One misty, moisty morning when cloudy was the weather......

....there I met some old  (don't blame me it's in the poem) men and women all clad in, no not leather but lycra. Yes, it was B group leaving Walton Day Centre. 

It feels like the weather gods have been all over the place this week: minus 4 degrees early on Monday morning, glorious sunshine and almost 10 degrees warmer on Tuesday and then the ice- cold drizzle served up on Wednesday. Finding many icy patches on the roads south of Cobham on Monday, I decided that we would have to disappoint the lovely hosts at The Drift golf club and opt for an urban route closer to home. A few understandably ( and probably very sensibly!) dropped out but we set off in two groups of 10 or so riders after a warming coffee at Walton. Not a bad number at all on such a miserable day.

Our route took us to Hampton Court and along the towpath where we could double up and chat for a few kilometres before hitting Kingston and then into Richmond Park. A quick loop up to Richmond Gate, a nod to the ballet school and off towards Teddington Lock.  A slight navigational error (probably due to my brain being totally focussed on the approaching warm sanctuary of The Pheasantry) caused my group to suffer the traffic in Teddington  town centre but we were soon in Bushy Park. By this stage I can truly say  that I have never been so cold on a ride. I gather that the cafe is closing for refurbishment at the end of this month so it my sincere hope that they install some efficient heating to thaw out frozen cyclists! Well done to those who took in a tea stop at Horton Café.

Thanks to Gill H  - whose report is below –for sub-leading  and all those who braved the elements yesterday!

With all the freezing weather we’ve had recently it was nice to at last be able to get out on a Weds ride together. Our group of 10 set off at 11 with 15ish flatish miles ahead of us til lunch, with a bit of rerouting around Richmond Park to avoid a potentially icy hill.  Gill F unfortunately had a mechanical issue in RP, but made it to lunch. Hope you get it properly sorted soon Gill.

Despite the actual lack of ice it was still bitterly cold in the dampness and the difficulty was generating enough heat to keep the cold out! Sight of the Pheasantry for lunch was never more welcome.

Thanks to Dave and Tim for backmarking and Sue for sorting out a good route in the uncertain weather conditions.