It was a beastly day and Patrick, Paula, Frances, Ged and Dave E showed great resilience just to join me for elevenses, let alone continue on the ride! We took a slightly quirky route, through the back ways of Weybridge, Chertsey, and Englefield Green, to get to Windsor, tackling Prune Hill en route.
I tried to keep the pace as high as I could, reasoning that if people were concentrating on keeping up they wouldn't be focusing on the horrible weather. However, the group showed no signs whatever of post-Christmas fatigue and try as I might, I couldn't shake the blighters off my tail!
For some strange reason there were no other cyclists at the Cinnamon Cafe, so service was even more efficient than usual. We were able to put the handy glove driers to good use, at least once we had worked out how to turn them on!
We had less luck with the space heater, however, and that will be a challenge for a future visit. We had to content ourselves instead with an imaginary warm-up next to the boiler of a preserved steam loco which Dave E discovered in the bowels of the old station.
Hopes that the rain would have stopped when we set off for home were quickly dashed, as was the idea that we might have the strengthening wind behind us on the return leg. We struggled (I did anyway) back through Datchet, Wraysbury, and Staines then took a cheeky route across Shortfield Common to Ashford, Shepperton and Walton Bridge. where we parted company.
Many thanks to all the group for your company and good spirits and particular thanks to Ged for back-marking throughout the ride. Happy New Year to everyone and let's hope for better weather on our first 'A' ride of 2023, and that my shoes have dried out before then!
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