This week’s posse arrived via more welcomed dry roads for a CW loop out towards High Wyc, Hughenden, Missendon, Amersham, Gerrards Cross, Farnham Common, BE and home. Once again we were caught between wardrobes, some in shorts and spring-weight jerseys, some gilets, full or fingerless gloves. But we all agreed it ‘was cold’ and needed to keep moving.
The ‘warm up’ therefore a fairly rare climb up past the Brewery to HC, Fraser and Joff leading the pace (danger there), Ed K returning after injury, any chat stopped and the group fractured slightly, but regrouped for our crossing of HC (fairly straight forward). We did sight Nick S and Scott also crossing, and would latch on to them at John Hampden school lights before a chilly plummet and crossing of High Wyc.
Pre-arranged, we picked up Phil G, Colin and Jan at Morrisons, (all day breakfast consumed) before threading our way up Hughenden Valley, then Bryants Bottom this time with an OCD-pleasing Rapha-clad pair of James G and Joff on the front, for another solid paced climb.
Phil G would decide the chat, company or pace was not for him today, and who could blame him. Definitely not our smoothest thru/off to Missendon but miles clicked by, with Frith Hill the waiting reward. More solid heat retaining climbing before meandering roads beyond.
It was though at Amersham where we encountered the Phantom
Beeper. We weren't sure if brakes and horn had been x-wired in a Top Gear-esk jolly wheeze, and a few roundabouts and lights had us craning necks behind, Fraser selecting his fight card of those who might ‘get amongst it’, but intervention was not required.
Al and Ben would take off after a junction and small rise, stringing the group out (it’s not just Adi who gets bored perhaps), all a pre-cursor to similar fun down through Fulmer’s sweeping S-bends and power climb then turning right to Farnham.
Ben would cut for home near Hedsor, Jan avoiding his normal route up Sheepridge in favour of a MSC bacon butty, Scott and Nick peeling as we entered Marlow (Nick Twickenham bound for a joyous afternoon of rugby). Al stopping for some social media opportunities with his cadets.
Great to have another dry track and the route with challenges evenly spaced to pass the miles. Thanks Mark for plotting.