Spot the Signs and Save a Life - CycleAroundTheGlobe2018

You have probably seen this campaign on social and print media, there was an article in the Herts Advertiser on Thursday 13 September.   It is endorsed by Hertfordshire Year of Physical Activity. #HertsYOPA18 #CycleAroundTheGlobe2018

More information on the campaign can be found on the Mind in Mid Herts website.

We have contributed 53.6 miles from today's ride.  That is 6.7miles by eight riders. 

Saturday 15 September 2018 - Apples and Art

Eight in our group today.  It's autumn, marked chill in the air, but once the sun had burned off the fog and dew, it was a lovely morning to be out.  Our destination was the Nude Tin Can art gallery, venue no 59 in the Herts Open Studios listing.  It is located all of 400m from Morrisons, so we had devised a nice loop to get us there.
We headed east on the Alban Way, then turned south on Hixberry Lane.  Usually this is followed by a turn into the Hill End Orchard, but today we carried on up the lane to Tyttenhanger Green.  This lane can be a bit muddy, today it was merely a bit gravelly and rough.  Views through the hedge of the ploughed fields, it's definitely autumn.

From Tyttenhanger we rode around to Highfield Park Drive and came through the park, past Winchfield Wood.  It's autumn, and it's an early autumn for fruit.  Could we pass by some tasty windfalls?  No.

The Highfield Park Trust encourage you to collect windfalls.  For information about the orchards and the apple day on Sunday 7 October and apple juice stockists - visit the Highfield Park Trust website.

We went down Nightingale Lane and along the A414 (on the very nice cycle path) and then up Highfield Lane and round past the apples again.  This time we did not stop but swung north and came through the Cell Barnes Orchard and past the Lodge, then through the spinney and back to Fleetville via the Camp Cycle Route.  A wiggle along the ladder and saunter down Glenferrie Road brought us out by the Fleetville Larder.  We had refreshments there - delicious food drink, with a friendly welcome.
With our sports nutrition sorted, we were ready for art, and we piled into the Nude Tin Can gallery a couple of doors along.

The Open Studios are open at various times until the end of the month - look out for the yellow bunting and signs, pick up a brochure or look them up online.

5MTF autumn update

We have set ride dates for the autumn, so look forward to seeing you on the following Saturdays for a Five Miles of Fabulous ride:
15 September

6 October

10 and 24 November

The somewhat random scheduling reflects leaders' availability, and even so we might not have all leaders all Saturdays.  Conversely, we might manage to slip in extra rides at short notice, so keep an eye on our website.

Other cycling-related dates of note in September:

Earthworks Summer Fair is on 1 September, find Earthworks on Hixberry Lane, come off the Alban Way at Hill End Lane. http://www.earthworksstalbans.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/SummerFairpdf.pdf Not a cycling event, but a nice destination for a ride.

Historic Churches Bike n Hike - Saturday 8 September.  Lots of churches open, some of them with coffee and cake.  No need to register, you plan your own ride around.  All you need to know is here: http://www.bedshertshct.org.uk/bikenhike.html

Herts Open Studios - 8 to 30 September.  Browse the brochure and suggest where our September ride might go!  Plan your own visits throughout the month! https://www.hvaf.org.uk/Open-Studios

St Albans Cyclefest -Sunday 16 September at Oaklands College, raising funds for Red Rubber Ball cycling project in Kenya.  Free entry, pay for activities. https://www.redrubberball.org.uk/2018/08/st-albans-cyclefest-fun-for-all-the-family/

Car Free Day - Saturday 22 September - find the Sustainable St Albans Healthy Streets stall on St Albans Market.

Saturday 14 July 2018 - Further Faster Alban Way Ayot Greenway Loop

After the success of our cool-in-the-hot weather #wfoc2018 5MTF ride, the Further Faster riders decided they needed a bit of a leg-stretcher.  Teresa organised a ride to take in both the Alban Way and the Ayot Greenway and their shady trees, and a short lakeside bimble for that cooling off-the-water breeze.  Goodness, what a lot of rhyme and aliteration.  Here we are at Stanborough:

Handside Lane is a lovely road, and we appreciated the kind drivers.  The old railway line through Sherrardspark Wood is a treat and wound us up to Ayot Green.  A quick whizz down the lane and onto the Ayot Greenway.  If it is a while since you have been along here, it is time for a revisit, it is lovely.  Bit dusty just now!
We piled our bikes up outside Charlie's in Wheathampstead, some of us preferred a cool indoor table and others enjoyed the alfresco sunshine.
A fairly straightforward run back, over to Sandridge by way of Beech Hyde Lane and Coleman Green Lane to Sandridge.  Riders began to peel off for home as we headed back to town via Jersey Lane.  The circuit is about nineteen miles.

Saturday 7 July 2018 - #WFOC2018 - a hot day to ride to Hatfield

Bunting up and riders  gathering.  Meeting point repositioned slightly to get us in the shade.    We had 14 riders today, our highest yet turnout.   Womens Festival of Cycling goody bags were well received.

Group photo: note to self - make a neater job of knotting the bunting in future! Thanks to Teresa for the super picture.

The route was repositioned  to keep us in the shade too - with the numbers and the heat, we opted for the Alban Way.  Rather than get completely tangled up in the Refugee Tales 2018 walk, we diverted at Smallford via Wilkins Green and Comet Way, then down Wellfield Road.  This brought us neatly to Hatfield Market, where we relaxed with takeaway coffee from Erol's and a chat in the shade of a tree, and for some, a bit of shopping at the market.  Not many stalls these days.

Alban Way all the way back, and we were delighted to find that Nast Hyde Halt had their bunting out.

Distance covered - 9 miles.

Womens Festival of Cycling

This is running for the whole of July, with rides and events up and down the country.  Find out more at https://www.cyclinguk.org/ride/womens-festival-cycling

Our ride is on Saturday 7 July, we meet at Morrisons on Hatfield Road - by the cycle stands natch.  Setting off at 0930 for a morning meander on quieter roads and traffic free trails. As some of the tracks are unsurfaced, skinny tyres are not suitable for this ride. You do not need a special bike to ride with us, but please make sure it is roadworthy - there are links on our web page to the M-Check, or pop in to any of our super local bike shops to ask about a check or a service.  The check is usually free, any repairs and servicing will be charged.
We will have a coffee stop, so bring some cash.

Saturday 9 June 2018 - Bike Week

Ten riders out for Bike Week, and we split into five going Further Faster and five merely fabulous.  We headed out along the Alban Way, by Ellenbrook the FF riders were vanishing into the distance.
Nast Hyde Halt at Ellenbrook is tended by Mike the postman and friends, it is amazing what can be achieved.  Read about it here.

From Nast Hyde the Fabulous five headed up to Ellenbrook Fields, after a little nature tour - geology, longhorn cattle - we rolled along the taxiway, across the runway and round the meadow to emerge at Notcutts for our coffee stop. "It'll start raining now" came a muttering from the back (see ride reports passim), but today the sky turned blue while we enjoyed our cake and beverages.  Straightforward run back along the Alban Way.

The Further Faster five continued along the Alban Way via Stanborough Lakes and into Welwyn Garden City to have coffee at the Methodist Church in Ludwick Way. We did a circular route coming back via Hollybush Lane and Ascots Lane then back along the Alban Way. It was a lovely day for a ride, and we did about 20 miles, with no hills!