Herts and home
Posted on Monday 2 November 2009 by Bob Davis
The weather forecast was quite definite. It was to be the end of any Indian summer – autumn with a vengeance. At least the morning would have heavy rain and high winds, if not the whole day.
But I resolved to fulfil my duty by at least turning up to see if there were any takers at Kings Cross. The ride over had only a few sprinklings of light rain, which could mean that the forecasters were wrong. Or that the promised rain would come a bit later and persist throughout the day.
As soon as I got to Kings Cross the threatened downpour started in earnest. Oh dear. And nobody turned up. Oh dear again. I wasn’t going to turn back home (too late to get more sleep) and what would I do without a bike ride of some sort? Best to at least get out into Hertfordshire and see what might happen.
Then at Finsbury Park Jon McColl entrained and the vital ingredient of companionship was present. We resolved to go to Knebworth, have a cup of tea and see what was happening weatherwise.
Well, it was pretty rubbish. Not exactly enormous spheres of H2O ricocheting off hard surfaces, but not very good either. We decided to at least try to get to the tearoom at Westmill. On with the waterproofs and off via Datchworth, Aston, Walkern, Ardeley: about 25 kms in pouring rain and one puncture. Your hardmen did not flinch, but I would be lying if I said it was fun.
A change of clothing at Westmill did yours truly wonders (Ah, a fresh merino base layer!) and then, just after we left after a long break the rain slackened off.
Time to get some nice Hertfordshire miles in: Jon and I chatted about our years cycling in the area: me being partly brought up near Little Hadham, him commuting into Harlow and Bishops Stortford a bit further over to the east. The sky cleared and we even saw some wan sun for a few moments before getting back into Knebworth just in time for the hourly train.
Well worth not being put off by the weather forecast!