Tuesday, January 30, 2007
M4 - An I said, "What about Breakfast at Alfonso's" - Saturday 27th January
Deep Blue Steve
Deep Blue Dave
Pete is only into folkTwenty Eighth Ride; Saturday 27th January 2007
Routemaster; Doug Freeman
Riders: Doug Freeman, Dave Shuttleworth, Steve Darby, Pete Bones
Total mileage: 26.18 miles
Average Speed: 11.29 miles an hour
Fastest Speed: 27.5 mph
A very early 8:30am start for the M4 who meet at Harbury Village Hall. The weather was perfect for cycling, 6c and 6mph wind from the North West. Pete had confused us by cycling towards the village hall and then turning up Constance Drive. He said that he had a letter to deliver, and as he did not have his glasses on could not see us waiting outside the Village Hall. We gave Pete his Braille map and waited a few minutes to see if Audrey Hepburn was going to join us, but in the end we set off on our own.
The early start was to enable us to arrive at Alfonso’s for 10:30am, but first we had to earn our breakfast. Our route took us out on the B4452 to Bascote Heath, and then left on the Welsh Road to Offchurch. At Offchurch, we headed north along that M7 favorite lane to Hunningham. The River Leam was reasonably high as we crossed the bridge and cycled to Weston under Wetherley. We followed the B4453 for a few hundred yards north before joining Weston Lane, M7 virgin territory, heading north towards Bubbenhall. We crossed the A445, kept to the west of Bubbenhall over Bubbenhall Bridge and up the south face of the precipice which protects Coventry Airport.
We did some carbon trading with some Thompson passengers heading off into the sun, and suitably smug turned south just before Baginton to head for our breakfast booking. At Tantra Lodge we met Pete who had taken a small short cut which avoided the River Avon and the hill. Instead of being refreshed after his rest, he was totally knackered from pumping up his front tyre. The journey to Leamington was reasonably straight forward back across the A445 and then the Coventry Road to Cubbington.
Your routemaster decided to use the excellent free WCC Warwick and Leamington Cycle Guide to find virgin routes through North Leamington. After a couple of false trails on Black Lane, we were afforded fine views of Leamington as we descended on the cycle track to Upper Holly Walk. Steve was now way ahead of the pack as he trail blazed the quickest route to Alfonso’s just north of Leamington Station, and we arrived at 10:30 on the dot.
Alfonoso’s was packed as it normally is, but we managed to find the last table for four. We ordered our fruit juice, toast, and tea/coffee. OK I lie, we all had mega English breakfasts and sat back and enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. We discussed the various coffee houses and tea rooms we had visited over the last year, and planned a breakfast run sometime in the future to Hill Top Farm on the advice of Pete. We would like to point out to Liz that Pete has never had breakfast at Hill Top Farm, but merely observed other people eating there!
Having somewhat increased our potential carbon footprint, we headed south along Tachbrook Road, and then Heathcote Road and Golf Lane to return to Harbury via Pete’s Lane. At Harbury two of the assembled M4 decided that they needed to use the loos in the Old New Inn, and unknown to your Routemaster then persuaded our Manor Orchard cyclist to join then. No will power these cyclists.
A fine January ride, great breakfast, excellent company and good weather. The second recipe of the year follows.
Doug.
Full English Breakfast
Cycle to Alfonso’s (CV31 3NN) or Hill Top Farm (CV33 9EL).
Routemaster; Doug Freeman
Riders: Doug Freeman, Dave Shuttleworth, Steve Darby, Pete Bones
Total mileage: 26.18 miles
Average Speed: 11.29 miles an hour
Fastest Speed: 27.5 mph
A very early 8:30am start for the M4 who meet at Harbury Village Hall. The weather was perfect for cycling, 6c and 6mph wind from the North West. Pete had confused us by cycling towards the village hall and then turning up Constance Drive. He said that he had a letter to deliver, and as he did not have his glasses on could not see us waiting outside the Village Hall. We gave Pete his Braille map and waited a few minutes to see if Audrey Hepburn was going to join us, but in the end we set off on our own.
The early start was to enable us to arrive at Alfonso’s for 10:30am, but first we had to earn our breakfast. Our route took us out on the B4452 to Bascote Heath, and then left on the Welsh Road to Offchurch. At Offchurch, we headed north along that M7 favorite lane to Hunningham. The River Leam was reasonably high as we crossed the bridge and cycled to Weston under Wetherley. We followed the B4453 for a few hundred yards north before joining Weston Lane, M7 virgin territory, heading north towards Bubbenhall. We crossed the A445, kept to the west of Bubbenhall over Bubbenhall Bridge and up the south face of the precipice which protects Coventry Airport.
We did some carbon trading with some Thompson passengers heading off into the sun, and suitably smug turned south just before Baginton to head for our breakfast booking. At Tantra Lodge we met Pete who had taken a small short cut which avoided the River Avon and the hill. Instead of being refreshed after his rest, he was totally knackered from pumping up his front tyre. The journey to Leamington was reasonably straight forward back across the A445 and then the Coventry Road to Cubbington.
Your routemaster decided to use the excellent free WCC Warwick and Leamington Cycle Guide to find virgin routes through North Leamington. After a couple of false trails on Black Lane, we were afforded fine views of Leamington as we descended on the cycle track to Upper Holly Walk. Steve was now way ahead of the pack as he trail blazed the quickest route to Alfonso’s just north of Leamington Station, and we arrived at 10:30 on the dot.
Alfonoso’s was packed as it normally is, but we managed to find the last table for four. We ordered our fruit juice, toast, and tea/coffee. OK I lie, we all had mega English breakfasts and sat back and enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. We discussed the various coffee houses and tea rooms we had visited over the last year, and planned a breakfast run sometime in the future to Hill Top Farm on the advice of Pete. We would like to point out to Liz that Pete has never had breakfast at Hill Top Farm, but merely observed other people eating there!
Having somewhat increased our potential carbon footprint, we headed south along Tachbrook Road, and then Heathcote Road and Golf Lane to return to Harbury via Pete’s Lane. At Harbury two of the assembled M4 decided that they needed to use the loos in the Old New Inn, and unknown to your Routemaster then persuaded our Manor Orchard cyclist to join then. No will power these cyclists.
A fine January ride, great breakfast, excellent company and good weather. The second recipe of the year follows.
Doug.
Full English Breakfast
Cycle to Alfonso’s (CV31 3NN) or Hill Top Farm (CV33 9EL).
# posted by M7 Cycling Club @ 8:45 am 
