Today’s Bird Hills ride was combined with the club hill climb event. Sarah arrived at the golf club for the first time today along with Dan.  Mike wasn’t feeling well so went home before starting.  Colin and Stuart were also present.  If others turned up, sorry about the lack of a mention as I went straight to the Clock Tower.  Sarah Looked in bright spirts after her first ride with the Bird Hills group back to her usual starting point at the clock tower.

From the Clock Tower the Bird Hills group headed for Quarry Wood via the flat route via Cookham and Bourne End.  The clock tower group set of separately to meet us there.  All safely at Quarry Wood, the numbers opting to do the hill climbs was disappointing despite the crowd gather around the sign-on table.  The only possible good excuse was Stuart who was start time keeper.  He could have raced as Malcolm was willing to do this role.  Other excuses included, not fit (despite being the end of the season), to heavy (ditto as last excuse), wrong bike (as mud guards were fitted), can’t ride up hills (all club rides normal go up some hills) etc.

On completion of the Quarry Wood, the none-racers promptly left to grab a coffee in Marlow while the racers recovered and road through Marlow to Borough Hill (near The Rebellion Brewery).  I’m not fully sure what happened as the racers arrived at the foot of the hill first.  Luckily it was relatively warm to stand around waiting for the starter to turn up.  The group didn’t have a coffee as Colin got a puncture – he should have raced!!

With Borough Hill completed we all rolled over to Woburn Green for Windsor Hill.  Traditionally after the hill climb event all retire to the café in Burnham Beeches.  Today no one was particularly clear on how to get there and Malcolm mentioned the extended route he would need to take as he was driving.  So it was agreed to retire to Brenda’s Café by the Thames in Maidenhead.  Stuart expressed great pleasure in this at it avoided him riding up Windsor Hill.

With Windsor Hill done and dusted we all arrived safely arrived at the café where today’s ride wrapped up.

The ride was between 29-32 miles, depending if the hills were climbed.  The speed today was a modest 17.5mph.