Club run reports - 17th December

Category 6 ride led by Danny Hood

A freezing frosty morning and the thought of icy roads meant only the bravest, hardest and best looking Wheelers bothered to show up for today's ride. The route to Theydon uses mainly larger roads which meant, luckily enough, no ice patches. Although it's a hilly route, the road surfaces are very good meaning our average speed was well up to cat 6 standards. The cafe stop took a bit longer than is usual for Belgique but it was quite busy and the food was great as usual.
With the prospect of rain arriving soon we decided that a quicker route back was called for. Unfortunately it wasn't quick enough, and the downpour arrived about halfway home. As usual the peloton split off at various points to make their own way home and get warmed up as quickly as possible. 
Cold,definitely, but good fun as usual.

Yo, VIP, let's kick it!
Ice ice baby
Ice ice baby
All right stop
Collaborate and listen
Ice is back with my brand new invention
Something grabs a hold of me tightly
Then I flow that a harpoon daily and nightly
Will it ever stop?
Yo, I don't know
Turn off the lights and I'll glow
To the extreme, I rock a mic like a vandal
Light up a stage and wax a chump like a candle

Category 3 ride led by Graham Knight

Two riders were approaching. The wind began to howl. Peter B and Graham were there but where were the rest of you? If a little bit of dismal winter weather is enough to confine most of you to your duvets the nation is surely doomed. Where is the spirit that drove Captain Scott on an ill-judged and pointless journey towards his death at the South Pole? I propose a change to the club run points rules; 50 points available each Sunday to be divided equally between all those who make it as far as the café stop.

Anyway, after extensive consultation, the Cat 3 peloton decided on a modified route which was a few miles shorter than planned. (See! The national malaise undermines even the bravest of souls). We headed out via Watton, Walkern, and Weston and, assisted by a gentle following breeze, made the Fourleaf Clover in Hitchin in good time. There was plenty of space so the service was quick. The bacon sandwiches were well up to standard.

The rain which was forecast for 1:00 pm adjusted to our modified schedule and started up as we set of for home at 11:30. The gentle following wind revealed itself as a gale blowing straight our of Hertford. Never mind. In the style of a two man breakaway in some spine-stiffening Belgian kermesse we made it back to base in good time. On the way we encountered a 20 man group heading north at speed in disciplined pairs. Some clubs are made of sterner stuff ...