A cold but sunny morning encouraged all sorted of people to join the ride today.  In total 18 turned out which appears to be a record number of what can be remembered.  I’m not going to list everyone, but a good mix of regular riders along with old and new faces.

One of the discussions before leave was over the number of layers riders required.  At 8am it was around 3 deg C but due to raise to 12 deg C by mid day.  After a short discussions about the route, we headed off up Hawthorne Hill and on into Windsor Great Park.  On leave the park for the Crimp Hill decent to passed an even larger group from Evo-Tri.  Half way down the hill new Mike lost a water bottle over a rougher section of road, while the rest of the group raced on to Old Windsor.  Here we paused which allow Mike to rejoin the group. 

Just after crossing Albert Bridge heading toward Windsor confusion broke out about the route, with Dave Marshalling turning the lead group as he through we should be going to Cobham.  The 2^nd group paused thinking someone had a puncture.  With communication restored the general direction was agreed as Dorney and then Cliveden.  With Les on point duty he led the group via Datchet on route to Eton.  The pace lifted across the more at Eton Wick with a sort period of through and off.  This lift in pace split the group with the leaders not realising until reaching the A4.  Here several of the group decided to head off home. 

Still with a sizeable group around 12 we head up to Cliveden and then onto the A40 before dropping down the main road into Woburn Green.  I’m not sure what the wind direction was but very little effort was required to sit at the rear and maintain about 23mph into Bourne End.  Leaving Bourne End we took the right at the small roundabout and headed up Sheepridge Hill to Flackwell Heath.  This was the first time up this hill for a number of the group.  It’s shorter than Pishill, but a very similar profile.  For the lower reaches Brett set a strong pace around 18mph followed by Callum and myself.  As the gradient lifted Dave Marshall came flying to the front at speed with Callum and my self taking up a poor chase.  Dave took an easy win by 50m with myself trialling Callum by about 10m.

We then head to Marlow and up Quarywood (with another win for Dave) before heading through Pinkneys Green on route back to the golf club.

Todays group ride was a little over 49miles with an average of 19.1mph.  Full route can be found at: http://app.strava.com/rides/4529196