For what was a cold cloudy Sunday morning there was a good turnout of eight riders, including John G who had set off in advance. Pete was looking distinctly gloomy as he had been cycling in Portugal the previous week in temperatures of +25oC. We set off and not long after the start were joined by Ben. We made good time along the Spring Line and picked up John in Ashbury. We arrived at Three Trees around about 10:20 and all inside sitting was taken, fortunately the temperature was okay for sitting outside (Pete might disagree). The refreshment orders arrived one-by-one over a period of about 20 minutes, with Ben’s cooked breakfast arriving in two parts at the end. As Louis had a commitment back in Wantage he headed off and the rest of the group watched Ben consume his food, which he did at remarkable speed. The ride back to Wantage was uneventful apart from a few unplanned deviations from the route. As we approached Wantage a number of the group dropped off to their respective homes. In all a very enjoyable ride.

The forecast was heavy showers and, yes, it was real ‘fill your socks’ weather. Four of us set off from the marketplace as the downpour intensified. One dropped off fairly early – saturated socks. Another joined us at Coleshill, having missed the start.
After snacking well in sunshine we resumed our ride and almost immediately were hit by a heavy downpour. We were drenched when we reached Faringdon. At this point the skies brightened, the rain stopped and we returned to Wantage in glorious sunshine.
What fun!

A more optimistic weather forecast than that from a day earlier proved accurate, and my new mud flaps were surplus to requirements. The three of us enjoyed a flat ride to Cogges on mostly quiet roads, with the notable exception of a few kilometres of the A361 into Burford , including at least one road which was new to me, the lane through Asthall. Cogges Manor Farm Cafe was quiet and provided coffee and savoury baps. The lane back to Stanton Harcourt was as peaceful (and rough) as ever. Louis left us at Longworth to head into Oxford to sing (for his supper?) leaving Libby and I to follow a slightly circuitous route back to Wantage Market Square which achieved the required three figures of kilometres.

Thanks to Libby and Louis for your excellent company!

Five appeared by 10:00 under King Alfred's statue including just one Phil.
We set off in the dry but that soon changed. Showers were forecast. As it turned out there was one persistent "shower" all the way to our stop at Blake's in Clanfield.
The ride leader treated the entire party to coffee and cinnamon buns to celebrate his significant birthday on Wednesday. (His loyalty card is now full - next bun is 'free'.)
We started the return leg in the dry, making good progress until the ride leader had a rapid deflation in Fernham due to a piece of glass in his tyre. Had it not been for this delay we would have made it back to Wantage in the dry but encountered a sharp shower approaching Denchworth.
Notwithstanding all of the above, it was a good autumnal ride.

It was a chilly Autumn morning, so everyone turned up fully kitted out, well, that is everyone apart from Dave, who was nursing a slight hangover and had been unable to find all his warm cycling gear including gloves. Nick S arrived in the nick of time, only to discover his front tyre was a little soft despite having pumped it up before leaving. He decided to go home and sort it out with the possibility of meeting us later. The ride started by going up Chain Hill with a slight headwind, so no better way to get the blood flowing, warm the extremities and shake off a hangover! Just as we were approaching Hungerford, we were met by Nick cycling towards us, with fully inflated tyres. Refreshments were taken at the Tutti Pole, which allowed Dave to thaw out. The temperature had picked up when we resumed the ride, and we made our way back to Wantage at a good pace. Despite all the recent heavy rain, we did not encounter too much standing water.

Louise joined us at the top of Sincombe Hill, having had to take the long way round to reach Wantage following yesterday's floods - so the slightly longer/slower route we took through Letcombe proved it's worth!

The ride was incident-free. We were expecting a lot of surface water on the roads but didn't find much, apart from the usual part-road-width puddles in the Lambourn Valley - and even enjoyed a a few fleeting glimpses of sun. Louise's local knowledge of Newbury led us to the King's Cafe near the clocktower which provided tasty teacakes for the three of us (other savoury and sweet options were available). After the coffees we did a quick recce of the town centre, locating the originally envisaged cafe next to the canal (The Old Tea Rooms) and headed back through Donnington, Chieveley and Lilley. Overall a very satisfying ride.

The weather was exactly as forecast: dry from 9 to 12. Overcast yes, autumnal for sure, but just the familiar trio: me, myself and I.
We had a pleasant outing on damp roads in dry air. Service was quick at Savages and I was back home in the dry by 11:45.
Bonus fauna - a peacock.

The biggest issue on this pleasant ride through the sunny Vale, with a bacon butty stop at the Log Cabin in Southmoor, was whether to wear arm warmers.

On a balmy September morning the ride leader found his bare arms a tad chilly, but within 15 minutes was up to operating temperature. Others, let us call them the Goldilocks group, arrived with arm warmers, then we stopped while they removed them, then we stopped while they put them back on.

Anyway, when we sat outside Alfie's to have a drink after the ride no one was wearing arm warmers.

Despite a promising forecast it was a chilly start at South Cerney and Dave soon took up pacing duties to ensure we warmed up quickly. The three Corners at Nailsworth provided a very comfortable early coffee stop for us to contemplate the steep W climb up to Minchinhampton Common. Having clawed our way up we then lost all the height gain in the descent to Stroud. The climb up Whites Hill was soon upon us - each time I do it the climb seems steeper and this time the Wahoo indicated a short stretch of 20%. Once up on the escarpment there was the opportunity to take it easier and enjoy the extensive views first to the South East and then across to the Gloucester and the Malverns behind. A refuelling stop at Brockworth Subway provided an opportunity to overeat before the tough climb up Birdlip Hill. The relief at getting the three main climbs out of the way and the continued dry, though rarely warm, weather encouraged a fast pace through quiet Cotswold villages back to Cirencester. The return route shortened relative to last year seemed to work well as we arrived back at South Cerney at 1410, accompanied b y a few drops of rain.

Thanks to all for making this ride, one of the hilliest we tackle, so enjoyable!

Seven riders on a distinctly autumnal morning with a fresh gusting South Westerly wind. Good group riding and usual friendly service at Humble Bumble - a very pleasant ride. Four of us enjoyed some further banter outside the KAH.