2 May - Thursday Ride, Great Yeldham, 80 miles

Lovely sunny day but chilly to start so kept leggings on until the coffee stop.

Met at Greta's, starting off from home with Nick but he then broke another spoke and went back for his other bike. Took the usual route out to Whittlesford then across the A505 to Duxford. Doubled back along Grange Road, turning left to Crishall Grange then left again on the Saffron Walden Road.

Went through Saffron Walden, stopping for coffee break at The Temeraire, then out on the Radwinter road, B1054 and on to Great and Little Sampford, Finchingfield, Howe Street, Gainsford End and finally Great Yeldham. Did a mistaken right turn so retraced steps to the Wagon & Horses pub.

Sat in the garden at the back and had a nice Lasagne, not taking long to appear, then disappear.

Headed off back at good speed, helped by slight tail wind. Headed for Steeple Bumpstead then on to Caste Camps, Bartlow and Linton. Left via Back Road, becoming Hildersham Road, through Little Abington and onto Bourn Bridge Road. Used a dodge via a lane, steep footbridge and another lane to get over the A11, reappearing on Babraham High Street.

Joined the cycle way soon after, going on through Sawston and over the A1301 to the nice cycle way to Whittlesford. Left the main group at the Newton turning then Carol, Nick and I headed back home. Carol went straight on at Newton heading for Haslingfield while Nick and I came back through Fowlmere.

80 miles, longest day's ride ever for me!

1 May 2013 - Solo to Hildersham, 36 miles

Very bright and sunny but a surprising amount of wind still.

Went again along through Newton, cutting through the church yard in Whittlesford and taking the cycle tracks to Sawston, then to Babraham. Went up to the church in Hildersham, sitting on the seat in the graveyard for the sandwich snack.

Decided not to go on towards Horseheath but doubled back much the way I'd come except then turning back along the A505 as far as the Babraham turning. Back along the cycle paths to Whittlesford and Newton before crossing over to Harston, Haslingfield and back over Chapel Hill.

36 miles

Woodhall Spa - 28 to 30 April

Golf trip with Keith Cridland's group, in all Keith, Tony, Gary, Barry, Colin Clark, Ted, Alex Bridges, Nick Scott, Woody Woodroff, John Gould, and Mick Merry.

Played the Bracken on Sunday, with Tony and I against Gary and Barry. Won game and ended up joint best scorer with 31 points. Good evening meal etc but not late to bed.

Day 2 round not until 11.30 so went for walk with Tony before hand. Played the Hotchkin with a stiff wind on the back nine, making it very tough even to get over the heather. Again joint best with 28 points but so  many shots slipping away.

Another good meal and again an early night rather than going off to the bar again.

Calmer day on Tuesday, with the wind switching round completely and helping on the back nine. Held onto joint top spot for the first nine but then Colin started an excellent back nine, pulling clear by 3. Second time in second place with this group.

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.