2010-06-19 Sat 9.30am Start - Oxford Graduation Ride (Because Long Rides are Fun)

Okay so even though I'm away, enjoying the sun in various climes, I'm still on the bike, and still thinking that you bods need to get out and put the miles in on a long forum ride, you know why?
Because Long Rides Are Fun. Especially Long Forum Rides. (Its all in the title.)
So this is the Fourth of Four, yes count them, FOUR! Long forum rides, and as I've been hearing and reading, with the winter you've been having, you should be absolutely gagging to get out and make the most of the (fingers crossed) good weather.

The rides are these:

08 May 2010 Brighton
22 May 2010 Southend
05 Jun 2010 Cambridge
19 Jun 2010 Oxford

Every two weeks from the middle of May to the middle of June. Don't make this one, then your pretty much fucked unless, someone else has organised one in between me posting this up or you're doing the Exmouth Exodus next weekend.
If you've put your name down for the previous three, and actually put in the miles, then good on you, you might as well make it four for four and do this one as well.

If memory serves, this ride proved to be not as flat as a pancake as jonny opined, but rolling hills, nothing too severe, but some long inclines that get you out of the saddle, and one bitch of one, that saw BMMF dance off like a mountain goat. One major crash which took out three riders on a quick descent, and a rather nasty harridan of a woman train conductor who wouldn't let some of us put our bikes on the train. All in all an eventful ride. But a fitting way to end the summer of "Because Long Rides Are Fun"

relive the epicness which was 2008's ride
http://www.londonfgss.com/thread6269-9.html

Meeting up at Richmond Green for 9.00am for a 9.30am start
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/mm?hl=en&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=51.525329%2C-0.071639&spn=0.000395%2C0.000848&z=20

If people want to organise feeder rides into the start point, then fire away, but be warned we are planning on leaving bang on time, so get there for 9.30

the route:
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Richmond-to-Oxford

and here is a crib sheet from Jonny

Richmond to Oxford
Richmond – over Richmond Bridge through St Margarets – L at mini roundabout with Castle pub on the left
T – Turn R – Twickenham Road
L – St John’s Road (B363) toward Isleworth
T – Turn L – London Road (A315)
R – Spring Grove Road (B363) – cross A4 towards Heston on Heston Rd (B363)
L – New Heston Road
L – Vicarage Farm Road
R – Cranford Lane – all the way to and then left down Cranford High St
R – Park Lane (just before meeting A4) > Cranford Lane to Harlington > Sipson Lane
T – Turn R – Sipson Road (A408)
T – Turn L – Holloway Lane (A3044)
R – Hammondsworth Road (over M4) > Station Road (towards West Drayton)
L – Church Road
T – Turn L (over M25)
R – Thorney Lane S > Thorney Lane N (towards Iver)
T – Turn L – High St (B470) > Langley Park Road
R – Wood Lane (by Red Lion pub) straight across roundabout > Pinewood Road
L – Fulmer Common Road
T – Turn R – Windmill Road
L – Stoke Common Road (cross B416 Gerrards X rd) > Templewood Lane (to Farnham Common)
T – Beaconsfield Rd (A355) then almost immediate
R – Beeches Rd > Lord Mayors Drive (thru Burnham Beeches nature reserve)
T – Turn R – Hawthorn Lane
R – Pumpkin Hill > Curriers Lane
T – Turn R – Dorney Wood Road
T – Turn L – Littleworth Road
R – Wooburn Common Road
L – Heathfield Road – heading for Hedsor
R – Hedsor Lane (through Hedsor)
L - Hedsor Road
T – Turn L – Ferry Lane (A4094) to Cookham
R – Cookham High St (B4447) > The Pound (go to cookham rail station and take Lower Road) > Lower Road > Dean Lane
Signs for Marlow
R – Quarry Wood Rd (cross A404) towards Marlow > High St
L – Pound Lane
T – Turn R – Henley Rd/West St (A4155) towards Marlow
L – Oxford Rd
T – Turn L – Fingest Lane (towards and thru Fingest) then to Turville > turn left just before village signed towards and thru Northend
L – after bearing right turn left up Hill road (towards Watlington) – one way st round Watlington takes you on to Brook road (B480) out of town > Cuxham Road
Last 15 miles is a straight run along the B480 through Chalgrove > Stadhampton > Chiselhampton
All the way to those Dreaming Spires

About 70miles of scenicness, and undulating country roads, don't bring too big a gear, and enjoy the recuperative powers of beer at the end...

Now for the instructional bit with some tips for what to bring, and what to do if this is your first LONG forum ride courtesy of our very own Ma3k:

Check over your bike
Make sure it is roadworthy
-Check your tyres for wear and glass/flints/sharp objects
-Pump up the tyres(correctly inflated tyres puncture less)
-Check your lights and batteries (if a night ride)
-Check for loose bolts
-Oil the chain
If you are not mechanically competent, get a friend to help you.
Make sure you do this a couple of days before, not the day of, it'll save you a stressful couple of hours if there is something you need to sort.

Prepare for self-sufficiency
-Bring a spare tube and tube changing tools
-Bring food and water, high energy snacks and fruit
-Bring spare batteries
-Bring extra layers, for if it gets colder
-Bring a rainjacket for if it gets wetter
-Bring a Fully Charged Mobile
-Bring a mapbook

Help out, sound off about hazards and if people have been dropped of the back
Usually if we are riding the first person over a nasty bump or hidden grate, sudden drop, glass, whatever will let those immediately following them now about it by shouting or pointing.

So if you hear about it from the front, pass it back.

Conversely if you see people being dropped off the back, at the lights or because they are slow or having some mechanical difficulties, pass it forward so the people leading the ride know and can take steps to either wait up, slow down or go back and help them out.

Get other peoples mobile numbers
You can collect these in either the numbers thread or at the beginning of the ride, worth having in case you get lost off the back(or front).

Take a few minutes to check out the route
Either from the route posted up or grab a map/cribsheet/directions so if you plan to leave early, arrive late or if you get separated you can get back on to the ride

Be sensible
As with all forum rides we will endeavour to help out any stricken rider with their punctures and mechanical problems but on a large ride this might be difficult.
Do not bring arcane or speciality equipment that needs non standard tools or esoteric knowledge in order to sort out failures and malfunctions.
Of course if you can change a 650 tub in complete darkness in under ten minutes and have all the tools and glues, be my guest.

Let the listing begin.

1. (in spirit if not in flesh) Cornelius OxfordDonfoot