Sunday 2nd January 2011
Sunday 2nd January 2011After a postponement of a week due to the weather, the 9th was still cold for the January ride out.
My first time at leading a RoSPA run, I had planned a leisurely run across to Dorset and visiting Compton Abbas Airfield for lunch. Not a long or particularly challenging run, but an amble across the new forest and some great roads through picturesque Hampshire and Dorset villages.
On setting out from my home in Wokingham there was quite a lot of sparkling white frost about and this was the case all the way down to Loomis; the most challenging part of today's run was just getting to the start! A couple of times my back wheel decided to 'let go' and give a little wiggle on the way. This made for a rather slower ride, but I was definitely wide awake on arrival at Loomies by 09:30. The temperature was well below 0'c but the sun was out and the sky was blue. After initially saying I would call off the run if the temperature was below 2'c, looking at the forecast the night before the prediction was 5'c. Great I thought, cold but bright, its on!
By 09:45 no one had arrived, mmm I thought, may be riding back home soon. Then a call from Tim, who had set off but after a few too many 'wiggles' on the ice/frost, he had decided to turn back and stay at home. Then in walked a very cold looking Paula, who had ridden down from Oxford. She apologised for being a bit late as most of the way she had been riding very slowly with feet down at times. Well done Paula, I thought!
We sat and discussed the weather over a warming cup of tea and decided that it was getting warmer all the time, we could see that the frost on the car outside was disappearing rapidly. Hoping others might be making their way to Loomies, we waited till 10:45 before deciding that in fact it looked like a very nice day for a ride out and the surprisingly increasing numbers of bikers arriving at Loomies confirmed our decision to 'go for it'.
We had a rather tentative run down the A272 towards Winchester, due to some remaining patches of frost in the shady areas along the road. A quick zap along the M3 one junction and off across the Hampshire countryside towards Romsey. We quickly pushed on to Cadnam and on into the New Forest. With a stunning, cloudless blue sky overhead and a low sun the views across the forest were wonderful. We stopped briefly to take it all in, then pressed on to Fordingbridge and in to Dorset.
Across Dorset we passed through Cranborne, Sixpenny Handley and the beautiful village of Tollard Royal. In the bottom of the valleys where the sun still hadn't arrived there was still some frost about, so you had keep your wits about you and read the road conditions carefully. Although the temp was now up to 5'c I am sure in the wet shady parts close to the ground it would still be close to freezing.
We arrived at Compton Abbas Airfield to a somewhat full car park, and in the restaurant it was difficult to find a seat. It was fortunate that there was only the two of us.
After lunch we were treated to a fly past by a small flight of YAK 51 aircraft which then turned and landed at the airfield. We made our way down Zig Zag hill and on towards Shaftsbury. After refuelling we headed north then east across country towards Salisbury. Skirting north on the usual route, we headed towards Grately down a beautiful 'green tunnel', about a half mile of trees growing over the road, even now with few leaves, still enough to give the impression of a long tunnel stretching out in front. Passing through some very pretty Hampshire villages such as Fox Amport and Monxton we finally picked up the A303 at Andover.
We said our goodbyes in a layby just before Paula peeled off on the A34 to make her way back to Oxford. Paula and I agreed it had at times been challenging with the road conditions, but it was also a very enjoyable jaunt across our cold but bright English countryside.
Maybe we can do it all again in the summer, and more members can enjoy, what by then should be a warm and sunny country side. Here's hoping!
Andy Y