25/1- Baxter's Back!

Was It Cold? Yes just a 'Little'!

As I cycled up to the Fairlight lodge for the Friday night ride , I was surprised to see snow by the side of the road. Were we doing the right thing riding on such a cold night? Ivan had already phoned in to say he wouldn't ride as it was too cold, and apart from myself, only Simon G and Nathan were up for the ride. On the ride down battery hill I almost came off when I rode straight over a pothole in the dark which nearly knocked my hands off the bars, after that I descended even slower than normal cursing myself for having brought out my rubbish Raleigh instead of my stable SCR. As I got dropped by the others I could see in the distance an extra light had appeared and in the fairly still night air, I could hear someone talking about the cost of fitting new kitchens. It could be only one person, Paul Baxter had reappeared from his mid winter hibernation!
 Having not ridden for 10 weeks , Paul was about the same level as myself so we formed a pair riding together which allowed the much faster pairing of Simon and Nathan to go off at the front. After regrouping at Broad Oak and missing the ever increasing number of potholes we decided to ride up to the ridge on the main road through Westfield rather than risk Stonestile lane which had been shut during the week due to ice. This made for a steady ride back rather than the usual drama of out of control heart rates and burning thighs. Good to see Paul B back again, he will need to do loads of training if he is still going to attempt to do the double south downs way in one day (200 miles off road!!) this summer.