Good turnout again, +20 riders, including most of last week's new faces and I'm pleased to say, a few more Oxford City members.
We set off via Eynsham through Northleigh towards Minster Lovell and on to Burford along the more hilly route north of the A40. This peaks at Swinbrook, in the sharp left turn on to a narrow, rough 20%-ish climb, which just completing is an achievement, and leads eventually over the top to Fulbrook.
We had split into two groups because of the numbers, but the front group, although unaware of the planned route, chose to zoom off up the climb in Crawley. We should all know by now that in a Club Run, if you're off the back, and trying, we will help you to get back on and get home - but if you go off the front and don't know where you are going!!... well you're on your own sunshine!!
We all eventually met at the cafe, the lost souls arriving just as the rest of us were leaving. The first group, whipped up by a few Cafe Zappis, shot home south of A40 through Eastleach Turville, Filton and Bampton. This area is flatter and the pace was constant at +23 mph for much of the ride back to Eynsham. Somehow the next turn seemed to keep coming up sooner than I had expected, which caused the occasional dramatic late course call, so we had an exciting and demanding ride home.
Back in Kidlington I had clocked 61 miles at average 18.3 mph door-to-door - OK for a quiet Sunday!!
Next week - beware!! Howard is leading us to Henley, let's hope he is out of practice... [ed. I am!]
John Jenkins