The temperature was below -3ºC as I approached Shepperton on Wednesday morning, so I was amazed when a little later a group of 15 hardy Wayfarers left, bound for Mortlake, possibly encouraged by the appearance of the sun.
The route took us through Lower Sunbury, leaving the river on the footpath across the waterworks, to Hanworth and via Hounslow Road to Crane Park. By now the sun had thankfully melted most of the ice on the path. Taking to the roads through Twickenham and Isleworth, then through Syon Park to Brentford, we crossed the Thames at Kew Bridge. Lunch was on the river at The Ship, surrounded by (but thankfully not tied to) the Budweiser (formerly Watneys) brewery.
Service was friendly and efficient. Following lunch most of us were closer to home than on a “normal” Wednesday, so several elected to ride home directly. Six of us made the short trip across Richmond Park (which offered the only gradients of the day bigger than a speed-bump, and the only chance of a little competitive hill-climbing) to Café Galio in New Malden.
At just over 20 miles it may be the shortest ride of the year, but it felt long enough in the cold.
Many thanks to all those who braved the weather with me, and especially to Simon for his most efficient back-marking.
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