Saturday 9 March 2019 - International Women's Day

A rather grey morning, nine of us mustered, my selfie skills need a bit of polishing as only eight of us are in the picture.  And the IWD posters are actually last year's, the theme this year is Balance for Better.  It was really good to get most of the gang together again and kick off our 2019 rides programme.
We decided we were going to Sandridge via Verulamium.  Off we went along the Alban Way, and along a relatively peaceful Prospect Road and into Verulamium Park.  We had hoped the park run would have dispersed by then, but it hadn't entirely and we crept along the rather congested path.  And it began to rain.
Once through St Michaels we were able to get going a bit, using the Green Ring to get to NCN6, then we headed along Sandridgebury Lane.  Having made good time, and with the weather improving, we decided on an extra loop.  Off we went along Coleman Green Lane, then Tower Hill Lane, with daffodils to enjoy and floods to ford.

We descended Hammonds Lane and headed into the headwind and back into Sandridge.  The Heartwood Tearooms did not have room for all of us, and it was just a little too blustery to sit outside, and clouds still threatened, so we split the ride.  Four squeezed into the tearoom and five carried on to Marshalswick for hot drinks and buns at Simmons.

All in all, a bit of an epic first outing of the year, looking forward to the next.

Cycle into Spring - three ride dates set

We have organised Five Miles to fabulous rides on the following Saturdays:
9 March
13 April
11 May
All rides start 0930 from Morrisons, Hatfield Road.
It is coincidental that these are all the second Saturday of the month. We traditionally open our season around International Women's Day, and this year is no exception.  The May date was the one that matched leader availability - and is a registered event in the St Albans Festival of Sustainability.  The April date was chosen to be in the the middle!
Check your bikes over before joining us on a ride.  Brake blocks and tyres can get very worn over the winter, they might need replacing.  Chains get full of crud and muck and water - they might need tlc. If too far gone, get a new chain before you wear out your cogs and chainrings as well.

Quilting

As you do, found this when looking for something else.  Wow, just Wow!
https://twitter.com/womensart1/status/1089084159493095424

We have set the date for our May ride,  Saturday 11 May.  We will be celebrating health and happiness and sustainable transport as part of the Sustainability Festival.

Happy New Year - first ride of 2019 announced

We reconvene on Saturday 9 March 2019, and we will be celebrating #BalanceForBetter.  This has always been the theme for Five Miles to Fabulous, seeking to even out the gender imbalance in cycling by encouraging more women to cycle.
Although sometimes women and their bicycles infiltrate in unexpected ways....

Somewhat surprised by that caption!

This is more what I was looking for:

Further dates to be announced in due course.

Saturday 24 November - welcome back to Birchwood

What a difference two weeks makes - a grey winter morning for our final ride of 2018, although not as cold as it has been, mind you, we were all well wrapped up. We had greatly enjoyed our visit to the Birchwood Methodist Church coffee morning this time last year and those present - there were five of us - all endorsed the suggestion of a repeat outing.
Rona has a new gizmo, so we have some action shots to share.

The Alban Way is scenically leafy, although most of the leaves are now on the path.  Smallford Station platform is carpeted.

We had a straightforward and enjoyable run along the Alban Way, counting birds and shopping trolleys.  We decided to go the longer way round to Birchwood, ie along to the very end of the Alban Way, passing some birches, then down the Great North Road and back round to Birchwood Methodist Church.

We were warmly welcomed, and we enjoyed coffee and mince pies and flapjacks and a bit of shopping - lots to choose from, including crafts, preserves, books, dvds and bric-a-brac.  Something for every pannier / stocking!

St Michael's and All Angels just along the road were drumming up interest in their Winter Fayre, we were waved at by a large furry creature as we headed for home.  

We had covered 6 miles on our outward ride, we took a slightly shorter route back, albeit with a diversion through Wilkins Green, to give us a total ride distance of 11 miles.

Saturday 10 November - bella mattina d'autunno

Recognising the risk of rain in the ride schedule gave us.... a beautiful autumn morning. Bright blue sky, not too cold and glowing leaves.  Six out today, the Alban Way was a golden tunnel for us to ride through, heading west.  From the end of the Alban Way we would up through the houses to Watling Street and on to the Watford Road.

We had sent a further faster pair on ahead, they put in an extra loop up to Potters Crouch, the other four just bimbled along Stanley Avenue.  The two groups arrived simultaneously at Valentina's cafe, next to the Chiswell Green Post Office.  A good selection of Italian treats and hot drinks in classic crockery kept our inner women going.

We rode back in one bunch, through Greenwood Park.  This section was gloriously colourful.

We came back in via Verulamium Park and the Alban Way, a very enjoyable 8.5 mile ride.

Wednesday 31 October 2018 - Further Faster in the autumn sun

Teresa reports: Three of us set out on a frosty, bright morning to go via Sandridge to Symondshyde Woods, then via Nashe’s Farm Lane and House Lane to Oaklands College. We headed east on the Alban Way to the Galleria, and we stopped for coffee at the Sports Village in the De Havilland campus. We returned to St Albans by way of Wilkins Green Lane and the Alban Way. It was a beautiful day for a cycle ride of just over 20 miles.