When the bun size matters more than the weather

Captain Al

Sat’s forecast was less inspiring than than the good of Friday, so a one Group posse assembled for a weather-proof route. Two brave Leopards ‘requested’ to join our ride, chapeau Charles and Huw.
The route took us up Winter Hill, and a rarity as we stayed as one moving block to the top clearly on best behaviour for our guests and not wishing to dampen any early enthusiasm.
At the top we collected Nick Butterfield escaping his young family high on chocolate, and then Fraser in Cookham (self-confessed, couldn’t be a’d to climb to descend again). Without such a warm up he was remarkably able (it says here) to tussle early up Harvest Hill with Lars, for an immediate roll through and onwards looping around to Stoke Poges and surban Slough beyond. We tracked around a rarely ridden side of the Datchet reservoirs, with the odd spot of rain felt as we approached coffee at Cinnamon Cafe at Windsor.

Here we lost big Ed (not to be confused with Scottish Ed) who headed straight for home as time short. We lost Lars for a short time too, hidden behind the huge bun.

Showers luckily cleared we had a prospect of some down wind legs, half of Drift road the obvious favourite and multiple PRs bagged and top 1% for the year at c26mph average for the 3mile stretch. (Of note, chat on the attempt had started in the week by some tracking on WindGuru which allows you to overlay your route against the predicted weather so you can plot headwind/tailwinds accordingly).

Now tracking back to the Walthams best we say nothing to upset Joff (on his broken rib return) on his bridge game of chicken. (He won).
Boulters Lock to Cookham passed quick enough, where a few peeled for home, before further down wind section from BE and trip on the Joff express back to Marlow.

Well done to Charles and Huw for hanging in there, and hopefully a taster of a different group. (Timely with article for Moving Groups, temporary or permanent, about to be released).

Fab numbers for the Good Friday ride and some also tripled up with BH mon ride too making most of time off work and weather.