A Loiterering Rainy Day - England, United Kingdom

For reasons that will become apparent, I will do today’s write up; up early amended Sandra’s mudguard for extra spray deflection as it is obviously going to be a wet day.

I dug out some overshoes as it’s the first day I have had to test them, also my thicker waterproof coat. A wet but uneventful ride takes Sandra and I across Black Park and to the Market House at Uxbridge.

At initial glance I thought we were the only first two there, but tucked in under the cover was Tony and Caz (without cycles). As we said hello I spotted Dave S heading toward us from the station, he had apparently gone on a reconnaissance ride, having arrived before anyone else and not wanting to get cold. Chatting our group swells with the arrival of Stan, Liliane, Ian and Alec. After I left, Dave went home, Peter and Bob arrived, and the coffee club proceeded with swelled numbers.

The outcome:-

Dave S - Long Leader “arrived to say he was going home”

Stan - Medium Leader “too wet for my route”

Ian - Short Leader “I want to go home but I’m doing John’s ride, with a meeting point in Pinner!”

Caz - Coffee Club “Our day proceeding as normal” (what a dedicated crowd, no rain stopping them!)

So to test my waterproofs my only option was to go on the longest ride of the day, so off with Ian to Pinner. With only the 2 of us we took a quick route swerving around the bigger puddles and were soon arriving at the Pinner Arms, where there waiting for us was Doug.

While debating routes over coffee in the pub, the 3 of us did mention that at least we weren’t the only loiterers riding today, as Margaret’s ride would be returning from Luton! These thoughts were obviously noted, as Ian received a phone call from John Watson (one of Margaret’s crew) stating he had arrived home! What a fast pase they had set wow! Oh they used a train for the bulk of it as it was raining. As everyone else was doing it, we decided to abandon the listed short ride, and check out The Black Horse, at Greenford, for suitability for future stops, and take up John W’s offer of afternoon tea.

A soggy day but quite enjoyable, my coat is waterproof, my leggings are not, and although damp my feet stayed comfortably warm in the overshoes.

29 miles Stoke Poges to Stoke Poges.

Alan x