CTC Thursday Ride to Bashley

As we are on holiday this week we can join the Thursday ride with CTC and we meet up with everyone at Hurn stores to do the run to Bashley for coffee. As Kathy is still suffering from a bad head cold we have decided to head for home after coffee.

Terry, John, Jim and John

As Hurn Stores is closer to Bashley than the normal leaving points we take a more scenic route to get there which gives us more time to enjoy riding in the beautiful morning sunshine. It's going to be hard when the British weather resumes as we are getting quite used to this more mediterranean weather. Kathy has even invested in a sleeveless cycling jersey!

Our route to the Redcliffe Garden Centre takes us on a detour around Bransgore past Avon Tyrell and through Thorney Hill down to the A35 for a short stretch before turning off for Hinton. Most of us are relieved to get off the A35 which has a fearsome reputation as an accident blackspot. However, a big thank you to the truck driver who stopped to let 20 cyclists turn right in front of him - Chapeau! The route continues up the hill through Beckley, past Sammy Millars Motorcycle Museum and onto coffee.

At coffee we sit with Terry and his Grandson who is down from Scotland and who has been 'press ganged' into riding in true Terry form by his Grandad! As we are two of Terry's roadside converts the discussion turns to Terry's nack of signing up cyclists. Let me explain, Terry is the President of the Wessex branch of CTC and is renowned for always carrying with him copies of the CTC flyer. If he spots lone cyclists he will ride with them for a while to find out if they ride with a club. If you answer no you find yourself with a flyer including runs list in your hand and as with Kathy and I you are hooked! A second Chapeau! of this blog  as every club needs a Terry.

Barton on Sea ....

.....photo opportunity

After coffee we say goodbye to the group as they head off for Brockenhurst and we ride to New Milton and alongside the coast at Barton on Sea where we stop to take some photographs. Its a beautiful day to be alongside the sea as there is a pleasant breeze so we decide to head for Mudeford Quay for lunch. We enjoy our lunch under the shade of a pine tree and people watch - always a fascinating and worthwhile activity!

Sun worshippers at Mudeford

On our way to Mudeford Quay

Our lunchtime view

After lunch we continue to follow the coast and the cliff top as far as Boscombe before regrettably cutting inland and home. It's another wonderful hot day so for me there is only one way to end it and I think I deserve this.............

 .......... my reward!