Four riders made the gusty, chilly MTB ride to Putney via the River Wandle, and Wimbledon Common.
Big Dave, Jellytot Dave, Paolo and Andrew A (No nickname yet, but it won’t be long!)
I had one report that a dog owner was not happy about us riding on Wimbledon Commom, but then I’d be miserable if I had to take a dog out every day for what is euphemistically called “A walk” instead of a “Download area” in a wind chill of minus one!
We were polite as always being riders above 45 years old and continued on our quest to Putney via The Windmill, Wimbledon Common, then using the underpass to the A3 onto Putney Heath and then on to Putney via Putney Park Lane.
It was then an “Iggy Wiggy” residential road route through to the Wetherspoons on the south side of the Thames by the bridge for elevenses.
The route back to Cheam followed the Thames to Wandsworth and then joined the mouth of the River Wandle.
We passed the sad remnants of the Young’s Brewery site and headed back south (ish) to Earlsfield, Collier’s Wood and then joined our original route out at Merton Abbey back along the Wandle to Cheam.
For those of you on the ride today; when we passed the water mill at Merton Abbey and pressed the button to cross at the pedestrian crossing, that’s located where the two trees in the distance are in this 1960’s photograph.
A good ride lads and a Happy New Year to all our Clarencourt Cycle Club members.
Paolo.