FSoTM July ride

 Planning of these rides is usually done in the Oct/Nov of the previous year. The ride around the lakes is a ride I've been doing for a few years now and it is a great trip around all the lakes in MK via the cycle paths.

I found out a while back that the NSPCC 1/2 marathon was going to be using a lot of the north MK redways that I planned to use so this months ride was going to have to change route.

I couldn't decide on the route until the Sunday Morning due to not knowing who was going to turn up.

 I rode over from Giffard Pk as usual and the temp's were getting warm even before I started off, I made sure I had sun-cream as it was going to be a warm day.

I got to Bletchley with plenty of time to spare, a couple were there already and we ended up with 9 riders in total. No families or children turned up so I decided on a ride to Stony Stratford via Whaddon.

The ride out along Buckingham road was stop and start as expected with the range of riders we had out.

After Buckingham road it was onto the redways around Snelshall then onto the quiet lanes through Whaddon, Upper, Middle and Lower Weald, Calverton and a stop at the garage in Stony for an Ice cream.

The ride back was all the way along the A5 using the redways, 3 riders left as we passed near their houses and we got back to Bletchley with 6 finished the ride.

I had written elsewhere that I'd do another loop if riders wanted to do more miles, 3 riders decided a Costa was a better option. Another said he was going to go and get some tea and it was just me and Lesley left to go out again on the 2nd loop.

As her car was parked at Bletchley we headed south and out through the Lakes Estate and up through Drayton Parslow. The hill up was warm work but once on the ridge it was a great ride through Swanbourne and around through Hoggeston and the constant rolling roads the other side of Stewkley.

A pint at the pub in Stewkley was well earned and then it was a blast downhill back to the start.

Lesley dropped off back at her car and a ride back through Simpson and the Woolstones got my mileage up to 51 for the day.

A nice ride out with good company as always.

Looking forward to the next one which will be on August 4th 40 miles to Ivinghoe

It coincides with the DLRR BBQ so if any members decide to come along we will finish up there after passing Bletchley for any riders going back to the start.

Rich