the tube and, stupidly, no spare tube in the bag. Puncture outfit not up to such a big repair and the old Peugeot pump pretty useless, so a wake-up call to be better prepared.

Intercepted Hilary on her way to tennis and she came to rescue me from Hauxton.

7 miles!

2 April - CTC Tuesday Ride, Southill

Nominally 7 deg and sunny but still a cold easterly wind. Comfortable enough for riding and no cold feet for once.

Big group at Waresely, including several non riders. Eight of us set off for the continuation ride, Averil, Sarah, Bill, Jacob, Eddie, Rupert, Tony H and me.  Usual nice ride through Tempsford and Blunham, stopping at Southill for al fresco lunch. Sheltered there but still a cold wind when we resumed riding, sometimes straight into it.

Had to wait a bit for Jacob, who then stopped off at Hattie's in Bassingbourn for more refreshments.

55 miles.