So we are back with our outdoor groups of up to six riders. A welcome return to riding with others. Three routes to chose from, 18 miles, 31 miles or 45 miles, all starting at Ivinghoe church. With a nod to colder weather, the longer route will start at 9.30am with the aim to arrive in Aldbury at around 12.30. The shorter rides will meet at 10am and groups may need to be split based on expected pace, we need to be in clear groups of six or fewer riders. So wrap up warm and see you on the road!

9.30am 45 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34770594

10am 31 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34769068

10.30am 18 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34769088

After a run of Sundays with some great rides and equally great pub garden conversations we have now reached the time to support and uphold the national lockdown. Unless anything changes we could be back riding in groups on Sunday 6th December.

During the minimum 4 week enforced break please keep in touch via social media and strava, if anyone gets their virtual act together Zwift group rides via meet ups is an option.

Following the government guidelines during the lockdown will help the country fight Covid 19.

From the government website: In general, you must not meet people socially. However, you can exercise or meet in a public, outdoors space with people you live with, your support bubble (or as part of a childcare bubble), or with one other person. You should minimise time spent outside your home. When around other people, stay 2 metres apart from anyone not in your household – meaning the people you live with – or your support bubble. Where this is not possible, stay 1 metre apart with extra precautions (e.g. wearing a face covering).

You can still travel to spend time or exercise outdoors – this should be done locally wherever possible, but you can travel to do so if necessary (for example, to access an open space).

If you do chose to get out on two wheels during November, enjoy your rides, stay safe and we look forward to riding together in the near future.

This Sunday the hills will be alive with the sound of the Ivinghoe Velos. Each of our three routes has some vertical challenges, so bring your climbing legs or your granny ring.

9am 54 miles visiting Butlers Cross, Wardrobes and Hampden Road, over 3,000 feet of climbing this will challenge even the goats amongst our ranks. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34503952

10am 35 miles with 2,000 feet of climbing taking us towards Chesham and back via Toms Hill a great test of the legs https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34517967

10.30am 20 miles taking riders over the Beacon to Berkhamsted https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34518007

Please arrive at Ivinghoe church before your intended ride start time, groups of up to six riders will form based on expected pace as usual. Please arrive with the route etched into your memory or saved on your GPS so when you are leading out your group you are able to take the right turns!

Next week (Sunday 8th November) is Remembrance Sunday, in usual times we aim to break our rides up with a stop at a church at 11am, doing three 15 mile laps from 9am, two 15 mile laps from 10am or one 15 mile lap from 11.15am. It would be great to get some rider input on this years plan so please discuss and feedback on Sunday.

Here are our three routes to choose from for Sunday 25th October. Usual arrangements for joining rides, maintaining groups of six or fewer riders. Please note the clocks change the night before our rides so if you don’t read this and usually cycle at 10am you might find yourself on a 50 mile ride to Whitwell. In fact you don’t need that extra time in bed, so come along anyway!

9am ride: 50 miles in Bedfordshire including the Luton Busway after some lovely lanes around Lilley and Whitwell https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34409353

10am ride: 35 miles Flat out to Bishopstone https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34467147

10.30 ride: 24 miles, Fast and flat to Halton https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34467169

Please arrive with an idea of your selected route, we aim to leave no riders behind but if you take a wrong turn things become tricky.

Three routes as usual for Sunday 18th October. At the time of writing the weather looks favourable. Recent turnouts has been good, it’s great we are able to exercise and socialise in safe groups numbers.

The 9am route takes a rest from hills this week and travels along the Waddesden Greenway for the first time. Whilst it’s a great surface we will need to remember its a multi purpose path, so we may get over taken by joggers or pram pushers. This route is a great opportunity for anyone who has been considering joining the longer ride as it’s an easy peasy flatish 50 miles.

The 10am route at 33 miles is a feast of climbing with at least 4 challenging ascents! Visiting Aston Hill, Bull Beggers Lane, Red Lion Lane and Hudnall Lane seriously testing climbing ability, luckily what goes up also comes down, so there will be some great descents to enjoy too!

The 10.30 route also has it’s fair share of ups, taking in Dancers End as well as Toms Hill, a nice one to keep riders warm!

Following on from previous weeks organisation, it’s likely that we will need to split into pace groups, so please select the group (of up to six riders) most appropriate for your legs & lungs, or maybe you want to switch it up a bit and ride with some different riders this weekend?

Please arrive before your ride start time with the route committed to memory or at least Garmin, enjoy the ride and stay safe.

9am: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34407103

10am: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34411333

10.30am: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34411351

After mass non participation due to the inclemency of the weather last Sunday, we are doing our bit for the environment and recycling the 9am ride. At least with the spare time riders had last Sunday they would have been able to fit mudguards ready for riding through the rest of the winter. Not only do mudguards protect your bike and clothing, they also protect the vison of the rider sucking your back wheel, so a necessary addition this time of year. Also take extra care around water bottles and helicopters, lets stay safe out there. The 10.30 ride, which is a social ride suitable for beginners as well as seasoned professionals, is also recycled from last Sunday, while the 10am route is brand spanking new this week. Pease ensure you have your route mapped out on paper or uploaded onto your GPS device. We meet by Ivinghoe church and ask that riders arrive before the ride start and quickly navigate to the group of six or less riding at their expected pace.

9am ride: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34277940

10am ride https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34339382

10.30 ride https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34314945

Three rides to chose from this week. Each has a different start time. Depending on the popularity of the rides we may need to break down into pace groups, as we have done during recent Sundays, to maintain the rule of six.

9am 55 miles takes us through some Chiltern hills towards Speen, including the delightful village of Little Missenden and a great climb from the Hughenden Valley, before dropping down from Lacy Green into the vale of Aylesbury for a flat return: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34277940

10am We have a 32 mile trip, heading out to Butlers Cross and Wendover, then we head up Rocky Lane, descend through Chartridge to Chesham before a return through picturesque Aldbury: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34283227

10.30am The beginners ride takes us on a 24 mile route with a couple of testing climbs up to Wingrave and then the pretty Hamlet of Drayton Beauchamp, before a cruise through Tring and Aldbury: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34283255

Please arrive in advance of the planned start time with a copy of your preferred route, either on paper or GPS computer. Groups must be a maximum of six riders, so you won’t be able to join a “full” group if joining further around the route, arriving to join a group at Ivinghoe church is the best option for ensuring an even spread of riders. Head over to the facebook “rear hub” to register an interest in one of the Sunday rides.

9am route 50 miles to Houghton Conquest https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34223098

10am Route 37 miles to Winslow https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34206819

10.30 route 22 miles via Hastoe https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34206878

The usual three routes to choose from this Sunday. To aid our intention to meet, mix and ride in groups of no more than 6, there are three start times. If we do find there are more than six riders arriving at any one time we need to quickly divide into ride groups, usually based on expected pace. Please add your expected ride option to the facebook poll, so we have an educated guess on rider numbers.

Those with sharp eyes will notice that we are trialing using “ride with GPS” as our mapping software this week. Apparently for those who worry about these things, the elevation guide might be a bit more realistic than our usual mapometer software. Your views and feedback on this will be gratefully received.

Hopefully something for everyone this weekend, we ride in groups looking after each other, so join us before the expected ride start time, bring along a copy of the route and enjoy the ride!

The usual 3 routes for riders to choose from this weekend.

Government guidance currently states that six of fewer people can meet outside while maintaining social distancing. We need to make sure groups are formed in advance of start times and late comers won’t be able to join full groups at the start point or during the rides. It’s been noted that cycling insurances may be invalid if riders are not adhering to these guidelines. Your co-operation will be appreciated by all riders and keep us safe and legal.

The 9am route is 50 miles and tackles some hills in the first half before a flat second half https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5146188.html

The medium 10am is a 32 mile route which takes us along Gaddesden Row https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5144888.html

Our shortest option at 10am is a great starting point for newer riders it’s 20 local flat miles https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5144890.html

Dave Bembridge is planning on leading the shorter 10am route at a pace appropriate to the riders present

The 9am route is usually ridden around 16+mph with the group working together draft riders around.

The medium route at 10am, if popular, will be divided into groups based on rider pace.

Head over the the facebook rear hub to indicate your route choice, enjoy the rides!

After a great turn out last Saturday and Sunday we aim to continue the good work this week with three routes heading North. With the 9am route being 15 miles longer than the 10am route they may well join up, depending on legs, mechanicals and biscuit breaks, who will return to the Rose and Crown first?

9am 51 miles: https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5142283.html

10am 36 miles: https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5142098.html

10am 22 miles: https://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_5142100.html

Please arrive at Ivinghoe church slightly before your expected start time so reasonable size groups can form and head over to the face book rear hub to let us know which route you plan to ride.