Well there have been a few epic rides this year already and this one can now rightfully join the list!
The forecast was promising rainfall of biblical proportions. That never actually happend, which I guess was of some relief and comfort to us but it was nevertheless the kind of persistent heavy rain that eventually gets right through whatever you were wearing and soaks you to the skin. I had always thought that my
altura evo jacket had been pretty good in the wet, but I had never given it this sort of a test before, which unfortunately exceeded its capability. As to gloves and shoe covers, well don't even get me started about them. Is there such a thing as a waterproof pair?
The air temperature, while not exactly tropical mercifully stayed just high enough to avoid causing any really serious damage. If we had had rain like that on one of our colder rides we would have been looking at hypothermia all round and I am not sure any of us would have made it!
The roads were surprisingly quiet, presumably as all sensible people were already in bed. We made steady progress initialy and were not trying to break any speed records as it was felt that we were behind the worst of the rain! I am not entirely convinced about that, but hey we we desperate and in need of some sort of plan! Surrey Quays gave us a brief respite but also probably started to sow the seeds of doubt in peoples minds as well that there may possibly be a better way of sdpending a friday night!
Then the punctures started, predictable enough on a wet night but depressing non the less. I had actually made a last minute change of bike for this ride, moving over to the greater puncture protection of my tourer (mudguards being the other attraction on this mount) just to try and avoid the pain of changing a tube with cold and wet hands. Anyway as you might imagine, all the visitations were dealt with in the usual 'all for one and one for all' fashion and eveyone maintained their sense of stoicism, even when Simon had a near ride ending experience, going through three inner tubes before getting one to stick.
We then had a less savoury event to deal with when riding through Woolwich and encountered a group of young drunk males whothough it was great fun to jump out in front of passing cyclists to un nerve them. After several near misses, the enevitable happend and there was a collision, with poor Eddie hitting the deck and there ensured a brief stand off between some of us and the group. The treat of the police eventually dispersed them, Eddie was shaken up, but remained in one piece and we were able to continue. They were complete idiots and it was all very annoying and dangerous, someone could have been seriously hurt. It was a hard enough night anyway without that to deal with as well!
I seemesd to loss all sense of time after that. It was far to wet to even think about digging around under my waterproff to see the time and I was amazed to find that it was good half four when we eventually made it to Stroud. We got an amazing warm welcome from Tim's wife and her volunteers who had been waiting patiently for us for some time and who provided a great spread. We were all literally quite washed out at this stage, so no shame for those who deceided at this stage that the night was over and headed for the train.
The rest of us girded our loins again and headed onwards. Rumours that the rain was going to stop at around five proved to be just a rumour and it was still lashing down. We almost lost Tim D at this stage whose back wheeled failed, but being the man he is, he nipped home, changed bikes and then caught us up again. What an effort that was, to have a perfectly valid excuse to slip between the sheets at home but to turn that down and get out there again. It was that sort of a night!
We tried to pick up some speed over the last haul into Whitstable, but the night had taken its toll and it remained a long slog only brightend up by the rain eventually stopping sometime after seven. By the time we eventually hit the cafe, at around Nine, there was a blue sky and some hint of warmth in the air. I am not sure that I have ever been quite so pleased to reach a destination!
We had our usual hearty breakfast, indoors this time! beers were just being poured as a few of us headed off for our groupsave home on the HS1, which wisked us back to Stratford in just over the hour. It had passed through Stratford on the way up to HPC about 14 hours previously! I did cycle back last time from Whitstable, but this time I was very happy for the train to take the strain!
My wife, if she had any doubts before, now thinks I am completely bonkers! She may have a point!
Thanks to everyone on the ride for the support that we gave each other. Tim, please pass on our thanks again to your wife and her colleagues who looked after us so well at Stroud. Where would we be without those the endulge our madness!
I am going to have to miss the last two rides of the year, so this will be my last one for a while. What can I say other than am looking forward to next year already!
- and I couldn't stop thinking how much fun it would be to catch up with peeps on a great ride. Unfortunately I didn't take into consideration the temperature. I was not wearing enough layers and neither my bicycle nor my feet were sufficiently dressed to stave off the cold. My butt was soaked to the skin by the time I reached Victoria Station which made me colder and colder.
