Sunday 22nd November Ride..........

Poor old Karl. There he is, sitting alone at the top of New Street on a beautiful sunny Sunday morning, no sight of Richard or anything else to slow him down and then I rock up. “I’ve brought some mates,” I say, as, like the charge of the light brigade, my posse of London riding pals cruises down Ellesmere Road ready for their Ashridge initiation.

 

 

Cue a leisurely ride up to the hill, anticipating wet going under tyre but enjoying the sunny morning and views over Berko. Joining Karl and myself were Sunday regular Mark (a tad hungover, he admitted) and my gang, including Claire and visitors Suz, Dom, Howard, Alice and Mark. Howard and I were also suffering somewhat, after delving into his whisky collection the previous night…

 

 
 
All started well, apart from Suz suffering a puncture. But the skies darkened and a text from Karl’s missus warned us it was pissing down in Berko and headed our way. Sure enough by the time we’d cleared Kick Start Hill and headed back up to the monument the rain was coming down proper and by the time we’d made it to Norcott Hall we were soaked to the skin.

 

 

A sodden slog back along the canal dodging anglers’ umbrellas and we were home and, eventually, dry. Summer’s dusty trails seem a distant memory…