Linked Events

  • Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (from Oxford): 27 August, 2021 - 28 August, 2021

Author Topic: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August  (Read 9050 times)

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Meet at midnight (0000 28 August) in Oxford railway station.  67 miles to breakfast in Acton.  There are two very big hills and a few shorter ones.  Food stop at the 24h Tesco at Loudwater.  Route is:

Oxford (exit via Hythe Bridge St, Broad St, New College Lane, Magdalen Bridge, Cowley Road, Hollow Way and Horspath Road)
Horspath
Wheatley
Worminghall
Ickford
Thame
Chinnor
Bledlow Ridge
Saunderton station
Smalldean Lane*
Naphill
Hughenden Valley
High Wycombe
Loudwater
Beaconsfield
Seer Green
Jordans
Chalfont St Peter
West Hyde
Harefield
Ruislip
Greenford
Ealing Broadway
Café Paolo, Acton (The Vale)

Trains from London are an astonishingly cheap £5.40 if you book now, so can be considered sacrificial if the weather turns nasty.  For Londoners who don't know West London, Paddington is about 20 mins from the cafe (other mainline stations are available). 


*a murderous 1 in 4
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August
« Reply #1 on: 03 August, 2021, 02:04:59 pm »
Updated with train fare.  Why is London-Oxford so cheap?  I blame all those bloody students  ;D
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August
« Reply #2 on: 03 August, 2021, 02:38:33 pm »
Currently a ‘weak maybe’. I was planning to ride my trike to Darley Moor on Saturday and the train would require a bike. Possible to leave the ride and swap machines at my place near Ruislip but I am lacking distance miles this year.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August
« Reply #3 on: 03 August, 2021, 09:00:19 pm »
I'll take the Brompton six-speed to make trains easier.  It goes pretty well.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August
« Reply #4 on: 03 August, 2021, 09:37:05 pm »
Had a look at trains, having issues finding spaces to reserve on the £5.40 trains after 8.20 am.

edit.   May have been a momentary glitch with bike reservations, as seemed Ok later.
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August
« Reply #5 on: 03 August, 2021, 09:42:07 pm »
8am is about right for trains home.  I've never booked one later than that.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August
« Reply #6 on: 03 August, 2021, 10:49:26 pm »
Ok, looks like I'm in.   :)    £5.40 ticket with bike booked.   
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

Re: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August
« Reply #7 on: 04 August, 2021, 10:10:40 am »
This FNRTTS route?

Looks like the usual route over the M25 may have disappeared into the HS2 portal (on Chalfont ln), but there seems to be a new link road to bridge over mw, slightly to the north (on satellite, but not yet streetview).
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August
« Reply #8 on: 04 August, 2021, 10:50:16 am »
Indeed, that is the diversion round the HS2 worksite.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August
« Reply #9 on: 04 August, 2021, 11:05:34 am »
The "proper" lane had a horrendous surface anyway, gravel to start with then deep potholes.  If it's closed, where on earth are West Londoners supposed to flytip their old sofas and fridges?
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August
« Reply #10 on: 04 August, 2021, 11:40:10 am »
The "proper" lane had a horrendous surface anyway, gravel to start with then deep potholes.  If it's closed, where on earth are West Londoners supposed to flytip their old sofas and fridges?

Selly Oak.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August
« Reply #11 on: 04 August, 2021, 11:56:46 am »
I'm really glad you're organising this again. However, I don't want to do it; I know now that although I enjoy night riding, I can't cope with riding all through the night. Okay while riding, but zombie the next couple of days. Nevertheless, good to see. I'm sure it'll be a success.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August
« Reply #12 on: 05 August, 2021, 02:42:52 pm »
Food stop at the 24h Tesco at Loudwater. 

A lot of Tescos aren't 24h any more, and it looks like this one is 0600-0000.

https://www.tesco.com/store-locator/high-wycombe/london-rd

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August
« Reply #13 on: 05 August, 2021, 02:51:21 pm »
Beaconsfield Services and Potkin Lane, then.  Used to be a stop at road-runner's house but he thoughtlessly moved to Slovakia  ;D

This does mean it might be easier shorter to go past road-runner's old house and bypass High Wycombe.  The A40 is pretty boring anyway, apart from the comedy drunks.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Adam

  • It'll soon be summer
    • Charity ride Durness to Dover 18-25th June 2011
Re: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August
« Reply #14 on: 05 August, 2021, 10:03:52 pm »
Thame always had some quite witty drunks.
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.” -Albert Einstein

Re: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August
« Reply #15 on: 06 August, 2021, 10:54:16 am »
Beaconsfield Services and Potkin Lane, then.  ...
This does mean it might be easier shorter to go past road-runner's old house and bypass High Wycombe.  ...

Looks like the route up Cryer's Hill & down to Beaconsfield services via Knotty Green, is quite similar dist (+0.6km), with a bit more climbing +42m.  Wonder if the services are still 24hrs...
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August
« Reply #16 on: 06 August, 2021, 11:13:37 am »
Services are 24h by law!
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

robgul

  • Cycle:End-to-End webmaster
  • cyclist, Cytech accredited mechanic & woodworker
    • Cycle:End-to-End
Re: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August
« Reply #17 on: 06 August, 2021, 02:02:06 pm »
Services are 24h by law!

I wouldn't expect the 'Spoons pub at Beconsfield services to be open all night . . . but then again?

Re: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August
« Reply #18 on: 06 August, 2021, 03:34:15 pm »
Welders Lane, May 2014.                              Moar 2013/14 pics here.

P1010579 by a oxon, on Flickr


Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August
« Reply #19 on: 08 August, 2021, 07:29:15 am »
I don't think many welders can afford to live there.  It's all pop stars and billionaires.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August
« Reply #20 on: 23 August, 2021, 07:35:56 pm »
Any more takers?  I may be persuaded to do the Hellfire* short cut, which avoids walking up Smalldean Lane and makes it a fairly civilised ride for softies  ;D

*https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellfire_Caves
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August
« Reply #21 on: 23 August, 2021, 08:23:27 pm »
I’m out. I am not fit enough to tack another 200km to the Midlands on the end of it.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August
« Reply #22 on: 23 August, 2021, 08:43:30 pm »
I have silly bike racing to organise, and am avoiding trains anyway.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August
« Reply #23 on: 24 August, 2021, 09:09:25 am »
"Hellfire for softies" doesn't really work as a concept!
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Friday Night Ride To The Smoke (Oxford-London) 27-28 August
« Reply #24 on: 24 August, 2021, 02:40:29 pm »
"Hellfire for softies" doesn't really work as a concept!
Yebbut "Smalldean Lane for softies" doesn't work in practice!
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.