Rather crisp morning, so layered up for the first time this 'autumn'. So out again via Monxton, Grateley and Palestine. At Palestine we cross the railway line and dropped onto the Roman way which is a very nice piece of bridleway that runs towards Porton. We where not intending to go that far and at the appropriately named 'Hampshire gap' turned north onto a very nice piece of singletrack which ran through a elongated copse to the Cholderton Road, We followed this all the way to Quarley, it proved to be a very quiet country lane which allowed a view of the back of Quarley Hill, the under the A303 at Racedown, Along Snoddington lane which skirts Thruxton race track and back towards Andover via Fyfield and Weyhill. So covered 38 kilometres in two hours.
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So 32 kilometres to Palestine and back, not a long way to go. It was a grey misty morning made bearable by the fact it was warm. So cycled in just a jersey, got wet but it wasn't a big issue due to the aforementioned warm, the indian summer hasn't quite left us. So to Palestine and the green lanes that run in that area. Some proved to be rather green and lush, so much so that they couldn't be cycled to the planned route was some what truncated.
The almost annual pilgrimage to the NEC in Birmingham for the Cycle Show. As every it was a great event with lots to look at from clothes to E-MTB's. I was particularly looking at the new niche of Adventure/Gravel Bikes and there were some fine examples to have a look at. Open of the talks which i attended was very topical - Adventure Cycling with Mike Hall of Tour Divide fame and Laura Scott who has exploded onto the endurance scene in the last couple of years. Another talks which I attended was in regards DIY bike fit, which was very interesting as it relied totally on your bodies own feedback, with no tools apart from an Allen key to make the necessary adjustments. There was a great selection of brands attending from high end Bicycle manufacturers to clothing. There was a big German presence with Canyon, Cube, Radon, Storck and Magura having very interesting stands. Rubber for your wheels was represented by Maxxis, Schwalbe and Vittoria. Bell, Giro, Lazer, Met and POC had all your protection needs covered. Topeak and BBB for your cycling accessories and many more besides. So we came home with alot of reading material to pour over, and some nice freebies in the way of water bottles, and chain lube samples from Muc Off. 44 kilometres in two hours fifteen minutes. So out of Andover on the National cycle route N264, which then joins the Test Way at Chilbolton Common. Followed the Test Way down to Horsebridge, where we left the Test Way and then followed the country lanes through Houghton, Bossington, Broughton, Nether Wallop and Kentboro and finally back home via Anna Valley. Cooler weather made for an easier ride out.
StravaThe reliance on modern technology is a hindrance when one should be enjoying being out on another sunny morning cycling around the Test Valley. We seem to be having something of an Indian summer; The UK's hottest day of the year so far - and the warmest September day since 1911 - has been recorded in Gravesend, Kent, where it reached 34.4C (93.9F) was yesterday. So it was much or a surprise to find this morning was another hot one with temperatures raising to 25C, With very little wind it made it rather warm work. What really got me hot under the collar was the fact Strava kept crashing while Pokemon Go was running and vice versa, (Cycling with Pokemon GO running is 'fun' as you will invariably go fast enough to trick it into thinking you are in a car.) In the end we just ran Strava which was on it's own marginally more stable. Strava had been running fine on the phone until the latest update :-( So out of Andover via Abbots Ann and Monxton, up to Kentboro, then west to Grateley and then south through the Wallops and on to Broughton. Once at Horsebridge joined the Test Way and cycled up to Chilbolton and back home via the Clatfords. Strava managed to record 40Km of the total 50Km route.
Finally back on the mountain bike. A lovely sunny Sunday morning for a ride, So out of Andover via Anna valley, Monxton and Kentsboro, past Danebury Hill fort and dropped into the Test valley via Church lane. Then through Stockbridge and north on the Test Way to Chilbolton and back through the Clatfords. 35.2 Kilometers in just under two hours. A nice mix of sleepy country lanes, bridle paths and single track.
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January 2023
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