We haven't attempted a train-assisted ride since before Lockdown so this was very much an experiment, with me as Dr Frankenstein! To begin the day the weather did not encourage, and it was cloudy and cool, not even beginning to improve until late-morning. And of course I had picked a day when there was a train strike! One positive note was the stiff, north-easterly breeze which looked set to push us in the right direction for once, towards the city of St Swithun!
Although it was cool outside, the welcome at New Haw Day Centre was very warm and were treated like old friends, the only wrong note being the automatic toilet doors which some of us did struggle with! Well, I did anyway - not very practical people us mad scientists!
Anyway, two groups of us eventually got away and set off south-westwards into the unknown! Following unexpectedly high demand Ged had very kindly stepped in at short notice to lead the first group from .gpx and he managed a trouble-free ride to lunch despite having to grapple with Frankenstein's monster, my route!
Of his group's experiences Ged writes - The debate at lunch was who would ride back after Winchester? Was it too windy, too late, tired legs - or just the appeal of a comfortable train ride home? In the end Patrick was the lone escapee, riding back to Guildford and then a short train ride home. Kudos Patrick - but then again you hadn't done Ford Ride London, unlike Janice, Fiona and Neil! Thank goodness you didn't puncture again. Earlier we enjoyed quiet roads - particularly after lunch, the expansive Hampshire landscape in splendid Spring greenery, a welcome change to constrained Surrey. Thanks to David for a well-crafted route, and to my group for regularly helping-out on the more problematic turns. We must do these kinds of train assist rides more often!
My group was slightly less fortunate - my brand-new rear tyre deflated explosively in the backstreets of Woking and I feared sidewall damage. A group effort helped me get it fixed very quickly, although we never found the cause of the problem, just the evidence of a small hole in the failed inner tube.
It was getting a bit late by now so we pushed on a bit. Once we had passed Fleet it was pretty much a case of country lanes all the way to lunch, and beyond, and the sun began to shine, so spirits were lifted! We still did well to get to Greywell for lunch just before 1.30pm.
It had been very difficult to find a pub in the right place that would take us (perhaps word has got around among the licensed trade?) but the Fox and Goose had had no such qualms. The service was friendly and the garden pleasant but we waited quite a while for our food and various options were 'off', so I would say it was okay but did not excel!
Despite this, my group got away just after 2.30pm, a while behind Ged's group, so it was to our surprise that we caught and passed them nursing a puncture in the Candover valley! We in turn were leap-frogged by them as we stopped to 'admire the view' from the top of a yet another hill, but we passed them again as they in turn admired the impressive perspective of the Itchen valley nearing Winchester.
At Easton bridge we paused to look down at the cool, clear waters of the Itchen, and Ged's group regained their rightful place ahead! There were just a few miles to roll after that. Yet another country lane suddenly came to an end with a hedgerow barely disguising the M3 approach road on the other side! After that, without any transition, we were jolted back into the built-up world! We did manage to get through most of Winchester on quieter roads though. Arriving just after 4.30 pm we were too late for tea at the cathedral so I had no choice but to deposit my group at Wetherspoons where they took well-deserved refreshment!
The station is very close by and I re-met Ged's group there. Would Dr Frankenstein's monster be defeated by Dr Beeching's monster? Well, we just missed a London train, but, miracle of miracles (I thank St Swithun), there was another one only ten minutes later which wasn't even late, let alone cancelled, and quite uncrowded. After a quick change at Woking I was home just after 6.00pm.
Plaudits to Patrick who gamely opted to ride most of the way home, into the wind, from Winchester and succeeded! Thanks to everyone else for your company, to all those who helped mend my mystery puncture, to Ged for sub-leading in the face of adversity, and to Simon for back-marking for my group.
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