After recent hilly rides I picked a very flat route for this Saturday ride. But this was wind-training rather than hill-training as there was a bitter and strong NE wind blowing. It was grey and drizzly as I cycled from home via Drayton to the Hanneys. The Hanney Road was extensively covered in mud from tractors, which was slippery in the damp conditions, and with the crosswind it wasn’t the most pleasant stretch. From West Hanney I turned north into the wind and cycled via Lyford and Charney Bassett to join the B4508. This is a very quiet B-road, I barely saw a dozen cars all the way through Hatford, Shellingford, Fernham and Longcot. This was the wind assisted stretch as I was heading southwest.
Of course that meant I had to head into the wind all the way back! Through Uffington and Baulking the weather was thinking about getting worse but it was a lovely stretch with the White Horse on top of its hill in sight all the way on my right. I had to join the A417 for a few hundred metres before turning through Goosey and Denchworth. Soon I was back in West Hanney to repeat the open stretch back to Steventon. With the wind coming from my left threatening to push me into the centre of the road and even more mud on this side of the road I was glad to get that bit done safely. I turned right in Steventon to take in the only hill on the entire route, the short but steepish hill up to Milton Hill which I descended on the A4130 and under the A34 at Milton Interchange. Through Milton and back home.
Shortly after getting back home the heavens opened for a truly miserable afternoon and evening so I got the ride done just in time.
Distance :: 38.03 mi
Time :: 2h31m30s
Average Active Speed :: 15.06 mph
Run.GPS Training Profile
