M7 Cycling Club

Mentally Challenged

Costa Coffee Car Park

Coffee Time

Third Ride; Sunday 12th February
Route Organiser; Ian Hartland
Cyclists; Doug Freeman, Ian Hartland, Steve Darby, Dave Shuttleworth
Statistics; 21.55 miles, average speed 11.09 mph, ride time 1:56:36

We left Harbury Village Hall at 11:00 on a rather overcast day with the forecast of showers. There was a blustery wind (6 knots) from the south, cleverly predicted by Ian when he set the route earlier in the week. Ian informed us that he was surprised by the number of undulations he had encountered when he checked out the route by motor bike the previous day.

The route headed out via Chesterton Windmill, Chesterton, Lighthorne (not stopping at the Antelope Starbucks), left at Lighthorne Rough, and along the Lighthorne Road which afforded magnificent views of the Compton Verney estate. It was here that Ian spotted a male skylark on the left hand side of the road trying to distract us away from a female who we assume was nesting on the right side. Ian was awarded his M7 Twitchers badge.

We continued to Kineton, and then along the Southam Road to Gaydon. A short distance along this road, Steve and Doug were soaked by an oncoming car which accelerated when he spotted a very large puddle alongside us. Steve and Doug gave the driver the M2 salute. On reaching Gaydon, we passed two further coffee houses, went up and across Gaydon Fields, over the M40, and along the Centenary Way to Northend.

At Northend, we stopped at the Red Lion Costa Coffee for refreshments, see photographs. Ian cleverly introduced the Routemaster round, which will be familiar to those aficionados Mornington Crescent as a move for getting home as quickly as possible. Suitably refreshed, and having missed a minor rain shower, we returned via Knightcote, Bishops Itchington, Bishops Bowls, Great Western (where Dave headed for home), and back to Harbury.

An excellent ride, good company and delicious coffee.

Cheers, Doug.

# posted by M7 Cycling Club @ 8:30 am