The results are in (or they should be). In no particular order, this is how people got on with the Tour des Clumps yesterday. Once again Alun gets kudos as the only person to submit a photo, even if the location is not strictly on the route 😉
Andrew and Tom
Short cold ride with Tom anti-clockwise round the Tour des Clumps route. Met Neville and then Phil coming the other way, unfortunately after cycling cautiously for his whole life, Tom decided to go for it big time down the slope towards Ipsden post office (yes, the narrow, steep one with no visibility, gravel everywhere and on this occasion also damp). Cue a moving car at the bottom and then of all things a cyclist coming the other way and Tom exits the road into a field at impressive speed and with a lot of choice language. He was fine and after finding and refitting the rear derailleur shifter, so was his bike. Called it a day after that and did the Cwizz in the warm with Google and paper maps…
Phil
Neville
I got as far as the A4130 then the drizzle started, so I abandoned ‘Le Tour’ and headed up to Nuffield and home via Furniture Hill – 16 miles instead of 33. Brixton Hill is a popular segment (and the Gromils did it on the 9th March which now seems like an age ago), this time I achieved almost my slowest time ever
Simon
I had the brilliant idea of going round the wrong way in the hope of spying a Gromil at a safe 2m distance. Sadly no Gromils encountered and with the clumps always on my right and all quiz questions backwards, I’m hoping the quiz will be cancelled and results will be based on earlier quiz results at Christmas, possibly moderated by the exam boards? I gather Chris knew all the answers from his armchair so at least a stewards enquiry?
The route was absolutely wonderful – very flat, no traffic and only light rain once – not as pretty as last week but no Bix Hill to spoil the day.
Alun
Dear all, Breeda and l completed the entire ride of 55km this morning over 4 hrs from 10.45am. Wind was very cold. Came across Ron in South Moreton. He rode as far as Clifton Hampden before heading back to Didcot. Had some trouble finding the bridge over the bypass in Dorchester and initially turned left instead of right after crossing bypass so ended up in Berinsfield so had to turn back to Drayton St L. Otherwise no problems. Stopped outside Dorchester Abbey for photo but sadly no picnic. Hope you enjoyed your rides.
Steve
This must have been my shortest Gromil ride of the year. Cold, with a nasty northerly wind. As I went up Icknield Road I saw another cyclist in front, who turned out to be Phil when I eventually caught up with him. Coming down the hill it started to rain a bit, so I wimped out at the Lonely Crossroads and returned home via South Stoke. According to ViewRanger I only managed 8 mph downhill, slower than on the flat!.
However I did manage to ride the whole route on Saturday to take photos. There’s still time to enter the Clumps Cwizz, which closes on Wednesday. Results and virtually no prizes via Zoom on Thursday.
Chris Looks like Chris did the Tour d’Oxford rather than the Tour des Clumps
I got home before the showers, and managed to average 12.3mph! Stainless Moulton wasn’t handling quite right, I found some play in rear wheel bearings, which I’m about to fix. Lots of vans out today…
Ron Hi Gromils, I hope you enjoyed yesterdays ride. I started from Blewbury and rode up to Long Wittenham and then Clifton Hampden. I deviated and visited Little Wittenham to get a better view of the clumps. On the way back, I cycled through Cholsey then followed Papist Way down to the river by the Cholsey Marsh nature reserve. Then back to Blewbury. Not much traffic, but rather a lot of fast vans! All the best, Ron
Mick
Here is my modified route and stats. I went out today (Tuesday). Good weather apart from headwind. Bumped into Nev doing the anti-clockwise direction – pleasant surprise. Haven’t looked at the cwizz yet – suspect I’ll do dreadfully. See you at the Zoom coffee meeting .
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