ACG + Milieu Ride 2019
12 October 2019
October was always going to be a bit hit and miss for weather and sure enough, as our yearly ride came around, a mix of rain and wind was forecast. We welcomed our brave and hardy cyclists to the Lido in Reading and after a good chat and lots of hot coffee, we gathered for the off with Emily and Zoe leading us out into the lanes behind the Milieu support car.
We headed up out of Reading and quickly hit the countryside and the first few hills. Was this the big one on the route profile that we had all eyed up? A regroup at the top allowed various jackets to be removed before rolling out into the beautiful Chilterns and clearer roads allowed us to tick along at a nice pace. A few punctures occurred and all were dealt with in good humour.
A coffee and cake break was a welcome power up. Time for a quick group photo for posterity and then back on the bikes. The scenery improved further and became quite open and expansive before returning to leafy and mucky lanes. Having crested the final hill of the day it was simply a matter of rolling back into town. A few of the faster ones from the group pushed on in a group, having been unleashed from the main peloton.
It was great to be able to have a beer with everyone at the end and enjoy a brilliant buffet meal. There were plenty of rosy cheeks from the wind and plenty of smiles! Til next year.
Author: Andy Matthews, Senior Architect