By John Davies, regular Orange group rider

Sundays Orange ride was for me, the best ride so far this year. Martin created a great 32 mile route and the day started out crispy and bright. It was one of those days when it's tricky to get your clothing right, and my ride down Grenfell Hill towards Braywick is always a bit of a test - freeze and be cold all day, or sweat before I've even started!

Five of us left Braywick in the sunshine, bang on time (Martin, Fiona, Marie, Peter and myself). Standard start: left onto Braywick, Hibbert Road, Cookham Road and to Terry's Lane. This is one of Martin and Jean's favourites training hills and we met Jean at the top making 6 of us. All nice and warm now for sure!

Next we went along Winter Hill to Pinkneys Green, over the humungous speedbumps on Burchett's Green Road and down Honey Lane. This is a pretty steep descent with cars coming upwards, and a nasty patch of gravel on the left hander at the bottom. All good though and we zoomed along the Henley road and left onto Rose Lane, which in my view is one of the prettiest roads around. The sign says "Beware of Children and Horses", which we suspected is quite a good life tip.

We celebrated Marie's new flat and new job news in H'Artisan at Wargrave and she kindly bought us all a coffee. Probably it was the first time this year that sitting out at the back was not a case of cupping your hot drink and shivering!

The return was a nice quiet run though Twyford, Hurst, Shurlock Row, Beenham's Heath, Paley Street, Hollyport and back into Maidenhead. It's certainly a lovely time to be out in the countryside with the verges, trees and flowers just starting to come to life.

I think the 6 of us did some pretty nice riding - we're all reasonably close in fitness (apart from Martin who always has a bit in the tank in reserve). Average speed was around 14.5 so nicely within the Orange recommended range. No punctures, no incidents, feet not too cold, lovely morning out. Thanks all!