Club run reports - 12th February

Category 3 ride led by Peter Bloomfield

Brrr, my Garmin shows the temperature for the first half of this ride as -1°C but after the café stop it warmed up - to 0°C! There were times when the east wind hitting our faces made it feel much worse. We could have been in bed - what were we thinking going on a bike ride on a day like this? 
Nonetheless eight intrepid Wheelers turned out for a bout of cold therapy on the roads of Hertfordshire and Essex as we made our way to Brett’s café in White Roding. Regulars and a couple of old faces we haven’t seen for a while, all well wrapped against the elements (except one who was tempted to ride without gloves but soon accepted a loaned pair - that was one frostbite incident avoided!). 
One pulled off for home just before the café with the lurgy, another had to head home from the café without stopping for refreshment, leaving six to put up with unusually slow service before setting out for Ware. The consensus was to stick to the full-length route with the usual gradual shedding of riders on the way as they took more direct routes home. Through Fyfield, Moreton, Matching Green, Hatfield Heath and Sawbridgeworth, the route took us back to Much Hadham and over old ground to Ware. 53 miles, no one punctured, no one got frostbite and everyone got the satisfaction of having defied the elements for an enjoyable ride.

Category 6 ride led by Bob Brown...

Captain Bob was half hoping that no-one would turn up on this bitterly cold morning, but 7 other loonies did! 
The Codicote Garden Centre café was the target, but, by common consent, the planned loop around Ayot St Lawrence and Kimpton was cut out. So it was an early arrival at the fuel stop and a leisurely sojurn over hot sausage rolls and coffee before returning home via Nup End, Robbery Bottom Lane, Burnham Green and Bulls Green. No punctures or other mishaps and all 8 got back to Hartham together, frozen.

...with additional material added by John Farnham
Due to the Cat 5 group(?) only having 1 rider and in view of the cold drizzly weather I joined up with Capt Bob's Cat 6 group of 7 to the Codicote Garden Centre, where our sanity was questioned by the café staff at having ventured out at all on such a beastly day.