At Milton Keynes Youth Hostel, at breakfast and looking out of the window watching the odd snowflake fall I thought what a wonderful day for the ride home. Bags packed we ventured outside to retrieve our velocipedes. The support crew, Stan and Donna, kindly lightened the load of some by carrying their panniers in the car.
We retraced our steps to the culvert under the railway where Stan inveigled an unsuspecting passer by to take a group photograph. Milton Keynes has an excellent network of tracks and paths, Red-ways, for walkers and cyclists. On a previous reconnoitre we found that it can be a little confusing as there are so many of them. Lawrie, however, pointed out that Sandra preferred route followed the course of the Millennium Cycle Route which is signed.
The first seven miles therefore was along these trails along streams under or over busy roads and around lakes.
Crossing the busy A421 Tony H left us to reminisce in Bletchley, we made our way on byways and quiet roads through Newton Longville and Stoke Hammond to Soulbury and elevenses at the Boot. We had arrived before their opening time but Stan had persuaded them to open for us, it must be the doleful eyes, so we enjoyed tea and coffee with delicious cake baked by our Sandra.
Once more into blizzard, I exaggerate a little, we journeyed onward through Wing, past Ascot House on very quiet lanes to cross the Grand Union Canal at Pitstone Wharf and on to Tring Station where Tony H was waiting for us. We continued on to Berkhamsted and lunch at The Crown, a Wetherspoons Pub, where we found our support crew comfortably ensconced.
After lunch Margaret left us to make her way home via Watford and the rest of us climbed our way out of Berkhamsted along Chesham Road and I have to admit to walking the top part. On over the A41 to an exhilarating coast down White Hill Lane to a long slog up to Whelpley Hill and on to Bovingdon Green and Flaunden. We continued on down Chesham Hill and up Chesham Hill through Chenies to Chorleywood Common and our tea stop at The Black Horse where we found a welcoming fire and our support crew.
Leaving the Black Horse we headed for Shepards Lane and the North Orbital Road and returned to Uxbridge via Tilehouse Lane and Denham Village with the Party dispersing along the way.
We had a great two days cycling in good company for which thanks must go to Sandra for the organisation.
52 miles covered today, 102 miles for the combined trips Uxbridge to Uxbridge.