The warmer sunny weather enticed a good turnout (9) and we were joined by a perspective new member Carlo. The route took us to Frilford and through Abingdon and along the cycleway to Clifton Hampden, where Louis continued on for a lunchtime appointment. The remainder of the group continued to Notcutts Garden Centre for refreshments. We said goodbye to Nick at Wittenham and continued back to Wantage via Didcot, Hagbourne, Upton, Harwell and Ginge. Those who had come with full leggings were beginning to feel the heat and one member decided to bear their chest albeit briefly. A lovely warm Spring ride.

A good turnout for what turned-out to be quite a punchy ride. Although it was a flat route, it required some effort to overcome the stiff cross-headwind on the way out, especially if you were on the front! Nevertheless we set a good pace.
Lynwood's cafe was busy but we squeezed in on two tables for nice coffee and cakes etc. After that we revelled in the now tailwind and blasted back at a good lick.
Welcome to guest rider Hugh, hope you enjoyed the ride.

Two of us rode out from Wantage in sufficient time to have a coffee before joining the others at the start. We set off and chose to stop after 30K at Pete’s club in Cricklade where we had coffees and enormous cakes. These filled us for the two big hills up to Broad Hinton and Hackpen White Horse before the glorious run down the Marlborough Down. We chose not to have a break there, which turned out to be a mistake, because Goodies in Lambourn was closed.
Nick rode directly back to Wantage while the rest of us returned to Shrivenham.
The ride was so good for at least one of us intends riding the full White Horse challenge next week.

Despite the weather being overcast with a chilly northerly breeze, 10 riders turned up with another joining at Childrey. We said goodbye to Jan in Shrivenham for a pre-arranged lunch engagement, the remainder of the group continued onto Ashbury Tea Room and Shop for a well-earned coffee – unfortunately it was closed!! Plan B was put into action, coffee at the Uffington Stores. Fortunately it was warm enough to sit outside to enjoy the refreshments. As we made are way back to Wantage various riders dropped off to make their way home – four riders finished in the Market Square. A quick drink at the recently refurbished King Alfred’s Head was taken – the overall view was positive for KAH’s.

A smaller field but of the 36 entries 35 started which is a much better percentage than last year!

One heavy shower near Chipping Norton was reported and it was busy past the notorious farm shop but otherwise the ride went off without incident.

Despite the smaller field huge generosity from the riders meant we were able to donate £75 to the Thames Valley Air Ambulance.

Only four riders on such a beautiful morning - bright but not quite shirt sleeve weather yet! But good to see Jan again, newly retired!

Uneventful ride out to Great Bedwyn. From Ermine Street we took the lane downhill through Poughley despite the Road Closed sign but found no roadworks. Arriving in Great Bedwyn we found that Wendy's has now closed - looks definitive - which is a shame - but a rather insalubrious Portaloo close-by proved a useful adjunct to the ever-reliable food offering from the Post Office. After enjoying our lunch amongst the Church cemetery headstones we set off on the return ride, soon interrupted by a puncture to Jan's rear tyre. This time it was a sizeable sidewall split, GP5000 tyres again demonstrating that they are not robust enough for Oxfordshire roads. With a boot and fresh inner tube installed, and a not-insignificant bulge in the tyre, Jan nursed her bike back as far as Kingston Lisle (and hopefully back home), where she left the ride. Richard left us Lambourn to check on his driveway tradesmen, leaving just Pam and I to finish the ride back to Wantage.

Another beautiful Spring sunny day, but with a cold wind. However, this did not deter a number of riders coming out of Winter hibernation, we were joined by Jess, Dave (promises to pay his membership!!) and Nick D, who had cycled over from Sutton Courtenay. The route out of Grove and onto the Denchworth Road saw us get tangled up with the preparations for the start of the White Horse Half Marathon, fortunately we were ahead of the race start. The route out to Eynsham was into a brisk headwind, and just as we approached Eynsham Dave had a puncture, some of the group went onto the Cherry Tree Café to secure an outside table while the rest gave moral support to Dave, who repaired his puncture very efficiently. The café was busy with a number of cycling groups, and while we got our order in very quickly the service was particularly slow, however this allowed us to enjoy the warming sun and for everyone to look at envy as Louis’s bacon and pancakes! The ride home was much easy with a tailwind and Dave taking the lead, and fortunately the Half Marathon had finished so no runners to contend with down the Denchworth Road. A lovely Sunday morning ride and great to see some familiar faces back.

Nice and bright again, and we hardly noticed the wind on the way out - but it was a different story on the way back into a fresh headwind. As pleasant as ever at the back of Bloomfields but nobody chose their recommended brie-filled croissants - maybe next time!
Thanks everyone - nice stress-free ride.

Well, it was the first day of “Summer” and the sun was shining, even if the air was cool. Everyone arrived on time despite the clocks going forward. A few brave ones came bearing their legs and were thinking they may have come under dressed – with 12 hills covering 850m of climbing over 58km, body temperatures would soon warm up. With a brisk tailwind the ride out to the garden centre at Hermitage saw us arrive just before 10:30. Refreshments were taken outside enjoying the warming sun. The ride back to Wantage was a little tougher with the headwind, but everyone made it back with a smile on their faces. The opportunity to try the “refurbished” King Alfred’s Head was deferred to another day as everyone made their respective ways home – a lovely sunny ride with hopefully more to come.

Four of us came out for a ride past stationary traffic from Drayton to Abingdon, due to the unfortunate closure of the A34. Drivers were resigned to their fate as we rode serenely past them.
The cafe in Southmoor was busy so we enjoyed the outside table before the return ride during which I lost half the peleton!