Phoenix Green - Winchester & Back
| Distance: | 72.12 mi |
| Time: | 5:06:36 |
| Avg Speed: | 14.1 mph |
| Elevation Gain: | 2,312 ft |
| Calories: | 3,592 C |
After record breaking rain fall and regular storm force winds, today was relatively calm, dry and spring like. However, the prospect of getting wet feet is extremely likely at the moment as journeys through flooded roads are frequent and unavoidable.
I hadn't planned a ride of this length but in the midst of frustration and having network connection problems, and a general sense of declining weekly mileage, I decided it was time to take off and restore some sanity.
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| Underneath the Arches....... |
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| Lunch stop at the Cathedral |
I did the return leg of this route last February and at that time the cold 'beast from the East' was the issue. This year it was all about how to avoid water!
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| Bubbling up - Water running down Springvale road, Kingsworthy |
The Itchen and its tributaries had clearly affected parts of Winchester and surrounding villages and places like Kingsworthy and the Candovers have been flooded due to ground water running downhill off adjacent farmland. The water table is simply unable to take anymore.
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Mmm........ride through it or do a five mile diversion?!! A dog walker told me this was about a foot and a half deep
- do-able but wet feet for sure. |
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Overflow from the River Dever at Stoke Charity
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| Snowdrops - Micheldever |
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| Picture postcard and not flooded - Micheldever |
A stop at fifty miles for sustenance near Woodmancott, rewarded with a view and the sun breaking through
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| View east near Woodmancott |
....and by way of bonus........ it was still light for an hour after getting home.
Another foot soaking but that's become a regular occurrence!
