Flying Dodo
It'll soon be summer
As mentioned on the Friday's Tour topic, this is the first in number of "training" rides designed to help those wanting to build up some miles, because let's face it, it's easier to build up some miles in a group than on your own.
It's a 79 mile route, departing from Northampton railway station at 10:30. Once we escape from Northampton, then it's mainly minor roads running parallel to the A5, heading south east. Lunch will be at a pub in the village of Wing after about 35 miles.
The approximate route is shown here although it will alter slightly as there's a couple of hills I need to get rid of, the main one being Ivinghoe Beacon. Once I've sorted that out, the gradients are generally no more than 5% with only 1 short incline just under 10%.
No-one will be left behind on these rides and we'll stop for regular re-groups.
For getting to Northampton, for any London residents, there are a couple of trains leaving either side of 9 am from Euston and tickets on London Midland are £6. Or you could pay a lot more on Virgin to top-up Richard Branson's dividends.
It's a 79 mile route, departing from Northampton railway station at 10:30. Once we escape from Northampton, then it's mainly minor roads running parallel to the A5, heading south east. Lunch will be at a pub in the village of Wing after about 35 miles.
The approximate route is shown here although it will alter slightly as there's a couple of hills I need to get rid of, the main one being Ivinghoe Beacon. Once I've sorted that out, the gradients are generally no more than 5% with only 1 short incline just under 10%.
No-one will be left behind on these rides and we'll stop for regular re-groups.
For getting to Northampton, for any London residents, there are a couple of trains leaving either side of 9 am from Euston and tickets on London Midland are £6. Or you could pay a lot more on Virgin to top-up Richard Branson's dividends.
. Could you do it the following Saturday as well?
(If I make it to Horsham, I'll be pleased.) Then I've got a 200 the following Saturday 14th... Cheese Toastie? don't remember... All going well, I'll try for the SS to Harwich plus part/all of the way back. And that takes us up to York-Hull... Busy month!! 
