Based on today’s average speed it looks like the Bird Hills group have learnt to moderate the speed for the off season.  However there are many factors that affect average speed including going down leaf strewn roads very cautiously.

On the brightness day for a number of weeks 7 riders turned out.  These being Mike W, Brett, Stuart back from Thailand, Colin, Danuta and Rob B returning from rowing commitments over the Summer.  Myself and Brett have been speaking on the train about the torture 40 route, so with the group not understanding the route (except it might be about 40miles) we headed off to Mill End car park via Wargrave and Henley with Colin and Brett doing the pace setting.

Pheasants hill past without problems and we head down Colstrope hill (back into the valley) which is a rough lane and in places with moss covering the centre of the road.  At the bottom Mike made a comment about needing a warning about this type of decent so he can have appropriates glass on.  It couldn’t have been that bad, as I think he was first to the bottom.  On to Skirmit for the lane that goes up to Frieth.   The road surface as the bottom is poor.  At it steepest points the surface looks good, but is extremely rippled which makes riding out of the saddle tricky.  Despite a dry and clean surface a couple of riders complained about the loss of traction.

From Frieth the torture 40 route heads back down Colstrope and then up the winery hill.  As the group showed no interest in this we headed through Frieth and on to Fingest.  Dropping down out of Frieth, I saw a pair of fast moving dear in the fields to the right.  Having regrouped later on it appears the dear decided to cross the road as Stuart went by getting close enough to make him think he was going to have road kill venison for Christmas dinner.

Leaving Fingest we took the right and head up windmill hill with Colin shooting to the front as speed with only Brett catching his wheel.  We regroup at Ibstone and discussed the descent down into the Turville valley.  From memory this includes a very sharp left turn combined with a 20% drop.  I led off and the turn was quickly upon us looking like a track and we all over shot heading in the farm yard.  Back at the leaf covered junction we watched two cars wheel spin up and round the corner.  Not deterred I led down the hill to be overtaken by Mike as the gradient eased.  My average speed down this hill was 15mph and was 2^nd to the bottom

Rather than heading up Turville hill which is never good we took the left, then right and up Dolesden Hill.  Mike was under time pressure today and needed to be home by noon, so the group headed through North End, Christmas Common and on to the top of Pishill where the group split.  Mike, Danuta and Rob went down Pishill for home with the remain 4 heading to Watlington and round for the Britwell Hill.  On route into Watlington we had the only real speed of the day. Colin and Stuart hadn’t been up this hill before, so Brett and I re-assured them it didn’t look steep and it doesn’t when on the road.  However it feels very steep even the lower sections that look flat, but cant be as we were only doing 14mph.  Back at the top of Pishill we head back into Henley.

Crossing Henley bridge we took the left to follow the river to go up the hill at Remenham church for the last climb of the day.  Heading into Knowl Hill from Warren Row, I won the sprint as none of the group were aware of the sprint point to the Knowl Hill sign.  They now know for next time.  Eventually crossing Howe Lane Colin and Brett were facing off for the final sprint, which I believe Colin won.

Today was much hillier than normal and the group felt we should looked to include an extra hilly ride once a month.

Today’s ride from / to the golf club was just under 59 miles with a lower average speed of 16.7mph.  So slow for us.  Next time we do this route we must try harder!!