Monks before Princes
Leopards ride report - Simon H
After the success of including Britwell Hill last week, your correspondent set his sights on a couple more Top 100 climbs in our area – Dudley Lane aka Luxtors, and Whiteleaf Lane. Apparently, not everyone thought of this as a success. Hence, as soon as Russell posted a flatter ride, most of those originally signed up quickly migrated across.
So, seven of us set off on Saturday morning, sent on our way by an expletive burst from James B, who was joining us for some climbing metres ahead of an Everesting attempt looming on the horizon. Heading out along Henley Road, we turned at Mill End, followed by one of the Cheetah’s groups, who soon overtook.
As we arrived at the bottom of Dudley Lane, Matt D begged off and chased down the Cheetahs as the incline was likely to be a bit much for his single speed. The rest soldiered on, with James toying with us, riding up one-handed while stretching his back as the rest of us huffed and puffed our way to the top, where we found James S, ready to catch a picture of us all at our best.
With our new member briefly in tow, still coughing from a recent cold, we pressed on, losing him again as he descended to Stonor. On, to Christmas Common and down into Watlington, and out again heading north. Here, we turned off the main road with the intention of avoiding a bit of the Saturday morning traffic. However, it would seem some drivers had the same idea. Heading through Pyrton, Stoke Talmage and on to Thame, we were subjected to more than a few close passes from impatient drivers – one even resorting to the classic ‘waving an angry fist from the driver’s window’!
The headwind increased by the minute, making for heavy going to Thame, turning to a persistent head-cross wind towards Princes Risborough. With James becoming increasingly frustrated with our somewhat sloppy formation riding and dodgy through and off, we were all glad to arrive in Monks Risborough, even if it did mean facing Whiteleaf Lane, which rose into the trees and out of sight before us.
Regrouping at the top, with Neil pointing to the sky in an unorthodox manner, we cracked on; more than aware that even with the now hopeful tailwind, we would be hard-pushed to make it back to Marlow by 11h30. So, after whipping along through the wonderfully named Loosely Row and then Lacey Green, we descended down what I believe Chris B has referred to as the Corkscrew, across the Wycombe Road, and down the narrow but quiet Slough Lane.
At West Wycombe we deviated from our route due to traffic concerns and climbed up to Lane End before descending into Marlow. As time had gotten the better of us, James and David O headed straight home, while the rest of us returned to MSC where we found some of the later arrivals from other groups and fortunately enough cake and rolls to go around.