Bike Route: Pewsey to Whitley Wood 48mi 2200ft of climb
Accommodation: Master ensuite (Airbnb); hosts Russell and Anna. A bright and modern large double room in a luxury house located on a private road in the Reading/Wokingham border. The room is very airy, spacious and well furnished so you have everything you will require during your stay. You are welcomed to use the kitchen and washer for your convenience.
Dinner: The Six Bells Pub. Indian food.
The breakfast box left in our room got us started with a bagel, milk, and coffee, but we knew we would need something more substantial for our long day, so we started out early with plans to stop for lunch halfway through the ride. As I was finishing packing, Ken met up with our host, Jane, in the hallway downstairs. She was on her way to Ascot for the first day of the Royal Ascot, and hurried off. How fun.
We expected to be riding into more urban areas as the day went along, and were pleasantly surprised that for the first half of the route, we were still in the country. At Hungerford, halfway through, we stopped in a churchyard and ate our cheese, crackers, and fruit in the shade.
We made much better time than we anticipated, and arrived at our accommodation over an hour early. No one answered the bell when we rang at the gate, but a few minutes later, our host Anna and her husband arrived and let us in.
Anna and her husband moved to London from Poland 16 years ago. Anna left a bad marriage and situation behind, and brought her three young children with her. Several years ago, she and her new husband moved to Reading, where they started a cleaning and maintenance business. Anna had been cleaning for our host, Russell, who owned the house but lived in London and ran it as an Airbnb. Last October, she and her husband got the opportunity to rent the house from Russell, with the arrangement that he would continue to post two rooms on Airbnb and Anna and her husband would be onsite hosts.
Complicated, but all three were the absolute nicest people. Russell was in constant communication with us and Anna, Anna and her husband made us feel instantly welcome and at home, the house was immaculate and new and comfortable. We hung out in the kitchen for a while chatting, and finally pulled away to walk over the highway bridge to a pub for dinner.
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| About midway through the route, we crossed a cattle grid onto a common grazing field--and saw this sign, just past another warning that cattle can do damage to your car. Maybe we need similar signs for bikes? |
