Cambridge and Essex Lanes

At Jackie's for the weekend so on Friday while everyone is at work or school Kathy and I set off in the morning mists for Cambridge. Compared to recent rides it feels quite warm if not a bit damp but no rain.

Great views!

We have carefully planned the route, have a route plan written out and have the Ordnance Survey map with us, however, we still miss the first major turn but fortunately realise after about a 100 yards. Someone told us, Steve I think, that Essex was flat. Well, at this point I would like to disagree because unless we were both hallucinating this windmill was definitely on top of a hill!!
We rode through some beautiful villages and decided that there probably were some great views to be enjoyed. Unfortunately the mist prevented any such enjoyment.

Dirty bikes

We cycled on to Grantchester were we stopped at the Rupert Brooke Pub for lunch, once again a great bowl of soup but this time roasted red pepper.

New saddlebags

By now the mist had turned to rain so we decided to press on and pick up the pace while heading back to Jackie's and being thankful that we had packed our rain jackets.

By the time we got back we were cold and wet, the bikes were filthy but we had still enjoyed a fantastic ride.
It was the first time out with the new larger saddle bags and it was nice not to have to ride with a rucksack.

We have decided that cycling  is all the better for doing the winter rides, as come the summer it's going to be great to ride in shorts and jerseys, looking back at the hard, cold, wet and uncomfortable winter rides.