There was the threat of drizzle in the market square but it never really materialised during the morning. And fortunately neither did the chaos on the roads of the Saturday following the M4 closure. A relaxed ride South and up the N Hants escarpment found us at Ashmansworth for a photo op. with a hedge, then we pressed on down to the Hurstbourne valley for a coffee stop at the Family Shopper/Petrol Station at Hurstbourne Tarrant.

There were lots of cyclists on a sportive descending the valley but only us climbing gently up to and beyond Vernham Dean. Just past Upton we had a brief altercation with a somewhat unreasonable motorist with an anger management issue descending the valley who considered that we should give way to him as he passed a stationary car on his side of the road! After the usual great views from the highest point of the road, just after Oxenford, we were soon at Great Bedwyn where Wendy's Cafe beckoned. Shortly afterwards the drizzle arrived and we retreated to the (children's party?) room inside and eventually enjoyed our paninis.

We emerged after lunch into a damp afternoon which quickly developed into a very heavy and prolonged shower, mucky little roads (which seemed to have brought out all the 4x4 brigade to play) and a number of passable floods on the approach to Hungerford. On the climb up to Poughley the sun arrived and rain jackets were stashed. Chris left us at the B4000 where a it was decided to follow the main road into Lambourn rather than the gravelly lane down Eastbury Hill. As we climbed up Sheepdrove there was no sign of it having rained and we were back in Wantage around 1520. Thank you to everyone for a convivial and enjoyable ride, and good luck to Libby for her LEJOG starting next weekend.