Monday, 28 September 2009
Simon FitzMaurice writes: Given the alternative activities on offer this Sunday, it might have been expected that relatively few would turn up for the afternoon ride. In the event we were eight in number; as we waited to leave at Brookside we watched a steady stream of cyclists pass on the last half mile of their Oxford-Cambridge charity ride.
Mike K led us out on the familiar DNA path, though Whittlesford and Duxford on a glorious afternoon. It wasn't long before we reached Grange Road, Duxford and turned southwest towards Great Chishill and Barkway, where the dependably execrable state of the road surface give us cause to be glad to turn towards Reed, following the ridge past the transmitters with North Hertfordshire laid out to our right.
We passed the Silver Ball (with no sight of the Audax riders at this time though), and after passing through Therfield the descent (35mph) past Royston Golf Club afforded a good opportunity to test our brakes as we approached the T-juncton at the bottom. There we turned left towards the A505 and followed the dual carriageway for a few hundred yards before turning - with care! - right towards Litlington.
Given the distance we had come I was surprised to discover that we were 1/4 hour early, but the tea was as welcome as ever, and we were joined by Gareth and others bringing news of the Audax ride earlier in the day.
The ride back was a direct route via Shepreth and Chapel Hill. At the turn in Barton we stopped to give directions to a pair of cyclists who, it turned out, were perhaps the last of the Audax ride. They were out of time, but determined to complete the course. Between Barton and Cambridge I felt slightly bemused as the Oxford-Cambridge marshalls waved us home. Total distance:
45 miles.
Simon FitzMaurice