Whilst perusing the web looking for my next adventure the other day, I stumbled across a review for a 140 mile loop around Berkshire. "H'mmm", thought I. 140 miles around Berkshire, that sounds right up my alley, and at a distance that could be good for a cheeky Friday night / Saturday morning mini adventure, "prey, tell me more"! Looking at the suggested route, there were a couple of bit's that didn't particularly take my fancy. Mainly a somewhat unnecessary slog through the middle of Reading and an additional loop that heads up past Maidenhead. I'm guessing that the original route goes through Reading to avoid the hilly area to the North and to take in the cycle path along the Kennet and Avon Canal as it passes through town. As for the bit to Maidenhead, well your guess is as good as mine. I mean why would anyone choose to go there, you'd be better off going to Slough! A bit of jiggling with the route through the week to take into account my overnighting plans and I had a route that I thought would work better for my needs. Chuck in a start from home (or work as it turned out) and I had a reasonable looking 150 miles of spring fun lined up. With the forecast for Friday night and Saturday morning looking good, I dug my panniers, hammock, and all the other bits and bobs out of the loft Thursday night, packed up the bike and cycled into work Friday morning with everything I'd need for a night away. Escaping from work, after a few hours of clock watching, I was on my way North by mid afternoon. A short leg through the North Hampshire countryside, on what was a sunny but somewhat chilly afternoon, left me picking up the planned route just before the massive housing project which is ongoing on the site of the old Arborfield Garrison and I was soon on my way proper. Being a Friday afternoon the roads were busy heading towards Bracknell, but it didn't take long too reach the car free sanctuary of Windsor Great Park and with it the opportunity to get the first of many brews on. A handily positioned bench, ideally situated, beneath a statue commemorating the Prince Consort, gave me somewhere to rest my legs for a while as I enjoyed the afternoon sun and the brief respite from the traffic. Thirst sated and biscuits scoffed, it was onward, through Windsor and it's surrounds. Media broadcast trucks, getting ready for Saturdays funeral arrangements replaced the more traditional hoards of tourists, adding to the normal traffic problems, and it was slow going for a while. Pushing steadily on as the afternoon turned slowly to evening, I stopped briefly in Sonning Common as I looped around the top of Reading to pick up supplies for tea and top off my water bottles for the night. No time to stop for too long though, as I planned on getting a few more miles in before dark. Through Whitchurch-on-Thames and back over the River Thames again, I was making good progress. The roads were quieter now, with the rush hour over and all the normal people tucked up at home having their tea and settling down for the evening. Not me though, not today anyway, as I continued peddling on towards the setting sun. By the time I passed under the A34 at East Ilsley it was getting dark and with just over 80 miles on the clock for the day, it seemed sensible to find a spot for the night, grab something to eat and get my head down for a few hours. Supernoodles, Pitta bread and cheese sandwiches, washed down with a brew and a couple of biscuits, may not be the most luxurious of meals. But as I sat, gently swaying in my hammock, watching the stars start to fill the now dark skies as bats patrolled along the tree line on the look out for their own suppers, it seemed pretty luxurious too me! With clear sky's, the temperature dropped rapidly as it got dark and I awoke a few times in the night with cold feet! Cold feet or not, I slept reasonably well considering this was my first night in the hammock for a while, and as the sun came up I dragged myself back out from the comfort of my warm and snug sleeping bag to get packed up and have a brew. Just after 06:00 I was back on the now deserted roads, but to say it was cold would have been an understatement. Considering it's the middle of April it was bloody freezing! The surrounding fields were covered in a hard and thick layer of frost, the roadside puddles and my toes were frozen solid, and when I went to grab a drink a short while later my water bottles had frozen into a thick slush! But, most importantly, the sun was shining and bringing with it the good news that things were going to get better as the morning progressed. I pushed on for an hour or so, before stopping in the early morning sun for breakfast and the chance to shed a few layers of clothing. Sat with my back leaning against my bike, a brew on the go, and my belly fully of porridge. I watched a pair of Swallows, the first I've seen this year, and another sure sign that warmer days are on their way, sunning themselves, as I was, warming themselves after their own travels and the cold night. Warmed, fed and watered it was time to push on and I made steady progress through the morning. Crossing back over the M4 at Membury always seems to mark a milestone in any adventure, and brings with it a return to more familiar roads and with them the chance to relax a bit. With less need to concentrate on the route there was more chance to take in the world around me. Daydreaming along the quiet country roads I saw my first Bluebells for the year, along with the normal Kites, Deer and spring lambs. Cattle, finally released to graze the fresh grass, after their winters confined to the farmyard and the safety it brings, frolicked in the fields as I passed, and the Goldfinches flitted from the hedgerows ahead of me. One more short stop for a brew and a biscuit (or two) sat in the sun, provided the chance to stretch my legs, watch the world go by for a while, and refuel before the last few miles home. Well into home territory by now, passing familiar landmarks, on roads made familiar from other, shorter adventures, the remaining miles passed quickly and it wasn't long before I was rolling to a stop at home, marking the end of another mini adventure. 150 miles through some beautiful countryside, a night under the stars and still home by lunchtime. I think that's a pretty good way to start your weekend don't you? I'm not sure if I'd be in any rush to repeat the first half of this route though. The East side of Berkshire is pretty built up, with some heavy traffic and some busy roads. Not ideal cycling territory and you need to be on your guard, with your wits about you if your going to escape from the traffic madness intact. As soon as your past Reading though, it's a different matter and your onto some lovely quiet roads with some great views and some idyllic cycling. A route of two halves then and I certainly know which half of Berkshire I prefer! After the excitement of Friday night and Saturday morning, the rest of the weekends a bit of a let down I'm afraid. Saturday afternoon I headed up to the allotment to get the next set of seeds going in the greenhouse (Courgette, Sweetcorn, French and Runner Beans, Pumpkins and Squash) as well as look over what's supposed to be already growing. I've got to say that we seem to be a long way behind this year, compared to normal. Most years the greenhouse staging is groaning under the weight of summer bedding, Brassicas and other veg, all waiting to be planted out, once any chance of frost has passed, by now. This year though most of it's not even sprouted yet, and what has is just sat there looking sorry for itself. In previous years I've been fretting about planting tomatoes and cucumbers out in the greenhouse before they get too leggy by now. This year they are currently still on the windowsill at home, trying to grow enough to get potted on! There's no doubt that it's been an unusually cold spring so far, which is what seems to be holding everything back. Not too worry though, nature always sorts itself out in the end and it's always surprising how quickly things grow once the conditions are right. Sunday I was up early for a few running miles around the local countryside. With the sun shining again, next to no wind and most people still in bed, it was a lovely morning just to be out and about. I didn't push too far or too hard, just plodded along, enjoying the feeling of the ground under my legs and the steady rhythm of my breathing, as I slowly moved through the waking morning. The days when you just go out to run for the sake of running, with no ulterior motives and no real plan often seem to be some of the best. Some days everything just seems to fall into place and it just seems effortless. There always seems to be something to look at, or something to distract you, and the miles just seem to tick steadily along and this was one of those days. It was almost a shame, and I really considered just running past home and keeping going, when I got back with 16 miles under my belt. I can't just spend my whole life having fun though and there were other things to be doing, not just running. There's brews to drink, lunch to eat, windows to clean, light bulbs to change, lawns to mow, bikes to oil and the whole plethora of other uninteresting jobs that need doing, and I keep putting off, to be getting on with. A few more running miles anyone? Unusually, I'm going to wrap up this week with a bit of a rant. Now I don't want to flame the cyclist V motorist debate, but for the first time in as long as I can remember I've had to put up with 2 instances of road rage in as many days. I'm guessing that as the suns out and the shops are open again, everything has gone back to normal and this is how it will be going forward. I sorely hope not, but I'm going to mention both bits here in the hope that it may make someone stop and think.
----------------------------------------------------------------- If your traveling down a quiet country lane in your Range Rover / Massive BMW / Insert ego extension here, and you come across a cyclist, who's already moved over as far as they can, because they heard your massive polluting 2 tons of metal coming, long before you even considered looking up from your phone, and you find that you humongous car still wont fit through the gap, then there's no point beeping your horn and getting wound up about it. Just consider the fact that the cyclist is taking up less than a meter of the road. It's your penis extension which is taking up all of the other 4 meters. It's your car which is too wide to get through the gap, and is far bigger than the roads were designed for. Beeping, shouting or expecting the cyclist to stop to let you past isn't going to help and is likely to end in tears. Maybe consider getting a smaller car, then you'll be able to fit through quite happily! --------------------------------------------------------------- If your travelling down a 2 lane country road and find yourself at the back of a line of traffic and get held up for a few seconds because the person at the front of the line is dithering along and can't decide whether to overtake the cyclist or just sit behind, then that's not my fault. When eventually they do finally make the move and you all come streaming past, It's pointless winding down your passenger window, pulling alongside and shouting abuse whilst threatening the cyclist with your 2 tons of metal for being in the way. For a starters, your stuck in line of traffic because the car driver at the front is holding you up, and has been for long enough to gather a line of traffic behind them. Just because you've then been further delayed by their lack of ability to overtake slower traffic safely, is not the fault of the cyclist, it is the fault of the car driver at the front of the line! Threatening a vulnerable road user with your shiny new higher purchase ego extension is not big or cleaver and is likely to end in tears. Tears which are likely to be yours, either because you've managed to knock the cyclist down and kill them in your fit of rage and your going to have to spend the rest of your life with that on your conscience. Or, because they've caught up with you while your stuck at the next road junction and given you back better than you gave in the first place! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- We can all exist quite happily together on the roads if we just show a bit of cooperation, consideration and manners. In the main our country roads were designed for horses and carts, pedestrians, cyclists and the cars you see today in museums and at historic car runs. They weren't designed for stupidly big, BMW X6s, Range Rovers or Porsche Macan's (whatever they are supposed to be). If your having difficulties getting past, then please consider that it's as much your fault for driving around in a car the size of a tractor, as it is the fault of the cyclist or pedestrian for having the temerity to take up 50 cm's of road. Likewise if your delayed by 30 seconds until a safe place to pass becomes available, then please take the time to consider what you are being delayed from, before you lose the plot. Your Costa's not going to get cold, your not missing anything on the TV, because there's nothing on worth watching, and the shops will still be open when you get there 30 seconds later. And if it is something important, then maybe you should have just got up 5 minutes earlier! Hopefully by next week the sun will have gone back in, everyone will have got bored of the shops being open again and got their hair cut, and we can go back to normal! If not please just think before you lose the plot, you'll only give yourself a heart attack otherwise!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Paul PerrattOld enough to know better, young enough to still feel invincible, stupid enough to keep on trying the same thing again and again. Cyclist, Gardener, Runner, Hiker, Cook, Woodworker, Engineer, Jack of all trades and master of none, Anti social old git and all round miserable bugger. Archives
March 2024
Categories
All
|