# Tilting at Windmills ride - Sat. 11th May



## Flying Dodo (7 Apr 2013)

As hinted at on my HS2 ride, this is a ride to appreciate a different type of machinery, the time of Windy Miller.

Amongst all the current furore about wind turbines, people often forget about the original purpose of wind power, to either raise water or to grind grain. This ride will whet your appetite with a number of interesting windmills, some of which are still in use, whilst others are famous film stars. Although really, it's just an excuse to ride in some lovely Buckinghamshire countryside.

This will have more ascending (and descending) than my HS2 ride, but just about all the hills are in the first half, and the second half will be quite genteel, and will drop down around Aylesbury on similar roads as used on one of my Northampton rides last year, and also for my Aylesbury Circular ride of October 2009.

The ride will be about 75-80 miles long, and start and finish at Tring Station, where return tickets from London Euston cost £9.50 with a Network Railcard, and take about 45 minutes.


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## srw (7 Apr 2013)

Aw bugger. On the 12th we'll be hauling ourselves around Marlow on foot, otherwise we'd have joined you.


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## Flying Dodo (7 Apr 2013)

11th or 12th?


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## lilolee (7 Apr 2013)

Again, I will intercept you so I can get back home, as I am out on the evening of the 11th.


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## StuAff (7 Apr 2013)

Options for trains back south via Clapham (some with umpteen changes) and Waterloo- probably go that way as biking Euston-Waterloo generally more than makes picking up services there worthwhile.


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## Davywalnuts (8 Apr 2013)

Ahhh, poop!!

I am helping out as a mobile marshall (on bike) that Saturday night till the Sunday morning at the annual Moon Walk in London. I do like doing my bit for charity.


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## lilolee (8 Apr 2013)

And we know the real reason you are marshalling the MoonWalk


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## Davywalnuts (8 Apr 2013)

Well... there is that.. hahaha. But no, honestly, the joy is in giving ones time, no matter the occasion as its such a feel good, that I am quite addicted.


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## BigonaBianchi (8 Apr 2013)

hmm...I've got a mate bass player who lives in tring....wondering if I can combine a visit...what time does it start in the morning?


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## srw (8 Apr 2013)

Flying Dodo said:


> 11th or 12th?


12th. http://www.handycrossrunners.co.uk/Marlow5.html

Considering the farthest I've ever run (I use the term loosely) in my life is the 2.5 miles I managed yesterday I'm spending the Saturday with my feet up!


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## Flying Dodo (8 Apr 2013)

srw said:


> 12th. http://www.handycrossrunners.co.uk/Marlow5.html
> 
> Considering the farthest I've ever run (I use the term loosely) in my life is the 2.5 miles I managed yesterday I'm spending the Saturday with my feet up!


 
Ah - I thought you meant you were merely going round Marlow shopping, not something worthy like that. Good luck.


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## Flying Dodo (8 Apr 2013)

BigonaBianchi said:


> hmm...I've got a mate bass player who lives in tring....wondering if I can combine a visit...what time does it start in the morning?


 
I reckon 9:30.


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## CharlieB (9 Apr 2013)

Count me in, please, A. You always manage to find roads and lanes I haven't discovered in my manor.

Hmm, Windy Miller, eh? How come he always manages to get out of his front door without being decapitated or otherwise seriously maimed?


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## lilolee (9 Apr 2013)

Windy Miller is coming as well


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## CharlieB (9 Apr 2013)

At least he doesn't have m##g###ds.


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## lilolee (9 Apr 2013)

He's wearing a h##m#t though


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## gbs (14 Apr 2013)

Adam, I assume that from Tring you will head into the Chilterns. When you post your route I will look into logistics of joining you mid-morning at a suitable cafe serving the finest coffee and cake. Assuming of course that is agreeable to you.


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## CharlieB (17 Apr 2013)

Have you got the privately occupied Cholesbury one in there, A?


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## Tim Hall (17 Apr 2013)

I could well be around for this.


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## Flying Dodo (17 Apr 2013)

CharlieB said:


> Have you got the privately occupied Cholesbury one in there, A?


 
Yup.

The provisional route is shown here. There may be a bit of tweaking but it's roughly all there.


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## Bromptonaut (20 Apr 2013)

Would have joined this but it clashes with Origami Phoenix ride at Milton Keynes.


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## lilolee (20 Apr 2013)

As I have to go out that evening I'll meet you at Wendover/Butler Cross. Where are you planning on having Lunch?


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## gbs (20 Apr 2013)

Sorry, count me out. I failed to put in my diary a commitment for that evening. V disappointed; I spent today in the Chilterns and I am beginning to think that is a better cycling area, albeit its geographical restrictions, than Surrey. The latter is rescued by proximity to Sussex and the sea, Kent and heavenly Hampshire


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## srw (21 Apr 2013)

gbs said:


> V disappointed; I spent today in the Chilterns and I am beginning to think that is a better cycling area, albeit its geographical restrictions, than Surrey.


Much better. The standard of the tarmac is sadly about the same, but the traffic levels are considerably lower. Our usual loops spend most of their time on roads where we regularly see more bikes than motorised vehicles.


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## StuAff (24 Apr 2013)

Out, sadly. Needed for domestic stuff at some point, this is the first weekend that wasn't booked up already....


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## Tim Hall (6 May 2013)

Is this still on? I've booked some sunny weather and am about to get an advanced ticket via CLJ.


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## Flying Dodo (6 May 2013)

Yes, still on. 

The lunch stop will be in Thame at about 1.15 or so.


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## PippaG (6 May 2013)

I hadn't spotted this before. I'm up for this, but won't be able to stay for the full day. Looks like the most logical departure point would be after lunch and scooting across to Haddenham for a train back to town. Hope that's OK.


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## lilolee (6 May 2013)

Flying Dodo said:


> Yes, still on.
> 
> The lunch stop will be in Thame at about 1.15 or so.


Excellent. I'll be at Butlers Cross and leave you after lunch.


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## Dogtrousers (7 May 2013)

Just to rehash what's in this thread.

You're starting at Tring station at 0930 on Sat 11th May
Trains from Euston: 0804 arr 0847; 0824 arr 0859; 0834 arr 0917.
Total distance 75-80 miles
Lunch in Thame about 1315
Return from Tring at ... when? About 1800?

Is that right?

Based on the above - and the outcome of the speed question below, I'll seek permission for a full day pass.

How fast will you be going? I know that's entirely terrain dependent so it's a bit hard to answer. Put it like this, if your rolling average speed is much over 14-15mph on moderately uppy-downy terrain I may be blowing a bit. I can always take a view at half way. If I'm a bit knackered or if I'm repeatedly dropping back I'll just meander back on my own no probs.



PS You may wish to decline my application on the grounds that I will have both m##g###ds and h##m#t


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## Flying Dodo (7 May 2013)

PippaG said:


> I hadn't spotted this before. I'm up for this, but won't be able to stay for the full day. Looks like the most logical departure point would be after lunch and scooting across to Haddenham for a train back to town. Hope that's OK.


 
Absolutely fine.



Dogtrousers said:


> Just to rehash what's in this thread............
> 
> Is that right?


 
Re your queries, I should think 5:30 - 6 pm would be our arrival time back at Tring station. As you'll see from the route profile, the first 40 miles are a *lot* steeper than the last 40 miles, as after Stokenchurch, we drop off down to Chinnor on the Vale of Aylesbury. Which as was noted on my earlier HS2 ride, is fairly flat, as you're cycling in an enormous bowl!

I think it will be slower than 14-15 mph though.

All forms of bike and body attire are welcome. Just so long as you're not naked apart from a jock strap and a rucksack like one chap I saw on the Isle of Wight last weekend. Not a pretty sight.


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## Dogtrousers (7 May 2013)

OK, permission requested and obtained. See you at Tring at 0930. You'll probably recognise me from various FNRttCs but if you see a big bloke wandering around Tring station looking lost, pushing a large old Dawes bike (with mudguards) ... That's me.
Andrew


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## Tim Hall (7 May 2013)

Tentative plan from me is to get the 0824 from Euston, arriving Tring 0859. @PippaG, are you coming up from London Town Divine too?


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## PippaG (7 May 2013)

I am indeed. I will aim for the same train as you.


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## Tim Hall (10 May 2013)

Weather is looking a bit character forming...


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## StuAff (10 May 2013)

Windy conditions being somewhat fitting, though unfortunate....


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## PippaG (10 May 2013)

What with all the plants and trees having sprung, there is lots of stuff blowing around which seems to like my eyes as something to aim for. Oh, and the wind has an uncanny ability to blow puddles in your face. DAHIKT. 

Still we will have the hills to shelter us. Genius.


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## Dogtrousers (10 May 2013)

It's a circular ride, so we can't possibly have a headwind _all_ the way, can we?

Can we?

Oh well. The weather in the first four months of the year have hopefully formed sufficient reserves of character.


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## Tim Hall (10 May 2013)

Have bought quantities of orange cardboard. Will dig out new overshoes when I get home.


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## Flying Dodo (10 May 2013)

Yup, you'll need some waterproofs, as it'll be raining by 12 unfortunately. The lunch stop will be at The James Figg, 21 Cornmarket, Thame. They have a courtyard at the back where we can lock up the bikes.

The wind will be south-westerly with gusts up to 20-25 mph in the afternoon showers. We may see some sunny breaks on the northern section, and on the run back into Tring.

For anyone who wants to read up on the windmills we'll be visiting, they're listed here. We're going via Cholesbury, Wendover, Ibstone, Brill, Quainton. I would have liked to include the Pitstone one at Ivinghoe, as we go fairly close to it, but I reckon we'd run out of time.


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## Tim Hall (10 May 2013)

I see Thee Pubbe does the Food of Champions (Ham Egg and Chips) for £7.50. This is a Good Thing.


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## PippaG (10 May 2013)

OK I'm out. Sorry. Last minute issues  Have fun all.


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## StuAff (10 May 2013)

Good luck everyone!


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## Dogtrousers (10 May 2013)

I'm still in. Just sorting my gear out at the moment.


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## Tim Hall (10 May 2013)

PippaG said:


> OK I'm out. Sorry. Last minute issues  Have fun all.


Boo. That's a shame Pippsy. Hope it's nothing too troublesome.


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## PippaG (11 May 2013)

Change of plan. Again. I'm in. Just running around like an idiot getting my stuff togethere. Tim Hall - I will see you at Euston.


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## User10571 (11 May 2013)

Quickly!


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## PippaG (11 May 2013)

Made it and sitting on the train. Phew.


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## CharlieB (11 May 2013)

Sitting at home, 7 miles from Tring, and the sun's shining, for the moment anyway. Just waiting for the postie who delivers to the windmill in Cholesbury to text me any info he's allowed to tell me.


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## velovoice (11 May 2013)

I've skipped the morning hills! Waiting for you lot in the pub.... you're late??!


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## StuAff (11 May 2013)

RebeccaOlds said:


> I've skipped the morning hills! Waiting for you lot in the pub.... you're late??!


Oi! That's cheating!


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## velovoice (11 May 2013)

Possibly! I've been struggling to build up mileage this spring. Left to my own devices, I'd have done a solo 50k ride today,which Isn't enough to progress. The whole Windmills ride would have been too much. We worked out a short-cut that would give me about 110-120k for the day, with about 35k of that being hilly. A significant stretch from what I've done so far this year but ultimately manageable. (I hope!!)


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## velovoice (11 May 2013)

P.S. This includes 18k each way between home and the ride start. That's the hilly bit for me today.


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## velovoice (11 May 2013)

Just got a text from FD. They're still an hour away!


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## StuAff (11 May 2013)

RebeccaOlds said:


> Just got a text from FD. They're still an hour away!


Eeek. Kind of glad I pulled out, it's blowy enough down here...

And I did do 170-odd miles last weekend anyway.


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## ianrauk (11 May 2013)

RebeccaOlds said:


> Just got a text from FD. They're still an hour away!


 

Another G&T then............


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## User10571 (11 May 2013)

^
That'd also be my recommendation.


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## velovoice (11 May 2013)

I'm flattered (I think!) that you chaps think I'm the G&T type. It'd be Guinness, actually, if I was imbibing alcohol at all today. Which I wasn't going to do, but after a 2-hour wait my resolve is wavering...


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## PippaG (11 May 2013)

Absolutely cracking ride. Well the bit I did until lunch was. There was definitely wind. And definitely hills. And most certainly windmills at the tops of hills. There may have been some "oh crap this looks like a footpath" and "oh this is private land". There may also have been some bench sniffing. But it was all fabulous. Thanks Flying dodo and to the other 5 intrepid adventurers. Rebecca took my place for the rest of the ride as I pulled off to head home.


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## CharlieB (11 May 2013)

A great day out in the Chilterns. Thanks to all for the assistance with two simultaneous visits from the fairy at the bottom of a long technical descent into Fingest where, I concur with Pippa, bench sniffing was done. 1450m of climbing, normal for an FD outing, and 75 mles for me.
The cold and wet did for me in the end and the temptation of a warm Chiltern line train at Aylesbury proved irresistible in the end. 
Thank you all once again. 
'Chitty Bang Bang Chitty Chitty Bang Bang', etc…


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## StuAff (11 May 2013)

Outstanding effort guys and girls!


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## Flying Dodo (11 May 2013)

Just dropped the last 2 at Tring station 4 minutes before a London bound train arrived! Now off to head back home myself


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## Dogtrousers (11 May 2013)

Thanks Adam for a great ride round a lovely area that I didn't know at all. Red kites, bluebells, windmills, amphibian barriers ... what more could the heart of man desire?





Searching for enlightenment at the sacred bench.


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## StuAff (11 May 2013)

What was the bench sniffing in aid of then?


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## Dogtrousers (11 May 2013)

StuAff said:


> What was the bench sniffing in aid of then?


Charlie's spiffy red valve cap.


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## Dogtrousers (11 May 2013)

Incidentally - where we looked at the railway trackbed, with amphibian barriers on it is marked on the OS maps as being an extant railway. Map Here

In fact if you look at Google Earth/Streetview you can see a single track line

A bit of searching reveals that this is going to be made into an access road from the A41 to an incinerator built a couple of km to the North. See here. Section 3d of this document explains the presence of amphibian barriers.


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## lilolee (12 May 2013)

Great ride, in the usual Adam manner. I got home and promptly fell asleep. 

Wasn't that Mark Getty a nice man?


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## Flying Dodo (12 May 2013)

Well, yesterday definitely was an ADVENTURE! Despite my warnings about the weather, when I rolled up at Tring Station, Charlie was clearly expecting sunny weather as he was in shorts. And in fact we were luckier with the conditions than I expected. Tim, Pippa, Charlie, Andrew and I set off just before 9.30 and soon we were onto the first climb of the day, up towards Wigginton. This is a fairly steady climb of just over ½ mile, topping out at about a 10% gradient, before we're onto a ridge. We were too early to spot any celebrities going to Champneys, so we headed off to our first target windmill in Cholesbury.






As Tim had his heavy duty camera, I figured his photos will be far better than mine, so I thought I'd get a shot of the master at work. This windmill is a fairly modern one having been built in 1883, on the site of earlier windmills. It's had a number of famous previous owners including the former wife of J M Barrie, a former head of BBC radio, and also the head of IBM.

Following a brief chat with Charlie's postman who lives next door, and providing a little safety talk on the dangers of the roads, we headed off again, towards Wendover.






I've cycled straight past the road quite a few times and never spotted it before! This one is about 200 years old, and around the start of the 20th Century was converted to steam power, due to the newly built houses around it affecting the wind flow, and then being converted to a house in 1931. This is in fact a rental property, available for (only) £1,550 per week. Whilst we were admiring its design, Lee rolled up, and then our peloton headed off again. I'd forgotten a sharp left turn up a hill at Butlers Cross came so soon after a rapid downhill, so Tim, Pippa and Lee went zooming past the turn, and I had to chase them down. However retracing our route, Tim spotted Coombe Hill Memorial, built after the Boer War which I'd not seen before, having only ever gone the other way along there. After a slow ascent back up the hill, Charlie was warned not to make any rude signs at Chequers (see my HS2 ride!), and then we headed off along Pink Road where we had a bonus windmill I'd overlooked, at Loosley Row.






The team were now getting used to the theme of climbs, followed by descents. When you're going along the ridges of the Chilterns, there are some spectacular views, which hopefully Tim managed to capture.

Although I've been on most of yesterday's route, I'd admitted I hadn't checked out this southern portion, and had relied on bikehike, which produced the first error, as after crossing over the M40 at Stokenchurch, the expected road was a track. So a little change of route brought some lovely swooping downhills towards the quaint little hamlet of Fingest, where sadly Charlie had a front and rear puncture. As mentioned above, there was some frantic searching under a bench to find his bling valve cap, whilst some of the others admired the Norman church, with its unusual double gable, one of only 2 in the country. To get to our next destination, the Cobstone windmill, known more famously for its role in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, we would have had to go up an almost 15% cliff, so we opted for the next road along which did give some good views, although sadly this then lead to the next minor navigational error as my track had us going through what was the old Paul Getty Estate. However, as the signs said the private road was also a bridleway, we headed off into the unknown. As Lee and I got the exit gate on the other side, a beefy chap in a 4x4 drove up pointing out there wasn't a through route, although as we were so apologetic, we got away with it! Emerging onto the main road, it was apparent there'd been a lot of rain, although we'd only had a couple of spots, so clearly posh people are able to divert rain. We then dropped off down the Chilterns and made a fast run towards the lunchstop in Thame, where Rebecca had been waiting in the pub, having taken the direct route rather than opting to do the hills.

After Pippa headed off to get a train, the rest of us headed northwards towards Brill, which of course meant another climb. But the windmill at Brill was worth it, being an unusual squat design, and one of the oldest surviving windmills.






From there, it was only about another 10 miles to the final windmill, at Quainton, which is still owned by the family that built it.






Whilst sheltering from the rain which had started, I fixed a puncture that Rebecca had picked up, and in view of the fact we were behind schedule, rather than go up onto the hills to go around Aylesbury, we took advantage of the tail wind, meaning the heavy rain was mainly behind us, and headed through the town centre where Charlie wisely opted for a warm train home, whilst the rest of us headed towards Tring. Rebecca headed for home, whilst I guided Tim & Andrew to the train station, and after leaving them just after 7 pm, to catch up with Rebecca, the heavy rain then started, so I was glad it hadn't intruded too much. Near Ivinghoe, I took a quick photo of Pitstone windmill which I would have included along with one in Chinnor, if we'd had time.






Still overall, it was a fun day, and I hope you all enjoyed your day out in the Chilterns.


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## Tim Hall (12 May 2013)

Brilliant fun, thanks everyone. The day got off to a good start when Pippsy was on the train after all, along with that nice Dogtrousers. We loitered hungrily at Tring station while the wee cafe thing resolutely stayed shut. CharleB and then FD turned up and off we went. As noted elsewhere, there was quite a lot of UP involved, but the scenery was gorgeous. Lovely wooded lanes, bluebells, kites, lots and lots of kites. However I failed to photograph much of it at all. Got lots of pictures of windmills for some reason...

I had a little moment at Fingest when Pippsy demonstrated her pumping action. Goodness. We kind of stumbled into in the Wormsley Estate, armed with a Mk1 Winning Smile, which got deployed by the Opera House to a nice man in a bit of a a beaten up car. Was that really Mark Getty? We picked up some bridleway signs so relaxed a little, although the Big Man in the Big Range Rover was a bit grumpy about it. Never mind. Soon we were at lunch, which was handy. 45 miles on two cereal bars and a bottle of water is pushing it a bit. Pint of BEER and the Food of Champions, together with idle chit chat and all was well. Apparently I'm not the only one who records plays off the radio or who listens to Paul Temple. Pippsy and Lilolee left us, but Rebecca joined us. She was ever so pleased to find her bike had received a free lube job, courtesy of the leaky kitchen extractor dolloping grease all over it.

The weather was no where near as bad as promised and the, by now, tail wind was what was needed. A couple more windmills, a bit of puzzling over railway workings and a fairy visitation that was fixed undercover during the heaviest of the rain made for a pleasant afternoon. FD delivered Dogtrousers and me to Tring station with just a couple of minutes to wait. The bike space was somewhat occupied with young men who, drink having taken, were in a state of shambles, so we elected to stay with the bikes in the doorway. They did put their impressive haul of beer cans into carrier bags though.

Dogtrousers and I went our separate ways at Euston, whereupon I promptly got lost. Something to do with one way systems near Kings Cross. I engaged The Shard mode of navigation, coupled with Names of Places I Recognise and made it down to London Bridge. I skipped the first train in favour of a pasty and finally got home by half nine. Pics, mostly of windmills, here.


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## CharlieB (13 May 2013)

Just a couple of idle thoughts that I mulled over today…
Thame - where we stopped for lunch. Lovely small town with a thriving main street containing a mix of independent and chain shops. Contrast this with Chesham, where the high street is basically dying a slow and painful death. One difference that has been discussed at length in the local papers is that our high street is pedestrianised. Thame isn't. That and the fact that Oxfordshire is probably a lot more affluent may also be a factor. It was just such a hugely noticeable difference. FD - you could probably say the same about Dunstable, although that hasn't been (and couldn't be) pedestrianised. 
Second thought - when I looked at the Garmin trace coming back into Aylesbury, there we were, negotiating a series of roundabouts and zig-zagging our way through green fields. That is, until they plonked another housing estate there. This quite a way out of town, too. Probably down to the new train station they opened up there three years back.


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## Tim Hall (13 May 2013)

Ah. Does this mean Chesham isn't Thame by comparison?

(Sorry. I'd been looking for a hook for that one the whole ride)

And did anyone see the "Arla" signs round Aylesbury? Googling turns up that it's "mega dairy" just like they have in The Archers.


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## lilolee (13 May 2013)

Yes I must say Thame looked nice. I even commented on it to the wife.


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## srw (14 May 2013)

Thame _is_ nice. I wonder whether part of the difference is that Thame still has local employers, and doesn't have a rather self-confident big brother overlooking it from the top of the hill. It probably doesn't hurt that Thame's rail link is slightly out of town and is a rapid comfortable service into the West End. Chesham's rail link is, even after the upgrade, quite rackety, stops everywhere and feeds points East.


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## CharlieB (14 May 2013)

srw said:


> Thame _is_ nice. I wonder whether part of the difference is that Thame still has local employers, and doesn't have a rather self-confident big brother overlooking it from the top of the hill. It probably doesn't hurt that Thame's rail link is slightly out of town and is a rapid comfortable service into the West End. Chesham's rail link is, even after the upgrade, quite rackety, stops everywhere and feeds points East.


 Now you're making me feel small. Just 'cos you have an M & S food shop AND your cookshop sells AGAs.


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## srw (14 May 2013)

But the decent Waitrose is at the bottom of the hill, and there's a health food shop that sells local honey.


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## Flying Dodo (14 May 2013)

Also, having done a number of night rides through Thame, at 2:30 in the morning, it does provide good entertainment value, as the drunks are generally very amusing and non threatening.


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