Velos rides for Sunday 18th August 2019

Daylight Robbery: This week we will revisit a piece of local history with a 9am ride which passes the very site of the great train robbery and then follows, perhaps, the getaway route to Leatherslade Farm near Oakley. The ride is of a reasonable length to be able to complete within 4 hours at a fairly relaxed pace, so back to the Rose and Crown by 1pm.

In August 1963 a gang of men stopped a Royal Mail train at Bridego Bridge (recently renamed Mentmore Bridge). They got away with £2.6M (£54M in today’s money) most of which was never recovered. How would we have ridden the ride in 1963? In those days Spandex (Lycra to us cyclists) had just been invented and carbon fibre had only just been manufactured for the first time, so you be heading out on your 4 speed Wilier Triestina steel framed road bike. You would be wearing your polyester club top with whipcord shorts with a double seat (so they din’t get worn out, not for comfort).

9am Route 55miles: https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_4949315.html

The 10am routes Crafted by Dave B take us on a hilly 38 miles to Caddington or a flat 24 miles to Halton. If you are doing a 10am route and want to visit Bridigo Bridge, it’s only a short diversion through Ivinghoe Aston or Mentmore.

10am 36 miles: https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_3926297.html

10am 24 mileshttps://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_4021925.html

So come on out, try to steal a King/Queen of the mountain, pinch a few PRs, you would feel robbed if you didn’t! Please arrive promptly and bring your choosen route map/gps file so you don’t get lost in the getaway.