England : Oxfordshire The Oxford pie-cnic. Saturday 9th September

[mmmmartin]

Martin has pointed out that it would be possible to get a train from Oxford to Portsmouth (change at Basinstoke or Reading and Guildford) in time for the overnight ferry to Caen and a lunchtime intercept.

You can do both if you wish. (We've had a chat before this went live.)

And Le Sightseer has been on the website for a while but I've been focused on the July Tour, hence no emails. But as it isn't until September I reckoned we could move on to that after the July trip.

 

[Bollo]

It's a long way to September but I could be up for this. Judging by the list of Cyclechat royalty who've expressed an interest, it should be a good day. I'll probably ride up from Winchester as the route over the North Wessex Downs is spectacular. Anyone from my ends (@StuAff ?) planning to do similar, then PM me.

To add to the general knowledge of trains, Cross Country operate from Bournemouth direct to Oxford through Southampton, Winch, Amazingstoke and the Ding, but bike spaces are limited and strictly should be booked, although the train staff are generally chilled.

 

[EltonFrog]

I've just come back from Oxford, the pies in PieMinister shop/cafe in the covered market are superb as is the ice cream from iScream also in the covered market. You must go there.

 

[StuAff]

It's a long way to September but I could be up for this. Judging by the list of Cyclechat royalty who've expressed an interest, it should be a good day. I'll probably ride up from Winchester as the route over the North Wessex Downs is spectacular. Anyone from my ends (@StuAff ?) planning to do similar, then PM me.

To add to the general knowledge of trains, Cross Country operate from Bournemouth direct to Oxford through Southampton, Winch, Amazingstoke and the Ding, but bike spaces are limited and strictly should be booked, although the train staff are generally chilled.

Could be tempted to ride it. It's only 85 miles or so…will depend on what happens with the September tour though…

 

[Nigel182]

Will be checking the holiday Rota at work this evening and be getting back to you with whether i can make it or not

 

[velovoice]

Current plans remain: it's still on the agenda. But you can do both, should you choose so to do.

And it's a shame that my sister has booked her flights from Oregon coinciding with Le Sightseer.

(It'll be 2 years since I've seen her and 9 years since her last visit to the UK as she has been primary carer for our mother, who has now gone into a home, literally liberating my sister. So obviously she takes priority.)

 

[mmmmartin]

Bring her along

 

[KnackeredBike]

Will definitely be there. I spent most of my student life drunkenly cycling around Oxford - best to play to your strengths.

 

[velovoice]

Bring her along

She is coming to Scotland for a climbers convention and some Munro bagging. Not a cyclist. We will spend a few days in Edinburgh with her, either preceded by a little cycling tour of own own through the Borders or followed by cycling down to the Lake District.

 

[Lullabelle]

Count us in

 

[wanda2010]

Interested.

 

[GM]

Very interested

 

[rvw]

The Tour of Britain will be passing to the north of Oxford at some point that day: that looks to me like the road through Stanton St John/Islip/Bletchingdon which I don't think will conflict with the Amersham-Oxford route planned. But it'll be close enough if anyone wants to watch a bit of it.

 

[srw]

Hmmm. Maybe a slightly different plan is in order, involving a ride out to somewhere to the West of Aylesbury. I'll study the map and have a think.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Clearly beating Geraint Thomas uphill on a Brommie might be problematic...