Central London CTC blog

A crow landed on a bleak stretch of lonely country road.  On either side there were turned fields of mud stretching to the horizon.  Overhead dark grey clouds hung heavy with rain.  Some of it had already fallen.  More would fall very soon.  Into this gloomy scene three figures appeared, dancing on the pedals as they crested the rise.

The Flandrian Three had not been put off by the forecasts but, inspired by the weather and landscape, had set off that morning on the ride through the undulating Bedfordshire countryside.  The road beneath their wheels was grey and sullen but they mastered it.  Above them the dark sky threatened but they ignored it, pushing on through the barren landscape.

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With a ride title like ‘Wycombe wander – the ride that never was‘ we were tempting fate at the end of November, and sure enough we rode to the station in driving snow, hoping to see no-one, to find a total of 7 mad souls, all shivering. After coffee cheered us we were convinced by David Kurtz’s unshakeable belief in the weather forecasters  that it would stop snowing, so we caught the train to Wycombe, to find heavy rain, great. But then miraculously it eased and we found lovely sunny weather in the Chiltern hills, who would have believed it? We had a great lunch at Ewelme and then rushed back trying to avoid darkness and the rain, but got caught by both. A real mixed bag of a day, with some great views and great cycling in the lanes on the way to Christmas common, to be repeated. thanks to the mad souls who braved the bad weather and set off to find the sun.

Keith & Naomi

Conduzca Por La Izquierda

Bill Bailey, of the West Kent CTC Hard Riders section,  led an excellent 45 mile ride at a brisk pace along the Medway Valley with the promised elevenses at the cafe in Yalding and tea at garden centre at Hale Street near East Peckham, climbing the ridge to have lunch in the Swan at Sutton Valance.

The group included a new rider on a titanium Brompton who I am sure is a candidate for the 4* rides, and whom we all agreed would have no problem on a 3* ride on the Brompton!

The photograph is of a sign near Golden Green.  I believe it translates as ‘Keep Left’.  I don’t know what it is doing on a quiet road in Kent!

Michael Belcher presents Paul Krebs with his retirement award more »