Conference noted::bicycle

    Now let me see John,  If you head North to Carlisle then up the A7 for
    a few miles you'll be in our stomping ground, then we'll do a quick
    century with you and you can go home.  Of course you will have a
    slightly longer there and back than us (about 300 miles or so each
    way) but on the balance it seems fair
    
    Seriously I'll try to dig out my maps of the area and see if I cannot
    remember some of the routes I did last year (but you know the area
    better than I).  Equally seriously (and someone who is down there will
    confirm), it appears that the Thames valley has been beset with a lot
    of freezing fog this winter so if you aren't already packed you might
    bear this in mind.

    Hi Rod,
    
    I will consider some loops pointing north - maybe the extra-credit
    miles will get me past Northumberland. :-)  Good advice: I'll pack
    the neoprene booties, underwear, and nose-guard. :-)
    
    Any route advice appreciated.  Considering mainly routes westward
    into Wiltshire or to the Sussex Downs (are there such?).
    
    -john

    From another one who got out of England... Once you get to Newbury
    (about 17 miles W of Reading) the countryside gets about as interesting
    as anywhere else in the deep South. One I like is going out of Newbury
    NW on B4494 towards Wantage. This crosses the Ridgeway and descends
    into the Vale of the White Horse at Wantage. You can make loops of 40
    miles+ depending on how you return, either directly to Lambourn (B4001)
    or by going further West before returning through Lambourn, and back
    to Newbury on a minor road running beside the River Lambourn. This is
    riverside cottagey England, a nice contrast to the open downland.
       There are also dozens of minor roads South of the Kennet & Avon
    canal West of Newbury, leading towards more short and sharp
    escarpment hills. Once you get West of the A34 there's plenty to
    choose from.
       Maps. Newbury is OS 1:50000 number 174. But you'll need the whole
    series of 200+ maps to cover a full John Ellis day :-)
    
       I can recommend a lot of much better trips north of the border,
    mind you. And the trip up along the pennines is a good warmup.
    
    ---Alan

    I still cannot find the maps I need but here's an estimate for a short
    century (95+ miles) but its a fast century.  Unfortunately its fast
    because it's mostly major roads - with an OS map you should be able to cut
    out the worst of the main road and add another 40 or so...
    
    Reading to Newbury by route of choice.  After Speen take the B4000
    (direction Lambourn).  Landmark: at Woodlands St Mary (just after the
    dogleg by the motorway slip road) there's a bike shop with a coffee
    machine.  When the road turns left to Lambourn keep straight on along
    the Roman road (rollercoaster) to Swindon (cue the first set of
    diversions).  The hills are now over.  You now want to make your way up
    to Oxford.  There are several roads which parallel the A420.  This is a
    gentle climb but with a spot of luck you'll have the prevailing wind
    behind you.  At Oxford there are numerous decent coffee shops, and I'm
    sure that you know more of the good roads back down the Thames to
    Reading better than I.
    
    That's the biggest loop I know, for the rest (you'll need the
    ordinance to follow) try these:
    
    Newbury- Falkland Memorial (andover road) Just outside town take a
    right and follow signs (any) to Inkpen, thence Shalbourn.  Be very careful
    here or you can end up on the side of the downs (250 odd feet at about
    11%).  From Shalbourn take the A338 to Burbage, thence the A346 to
    Malborough and then Swindon.  Either reverse the first route to get
    back to Newbury or just take the B4192 to Hungerford and thence
    Newbury.
    
    Alternatively at Shalbourn go south to Oxenford then take the Shute 
    Causeway (spectacular views on a clear day), turn right at the end and you
    drop down towards Andover.  At this stage I've run out of map but I know
    you can get back to Newbury via St Mary Bourne and then Highclear.
    
    Finally: Again starting at Newbury take the A34 until the Basingstoke
    turning, then there is a back road to Burgclere keep heading south
    until you have the downs in front of you a left and right will get you
    up watership down (yes there is a real place of that name) and you
    virtually have to follow your nose down to Whitchurch from here your
    options are a sideroad (B3400) to Andover and any of the above routes 
    or Basingstoke and country you will know better than I do.
    
    This last part-route is the only one I'd honestly recommend on any day
    other than a sunday (maybe a saturday).  
    
    Hope these give you some ideas for parts of routes.
    	rod

    
    RE: .3 (Alan Paxton)
    
>   NW on B4494 towards Wantage. This crosses the Ridgeway and descends
>   into the Vale of the White Horse at Wantage. You can make loops of 40
>   miles+ depending on how you return, either directly to Lambourn (B4001)
>   or by going further West before returning through Lambourn, and back
>   to Newbury on a minor road running beside the River Lambourn. 
    
    This sounds nice.  Contrast with the NW route through Lambourne that
    Rod mentions in .4.
    
>       There are also dozens of minor roads South of the Kennet & Avon
>    canal West of Newbury, leading towards more short and sharp
>    escarpment hills. Once you get West of the A34 there's plenty to
>    choose from.
    
     Sounds good - I'll look at the map.
    
>       I can recommend a lot of much better trips north of the border,
>    mind you. And the trip up along the pennines is a good warmup.
    
     Ok, you've whetted my appetite.  The Pennines have a certain
     je-ne-sais-quoi hazy barren quality that appeals.  :-) 
    
     Thanks.  More thoughts welcome!
     -john

    
     RE: .4 (Rod Widdowson)
    
>    Reading to Newbury by route of choice.  After Speen take the B4000
>    (direction Lambourn).  Landmark: at Woodlands St Mary (just after the
>    dogleg by the motorway slip road) there's a bike shop with a coffee
>    machine.  When the road turns left to Lambourn keep straight on along
>    the Roman road (rollercoaster) to Swindon (cue the first set of
>    diversions).  The hills are now over.  You now want to make your way up
>    to Oxford.  There are several roads which parallel the A420.  This is a
>    gentle climb but with a spot of luck you'll have the prevailing wind
>    behind you.  At Oxford there are numerous decent coffee shops, and I'm
>    sure that you know more of the good roads back down the Thames to
>    Reading better than I.
    
     All right! I like the idea of the bike shop with coffee convenience!
     My experience with Swindon is that it has burgeoning new exurbs to avoid,
     but I guess that's doable.  The Lambourn road is nice.
    
>    Newbury- Falkland Memorial (andover road) Just outside town take a
>    right and follow signs (any) to Inkpen, thence Shalbourn.  Be very careful
>    here or you can end up on the side of the downs (250 odd feet at about
>    11%).  From Shalbourn take the A338 to Burbage, thence the A346 to
>    Malborough and then Swindon.  Either reverse the first route to get
>    back to Newbury or just take the B4192 to Hungerford and thence
>    Newbury.
    
     Inkpen and that area have what (to me) are *taxing* short climbs - nice
     quiet country.  "Hungerford and thence Newbury" presumably by something
     other than the A4. :-)  I'll look.
    
>    Alternatively at Shalbourn go south to Oxenford then take the Shute 
>    Causeway (spectacular views on a clear day), turn right at the end and you
>    drop down towards Andover.  At this stage I've run out of map but I know
>    you can get back to Newbury via St Mary Bourne and then Highclear.
    
     I don't think I know the Shute Causeway.  Sounds neat.
    
>    Finally: Again starting at Newbury take the A34 until the Basingstoke
>    turning, then there is a back road to Burgclere keep heading south
>    until you have the downs in front of you a left and right will get you
>    up watership down (yes there is a real place of that name) and you
>    virtually have to follow your nose down to Whitchurch from here your
>    options are a sideroad (B3400) to Andover and any of the above routes 
>    or Basingstoke and country you will know better than I do.
    
     One of these roads you mention may be the old A30 (now superseded
     by motorway) - and it is very quiet.  Maybe that's the B3400.
    
>    Hope these give you some ideas for parts of routes.
    
     Indeed.  Thanks, Rod.
     -john

One of my favorite early season rides is Reading to Winchester and back.  Its
only about 90 miles, but I'm sure you could fit in another 31 on the way back 
if you wanted to!  The roads down this way are generally quiet (due to thru 
traffic taking the motorway).  The scenery is very pleasant, although there are
few hills.  

If you fancy taking a shorter ride (50 miles) then the Reading Cycling Club
leaves Cheapside at 9:00 on Sunday mornings.  This includes a stop at a cafe
at the half way point.

If you want any more information I'll be happy to provide it! 
BTW how long will you be in Rading for?

Nigel.

    
    Thanks, Nigel.  Those are good tips.  Winchester sounds good.
    
    I am scheduled to be in Reading 'til about the end of March.
    
    -john

	Yet another reason to get away from the UK, I hope I'm safe down here -
maybe I'm not, it's only 800 miles from La Manche to Le M�diterran�e.... and if
he turns South in Reading......

	Still, if you make it John, I'll treat you to a caf� in La Pergola (next
to the world-renowned Pre-du-Lac car park)      ;>)

    
    What's typical for club-rides in Britain? 
    
    To prepare for the Equinox ride(s), I would like to know what riders 
    expect (I asked Nigel Crowther for a start):
    
       - route maps or cue sheets?
    
         Most nontrivial US rides have cue sheets; some have route maps.
         I like to provide both.  Nigel says the norm is to stick with
         the ride leader, who knows the way (typically threading through
         the back lanes)... unless, of course, the ride is marshalled.
    
         My route-maps and cue-sheets go by route-numbers and road names.
         A club-ride here will probably get onto minor lanes with no posted
         number and often no name - instead, I think it's better to name
         destinations ("follow signposts to Frogmore Common").  Begins to
         sound more and more like a rallye event, eh?  :-)
    
       - starting point?
    
         I like to start in/near the countryside, and avoid town
         congestion.  Nigel says Reading rides typically start in town
         at a caf� or pub - people don't mind getting in/out of town.
    
    
       - support?  (not that you'll get any - just thought I'd ask! :-))

    I thought they'd be more like:
    
    "Take the last left before Frogmore Common"
    
    "Take the right before the third left"
    
    "turn right at the small statue"
    
    ...

    
    RE: .-1  
    
    Painfully close to the truth!

    ... you know where mad joe lived ....
    
    turn left by where the German bomber crashed ....
    
    I'm afraid that in my (limited) experience, you just follow the captain
    and hope to good you don't fall off the back, lost and 50 miles from
    home.

My wife hasn't yet got over the conversation that went..

"...turn left where the AA box used to be, down where the Counties "12" used to
start, follow the road to Ugley and the Forest hut is next door to the Easterley"

I assure you this is perfectly comprehensible to the average Essex clubman who
raced in the 50's and 60's. 

I went on a CRW ride a year ago (or so) and during the week, unbeknown to the
LEADER, the tower had repaved (or resealed) a portion of the route, previously 
marker the week before.

We ended up following the leader out a LONG endless road into the forrest before
she stopped and said "Wait a minute!...."

    
    RE: .-1  (new paving over marked route)
    
    My easy solution: I don't mark the routes; I hand out a map & cue-sheet!
    
    BTW, In GB, it wouldn't be just the risk of new surfacing; the mud in the
    lanes could make any arrowing real "subtle."
    
    -john

	TThe CTC run an event every year from Edinburgh to St Andrews. Their
  method is to paste arrows onto road signs to show the direction. The arrows
  are marked with CTC to distinguish them from any other organisations. Don't
  know how often they replace them, but some of them have been up for well over
  5 years, despite the horrible climate (have I mentioned the climate before?).
  Probably need either police permission or a lot of nerve to do this though.

  Graham.

    
    While in France last August, I noticed plenty of road markings
    out in the country, for counties (d�partements) around.  They were
    arrows painted on the road, with an acronym (code-name of the ride)
    hanging from the arrow.  
    
          +-->
          |
          |
         Rx
    
    There were also a fair number of "PRIME 100M" notifications, paired
    with a line crossing the road, say, 100 meters further on.
    
    Don't see that in England.  I wonder if England is still haunted by
    the public's opprobrium for cyclists, which make them head out singly
    (single file, separate) doing TT's rather than terrorizing the roadways 
    in a bunch, like the French.
    

    
    Ok, guys, the route sheets are ready, and we are now aiming for:
    
    	8:00am GMT Sunday 29 March
        Three Mile Cross, Reading (south of M4 x A33 junction)
    
    This is for the 100-mile route, which will take us over the
    Lambourn Downs and back through Hungerford and up over some
    other downs close to Andover, culminating in Watership Down
    south of Kingsclere (but not actually going into the town).
    
    A couple of mile-hungries from the Reading CC have shown interest, 
    plus Charlie "Mr. BMB" Lamb.
    
    People desiring the 151-mile option should contact me - that
    would be a 6:00am GMT start for the warm-up miles prior to doing
    the Lambourn century with the others.  (GMT times are given because
    I'm not sure when Daylight Savings Time comes into effect.)
    
    The route map and cue sheet are available in Postscript - just ask.
    
      *** Please contact me if you are intending to do the ride. ***
    
    -john

    That's not Greater Maynard Time?

In France we go to Summer Time 2 a.m. Sunday 29th March.  According to my
(English) diary, the same thing happens in the UK, but they hedge their bets by
calling it Daylight Saving Time (wot no summer?)..........

To avoid complications, I suggest you check (!!!)

    
    I've checked.  Robin is correct.  I modify the announcement to say
    "8.00am clock time" (which on Sunday will be Daylight Savings Time).  
    
    Now for the New England audience, that would be
    
       2:00am GMT (Greater Maynard Time)  :-)
    
    -john
    
    PS: I expect a big turnout of English cyclists trying to atone for
    imagined past sins by undergoing 100 miles of these "springtime"
    conditions (temps in the 40's, brisk northerly winds, sky-borne
    water droplets?).

    Ahhh, no over-heating!
    
    :-)

    In a concerted effort to end the drought before polling day,
    UK weather systems have started really dumping down the rain.
    But Saturday had an anomolous dry spell, just made for inaugurating
    the Equinox Century!

    In the event, only Charlie Lamb and Linda Lee showed up for this one,
    and we only ran the century option.  Charlie's idea of a training
    regime was to ride a Cannondale MTB with underinflated knobbies.

    We ran the course in reverse, escaping the showers after the first
    five miles - the next 95 miles of the course were completely dry
    (albeit totally sunless as well), a brief pause in Hungerford
    for fish and chips (increasing the handicap factor for the next
    20 miles) being our only real stop.

    Doing the course in reverse meant all the sharp grades were uphill
    ones, so that the peleton was eagerly inquiring by mile 60, "Have
    we done the [umpteenth] 1:10 grade yet?" (Nope, the next was just 
    around the corner, though, bringing us back over the Ridgeway Path.)

    Charlie and Linda were using this as training for a 200km Audax the 
    next weekend from Marlow to the Cotswolds and back.  Alternating
    between steep climbs on the downs and prolonged stretches in river
    valleys, the route should have done its job in this respect. :-)

    -john

    PS: I have left the route map and cue sheet with the Reading CC
    to be run as an Audax or normal club ride.  As I said, the map 
    and cue sheet are available electronically. 

    What's Charlie doing in the UK?

    - Jim

    
    Jim, Charlie and Linda are there for an extended period (1 year?)
    working for their Cambridge (Mass.) based employer.
    
    -john