It was one of those uninviting grey days of late autumn. Not much to recommend it except that it wasn't raining, and it was only a bit cold. Perhaps the last day of autumn before the north wind bought us a taste of winter. Despite this, a surprising number of people turned out for the ride. It was good to welcome Robert back from Canada, surely the longest journey to the ride.
Thirteen of us set off from the Stables cafe for a ride through bits of Southall, a few parks (Marnham Fields, Northala Park, where we surveyed the re-modeled rubble of the old Wembley Stadium, and Rectory Park), and then via Charville to Uxbridge. A few people had never been to the top-secret WW2 bunker, so we let them in on the secret before making our way to the Good Yarn for lunch.
Unfortunately we found some glass on the way to lunch. Jennie and I rode straight over it, and Jennie was unlucky and realised her tyre was flat just after lunch. She and David stopped to fix it and made their own way home.
It was a short ride to lunch and a bit longer back home, a highlight being the cycle crossing near Stockley Park where the traffic lights always change as soon as you arrive. This time was the exception and they took ages to change, so that was quite exciting, in a nerdy sort of way. With a following wind, we were soon in Sipson, and made our way along the country lane just north of Heathrow to Cranford, before heading down to Hounslow Heath, Crane Park and to our tea stop at Bushy Park. I don't think we actually lost anyone on the way back but there was gradual attrition, so that only three people actually qualified for the rare and highly coveted Tea Stop Points. These points are so rare that unusually, they don't mean prizes.
Thanks to all for turning out and being such good company. Special thanks to Tony H who probably showed me several parts of this route in the past, and who also led a second group on the road; and to Geoff and Jennie for back marking.
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