Hoping all Ivinghoe Velos are fit and well this weekend. Two ride options for you this week. Only to be considered as a solo ride. To encourage this and to avoid accidental meet ups, the start point of the rides is not the Rose and Crown. Tackle these ride suggestions whenever you have time over the weekend!

One road ride and one MTB ride. The rides are planned to keep you close to home so if you have any issues you will be able to get yourself home without the need for unnecessary car travel.

Regular exercise increases your immunity to infection, 60 minutes a day is enough to trigger the immune response. Exercise releases endorphins to make you happy. There are some theories that high intensity exercise for an extended period of time can leave athletes susceptible to illness. Some exercise is far better than no exercise, but don’t over do it! These rides aim to hit the sweet spot!

With the wind coming down from the North the 25 mile road route heads that way first giving riders a tail wind return from Soulbury. As mountain bike riding is not so effected by wind this 23 mile route heads south before returning via Dancers End.

Ride solo, ride with extra caution and enjoy the dry conditions and quiet roads, see you on strava!

Road 25 https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5027943.html

MTB 23 https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5027948.html

We have two rides on offer this week, one of 40 miles and one of 24 miles, both setting off at 10am. Due to encouraging comments via our social media channel it’s clear some riders still want to get out and exercise despite the current difficulties we all face. A quick check on strava confirms many riders are still riding outdoors in controlled groups. If government policy dictates further measures we will react this week and in future weeks to support these policies.

It’s recommended to keep 2m from other individuals so if there are large numbers of riders on a route we need to split into smaller groups to help with spacing. Although the roads may be quieter we need to take extra care to stay safe and not be a burden on the heroes at the NHS. Getting fresh air and company at a relaxed pace is the order of the day. Anyone wishing to ride solo can check out the routes and give us a wave if our paths cross.

We cannot advocate meeting indoors post ride. Please don’t feel the need to show your face if you are self isolating due to contact with someone who has any virus symptoms or you have shown any symptoms yourself. Stay well everybody.

10am Bunkers Blast https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5023306.html

10am Dagnal 24 https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5023313.html

This week we follow a similar format to last Sundays rides with an additional few miles at 9am before groups meet for the main rides at 10am. This seemed to work well last week with the longer 10am group completing 40 odd miles at around 16mph. More of the same this week! The longer route of 40 miles will visit Wobun, while a 25 mile shorter option sticks to the lowlands around Slapton.

Whilst we often have high temperatures, excessive sweating and shortness of breath when attempting Bison Hill in a rain jacket, if you have these symptoms while reading this update on your sofa you probably should give the next couple of weeks a miss. For anyone with contamination concerns, some of our members have, over the years, practised social distancing by deliberately sitting off the back of our group (particularly again on Bison Hill), so feel free to join our rides in whatever position you are comfortable in. Leading experts may have said that cycling builds resilience to viral infections so there is no better time to get on your bike. With most other sport postponed we may see a small increase in roadside fans so be sure to look out your best weatherproof kit this weekend.

9am add on https://www.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5020986.html

10am longer https://www.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5020978.html

10am shorter https://www.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5020985.html

With overnight rain clearing we should be left with some reasonable riding conditions this Sunday. The 9am option is a loop taking us back to the the Rose & Crown after an hour, meaning riders will have a second chance of getting together. Both 10am routes aim to finish with some wind assistance so you can leave it all out on the road and hopefully get blown home! The longer 10am route is 44 miles over to Winchendon, some climbs in the middle but otherwise reasonably flat. The shorter 10am route is a 28 mile flat ride to Terrick, perfect if you have had a bit of a lay off during the recent poor weather!

9am extension https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5018242.html

10am 44 miles https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5018239.html

10am 28 miles https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5018240.html

With Spring showing signs of finally arriving we look forward to a summer of cycling with some event planning in progress.

Rod and Dave D are heading off Majorca on Thursday 16th April until Sunday 19th April, if anyone is keen to tag along please speak to the guys this week. A great chance to enjoy a warm weather velos training camp!

On Sunday 21st June some Ivinghoe Velos will be riding round the Isle of Wight in a day, this will be a road ride with two meal stops. You have plenty of notice in case you want to build it into holiday or weekend away plans!

Silverstone Race track is open for cycling on selected evenings £10 per rider. A great opportunity to get a team draft going on the smooth 4 mile circuit. The first opportunity is 7th April followed by 13th May. How many laps can we do during the evening?