Saturday 8 April 2017: Greenwood Park and Gorhambury

Eleven riders braved the warmth and sunshine today, we headed west along the Alban Way, admiring the surface signage.  What a simple and elegant improvement to the Alban Way, all the access points are labelled, so now you know where to 'change for onward destinations'.

We went to the end of the line and picked up NCN6, which took us over to Greenwood Park. Some early bluebells were out.

From Chiswell Green we took the lanes to Potters Crouch, enjoying the fresh green foliage.  This is a whitebeam.

Over the Hemel road and on to Gorhambury, it is a steady climb up to the ruins of Tudor Gorhambury where Nicholas Bacon entertained Queen Elizabeth.
It is then an easy run down to the Roman Theatre - as always, hills are taken at individual pace and the groups gathers again at a convenient spot.  So a 30mph hurtle for some and a more stately descent for others.
Coffee in the sun at the Inn on the Park, then back along the Alban Way to complete the 12 mile loop.

Cycling UK website full of Fabulous

Top media tip - if you want to feature on the Cycling UK website, go on a ride with the Cycling UK Media Officer!
Rona took a Fabulous friend over to Stevenage for the Stevenage Start of Summertime Special (short distance option) and we met Tony Upfold part way round.  We enjoyed his company, and he took a really nice photo of us.  Full story at: http://www.cyclinguk.org/news/20170329-sunny-start-summertime-launches-challenge-ride-series-style
Elsewhere, our 5MTF festival ride is now entered in the Womens Festival of Cycling listing.

Womens Festival of Cycling

Just launched, the Women's Festival of Cycling takes place throughout July and the country.

This gives us the opportunity for two celebratory rides here in South Herts, on 10 June we have our 5MTF 10th Birthday party and then on 8 July we have a Festival ride.

More about the Women's Festival of Cycling on the Cycling UK website: https://www.cyclinguk.org/womensfestivalofcycling

Saturday 4 March 2017: Hatfield Farmers Market

What a bonus - the forecast rain did not show, we had a lovely sunny spring morning instead.  Ten gathered at the start, with Angela and Rona sharing leadership today.  In anticipation of a wet ride, we had planned a simple route along the Alban Way, and we decided to stick with the plan but extend our range and head to Hatfield Farmers Market.
The Alban Way is looking very fresh after its winter tidy-up, which included scrub clearance as well as improvements to access points.  Smallford station is gradually emerging from industrial embrace.

We were fairly whizzing along, as back marker, by the time I took off my gloves and reached out my phone, the ride group was a speck in the distance.

Nast Hyde Halt is carefully tended and enhanced by locals.

Hatfield Market is pretty sparse these days, but we enjoyed a quick look round before plundering Simmons cake counter and gathering lots of chairs around one of the cafe tables.

Back the same way except with a diversion around Nast Hyde and Wilkins Green.

In the News: 2016

We closed the year with a trio of fabulous ride leaders.  Teresa and Angela attended the Cycling UK ride leading workshop in Garston in September 2016 and found it very helpful in confirming their abilities and extending their knowledge of group ride leadership.

Team Fabulous at the St Albans Charity Cycle Ride on 15th May: Five ladies from the Five Miles to Fabulous group rode 20 miles in the St Albans Charity Cycle ride on Sunday 15 May.  They had been practicing longer distances than five miles over the previous few weeks and were confident that they would finish. They stayed together during the ride and waited for each other at the tops of the hills. Some walked up the hills, and that was OK. The weather was lovely - bright, but not too hot, and no wind. The atmosphere was very friendly and supportive, and all want to do the ride again next year!  Not only did they successfully complete the St Albans Charity Cycle Ride, their fabulous fundraising efforts earned them a silver cup!  The team collected their award at a presentation on Friday 8 July at Westminster Lodge.

We took part in  This Girl Can in Herts Week 2016.  The report on the week  can be found on the Sport in Herts website, along with a link to lots of pictures.  Click here to go there.

Right as rain

The usual not-very-good weather for our season-closer! We try to avoid 'smiling cyclists' and 'cake' as  illustrations for these posts, as it can get a bit repetitive, but in persistent rain all pictures are taken undercover.  So here we are about to set off, looking cheerful and fabulous.

Let's go!

The leader expected we might get as far as Morrisons's cafe, but the riders were keen to get to Peppermint, so off we went.  A first for us, a repeat of the previous ride, and jolly good thing to do.  Peppermint is very friendly and the cakes are excellent. This could be our signature ride and coffeestop.

Peppermint Cafe

The first thing we came to on our onward route was a flood right across the road, but it was shallow, as were the other two we came to.  The leaves are colourful this year, and it was an atmospheric ride through Symondshyde Woods, with the added interest of a stoat strolling swiftly across the road ahead of us, giving us a good glimpse of the black tip on its tail.

Revival and innovation

This ride ostensibly marked the Big Bike Revival promotion, but we did not have any new attendees with bikes dragged out of the shed and revived.  However, our ride had a freshness about it, as we now have a trio of leaders and today Teresa and Angela opened their leading account.

A lovely autumn day, with the leaves beginning to turn and the hedgerows studded with the red of hips, haws and holly berries.

Teresa led us swiftly to the Three Wise Monkeys vintage emporium.  We enjoyed perusing lots of lovely old stuff and admiring the portrait of Nelson Mandela that arrived in there this week, to the management's evident pride and delight (it is for sale!).

We were a little too soon in arriving for the Peppermint cafe however, as it opens at 11, so we stumbled across the courtyard to Osprey and its excellent provender.  We loved the individually wrapped 'parrot' sugar cubes, and the cakes and hot drinks were splendid.

Angela then led us on a loop around Symondshyde Woods, through Sandridge and back to Fleetville via Jersey Lane (pictured), Oaklands and the Alban Way.