!cycling group
On May 18 I participated in the Hampshire Hilly Hundred. Ellen and I drove down the night before and stayed in Wendy's AirBnb, which was perfect for us.

The HHH was well organized and run. The pre-event communications -- which included a safety video -- were informative and to the point. The route was well marked, on (mostly) country roads with very little traffic, and yellow-vested monitors were at the busiest and most crucial intersections to point out the way. The 100-mile route stopped at the feed station twice, which was perfect for me. There was a bike mechanic at the start and at the feed station. The hills were mostly of the rolling variety, though there were one or two that were steep enough to force some to walk. Here's how Ride with GPS recorded my ride:

I participated in the HHH as preparation for Chase the Sun, and Olly, one of the founders of CTS, was there to promote it. I was hoping to talk to him, but didn't get a chance.

While I biked, Ellen enjoyed seeing Winchester on foot - our AirBnB was close enough to make that possible. For more about what she did and saw, see "Jane Austen II" below.

As seems to be common with sportives, a photographer had been hired and cameras were stationed along the route to take photos of the riders, to be offered for sale. Ellen wanted some, so here they are:

This one was at the very end.

At the time, Ellen didn't have a driver's license. I didn't want to make the 90-minute drive home all sweaty and tired, so, as planned, we spent another night in Winchester and drove home the next day. We went to a pub for dinner, and I appreciated the chance to see more of the town. Ellen really fell in love with it, and it's easy to see why. If we're still here next year, I expect we'll follow the same plan. 😁

Dirk

2025-05-20 11:54:18

Jane Austen II

Of course we had to exit through the gift shop at the Jane Austen house in Chawton. Here's Ellen with a couple of things we bought:

The mug says "Obstinate, headstrong girl!" which, of course, describes Ellen is from Pride & Prejudice.

Actually, the tea towel was purchased at Winchester Cathedral, which Ellen visited while I was biking the Hampshire Hilly Hundred. Austen is buried in the cathedral, and here are some photos that Ellen took: