Wheelers Rides

back to rides index

Autumn Weekend in the Chilterns
7-9 October 2005

Friday 7th October 2005
Riding out

The Friday ride out meant an early rise for Ken, as he had to meet a group at The Green Bridge at Mile End at 8.30am. I (Fiona) met them on the way at Gainsborough Studios, luckily I could see Dennis the Menace; Ken in his newish cycling jacket, and knew when it was time to move. We managed to manoeuvre our way along the canal path until Ian's gear cable started playing up, at which time some of us noticed that we seemed to have a stowaway, Scott, with us of school age and in uniform, apparently on an Inset Day or maybe just playing truant. We continued along the way until we reached the Ace Café, which is one of my favourite places. We had morning tea, but do be aware that you don't go there for the food, just amazing car and motorcycle entertainment. It was decided at this point that our young stowaway should be placed on a train and back to London, and Gerry did the good deed of making sure he actually got on the train; many thanks there to Gerry.

We all continued to follow Ken's lead, through the increasingly suburban streets of north-west London until approaching Northolt Station when David Alison was beeped by a car which was followed in quick response by David Tuckwell. I think that he was giving a Churchillian salute but I may have been mistaken. Now things did get interesting as there is still debate as to whether the motorist was a policeman or a marine in the military police but he confronted Dave Tuckwell quite aggressively until Ken calmed the situation and the group moved onwards. Very shortly after we met Gursh Gill on the road several miles earlier than the appointed rendezvous point, he completed the morning ride-out crew. The rest of the terrain was a little hilly, but very enjoyable, amazing when you consider we were only about 58.5 km from out start point and ended just outside the M25.

We had lunch at the Green Man in Denham, which found the poor serving ladies getting a little confused with names, three David's may have been too much to handle. After finishing lunch we would have continued straight on to the hostel except that Ken's tyre had gone down, this was mended but then Dave Whittington also go a puncture during the afternoon. Including Gursh's, before lunch, we had a total of three punctures before eventually arriving at the hostel, having managed to miss it on our first pass going while going down the very small lane.

We arrived at 4.00pm and were greeted by Ed Burr who had cycled from Cambridge but had not been let into the secret of how to get into the hostel. Yes, the key was under the doormat. We hung around waiting for the Tesco van to arrive with the weekend's grocery delivery as nobody had thought to bring tea or milk to make the post journey cuppa.

The hostel was lovely and very clean with very good hot showers, and a rotary clothes line. We washed, got organised in one of four dorm rooms, and received the Tesco delivery for breakfast and dinner, and some tucked into tea, coffee and biscuits. The rest of the crew arrived slowly during the remainder of the afternoon and evening.

Soup cooking started in preparation for Saturday night's meal, but Fridays meal was to be at the local pub called the "Village Hall". Unfortunately we forgot to take a map or directions with us and the twenty minute walk, after numerous mobile calls, plus ringing the door bell of a house nearby, became almost an hour before we eventually found the pub. The food and environment were excellent. After all the late comers had arrived and fed and watered themselves, we returned to the hostel with lights and glowing jackets which were all handy for the oncoming cars. Eventually we all ventured off to bed, ready for our rides the following day.

Saturday 8th October 2005
The Ride

Participants - Julie-ann Gillitt, Fiona Kelly, Dave Allison, Ed Burr, Ken Peters, Dave Tuckwell and Colin Waters.

Amazingly everyone was up, had breakfast and was ready to ride long before the advertised start time of 10.00. The group led by Ken, which was going to do the longer ride set off for Amersham a little earlier than Gary and Owen's group but we all managed to meet at the station at the right time where we were greeted by Keith and a friend of Ken's; Julie-ann.

As Ian had to have his gear cable replaced everyone went to Café Nero for a sit down and coffee while the repair was carried out. The format for the day was that the longer ride, led by Ken was going to be about 100K but the remainder of the group was to do a shorter, approximately 50K, ride at a slower pace.

I can only describe the events on the faster ride so hope that someone on the slower ride will contribute a piece on what went on there.

Incidents started almost before the ride began. Ken had forgotten to wait for Dave Tuckwell and had only gone 100 metres when Owen called to remind him that Dave was supposed to be with him. That made the group 7 riders but within another 300 metres the group became 6 as Dave Withington had problems with his rear derailleur and turned back to try and fix the problem. At Amersham, after a lovely ride over some rolling roads we were joined by Julie-ann and became 7.

Following coffee we quickly reached Chesham and started to experience some of the Chiltern Hills. The road out to our first turning point at Aston Hill was a steady climb but we were rewarded by a glorious view from the top and a very short and steep descent towards Aston Clinton and then through Halton. The descent almost proved too much for me as I almost overshot the junction at the main road and tried to become a road traffic casualty. Fortunately no vehicles were there to compound my embarrassment and I managed to continue without most people noticing my mistake. The village of Halton seemed to be just the RAF station but I am sure there is more to it than that.

Soon afterwards we had an impromptu stop at the Chiltern Brewery in Terrick, a tiny hamlet on the Icknield Way; a Roman Road, now the B4009, near Stoke Mandeville. Colin and some of the boys were soon tucking beer-related goodies into their panniers before we left to do the remaining distance to the lunch stop at, The Swan, Little Kimble. We had so far covered just over half the expected ride distance at the respectable speed of 22.9 Kph (14.2 mph). Lunch was simple but good and all too soon Ken had urged us back into action.

Ken then led us at an increasing pace along the very straight B4009, for about fifteen kilometres until joining the A40 to the west of Stokenchurch. I think that the effort he put into speeding up the ride into a stiff headwind told as very soon after Colin took up the pacemaking we all passed Ken as we climbed up the steep road to Stokenchurch which took us back from the Oxfordshire plain into Buckinghamshire. Mind you despite all overtaking Ken we were all overtaking by a young man who had emerged from some off-road riding and put us all to shame on the steep slopes of the A40.

From Stokenchurch we then made good time on a lovely B road into and through Marlow where after a brief stop and an unfruitful search for some tearooms we continued for a short distance further until locating a garden centre where we enjoyed some much appreciated late afternoon tea and cakes.

After tea we unfortunately encountered some rain and another big hill, this time, into Beaconsfield before we reluctantly waved goodbye to Julie-ann and made our way to Waitrose to pick up some additional provisions. We reached the hostel to end the ride, soon after 18.00, and had covered the grand total of 104 K at the very good average speed of 22.9 Kph.

Dinner and social time
The group on the shorter ride arrived back first and started preparations for dinner. Those on the longer ride arrived shortly after 18.00 as mentioned above. Some went to have a shower whilst others went straight for a seat and break. The catering was so well organised by Caroline that the 8 to 9 spaces on each table were set and the first course a choice of either tomato or lentil soup was served to both tables. I think every person had two bowls plus bread. The wine and water was now flowing freely. And when you have a full fridge the garden at night time turns into a great fridge for white wine, and I did happen to notice that one table had the cask of lovely red wine hidden on the floor, mmmm, wonder why?

First course over, and those on the longer ride were still awake because we wanted food. Main courses arrived for the meat eaters; a chilli dish and for the vegetarians a chick pea casserole. Brown rice and baked potato were filler options. The meal was excellent and we all just ran into the kitchen to load up our plates. It was so good many of us had two helpings again. We also had salad and more wine flowing. Dessert of fruit salad followed with natural yoghurt. I have done quite a bit of hostelling and camping but I have to say that on this weekend the food was fantastic, all pitched in to help in what ever way they could. A little after dinner the washing up was done and some drifted off to bed early. With the realisation that Ken had now spent two days navigating he was one of the first. Games were pulled out from place on the shelf or conversation continued, along with the wine.

Sunday 9th October 2005
The return

In order to ease the burden on ride leaders it was decided to split the return trip into at least two groups. In the end it turned out to be three groups with Caroline, Gerry and Dave Allison riding to Northwood station as well as the two groups that rode all the way. However, before we set off Denise made a solo exit in the direction of Chesham and then on towards, I think, to St Albans.

Soon after 10.00 and after a welcome breakfast and the housekeeping required to leave the hostel clean and tidy, we left. Colin took one group and turned right out of the hostel while the other two groups turned left and went uphill towards Chalfont St Peter. The idea was that Colin's group would have lunch on the way while the group I was in, led by Ken, was going to ride straight back.

There was almost a great disaster as a few of us missed an early turning and had to retrace steps to meet with Ken and Trevor. They told us that the smaller group who were heading for the train had already left them while they were waiting for us to regroup.

Once we had regathered it was very straight forward and we caught the train-bound group as we crossed the canal at West Hyde. Very soon after we met with Colin's group at Harefield but the big group only lasted for a short while as long as we were again going to take different roads.

Our group followed the route out from Friday, apart from the diversion to lunch and after parting company with Gursh at Northolt we quickly made it to near Wembley, passing the Ace Café, before riding down the Harrow Road to Paddington thence onto Marylebone/Euston Road where we stopped briefly at Kings Cross to put Ed on the train for his return to Cambridge.

All too soon we found ourselves at the always welcoming Rosemary Branch which was the end of the ride for Ken and myself. The boys were soon tucking into pints of ale and various fruit beers while they waited for Colin's group to turn up. Shortly after their arrival we left and made the short distance home to start the clean up of bikes and kit from a very good weekend.

By the way, the return ride being more direct was only 48 K, a breeze compared to the longer and faster ride of Saturday.

Fiona Kelly
10-10-2005

pics by Trevor

back to rides index