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| Just Tell Yourself You Are Enjoying This Malc! |
After fine Friday weather during the day I was looking forward to a dry night ride. However, as the sun set the wind picked up and the forecast had deteriorated to light rain around 9:00. Oh well, hopefully we would get back before it started raining. Just four of us were up for the ride including Malcolm D who is still having trouble with his leg/hip despite taking a month off cycling. With the wind behind us it was easy riding into the reserve but we soon found ourselves having to dodge an increasing number of pebbles until we came across one section that was almost completely covered. Until this is cleared we will have to switch back to the road as these could easily throw a rider off in the dark. Reaching the end of the reserve and taking a right angled turn we were met with the full force of the westerly wind and suddenly the wind was joined with cold heavy rain lashing our exposed faces. Within a few minutes my windproof was soaked, a quick stop at the public loos to put on our water proofs was needed. Simon tried to organise a peleton up the broad oak drag , mainly to aid Malcolm , but despite riding on three cylinders Malcolm was still stronger than myself and soon dropped me, although on reaching the flatter or slightly downhill sections gravity came to my aid and I was able to claw him back and overtake everyone.Luckily the earlier rain had stopped and we had a windy but dry ascent of Stonestile. Malcolm and myself retired to the pub, looking forward to warming up by a radiator while drinking a few beers. Unfortunately the pub's heating system had failed and it was barely any warmer than outside. By the time we left the rain had returned with a vengeance and the wind had reached near gale force. We were absolutely frozen and our teeth were chattering. It was a relief to ride up the hill into Ore where some useful body heat was generated. This was the coldest I have been this winter!
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