Sunday’s MTB ride.

I left home for the drive over in pouring rain gambling on the weather report of clear by 1000hrs.

Luckily a few others had also gambled on the same thing and so a Cheam Station were Big Dave and Bill ‘Never mind the quality feel the width’ closely followed after I arrived by Andrew ‘Plenty of strings to my bow.’

Our leader Tevor H was a tad late having reported getting half way to the meeting spot only to be blown half way home again!

So five set off for Carshalton Ponds the secondary meeting spot in somewhat rainy and very wind conditions.

Trevor was finding it a hard slog to Carshalton and was advised by my good self in the vicinity of the ponds that it may be due to the rear flat tyre he had!

At the meeting spot Trevor looked as if he’d had enough of that rear wheel and pulled another one out of the pond to use.

The wheel fitted fine once he’d deflated the 49 inch inner tube to normal size. Poor chap he’d pumped it up so vigorously in his new found enthusiasm seeing the rain had indeed stopped and the clouds had parted.

At this point Freddie arrived on his bike and with the environmental pollution in mind had opted for the dry rusty chain style.

It was probably the best option as within an hour none of us could see our chains anyway!

Freddie said the bike was a work in progress and another MTB was under construction.

I did comment at this point that “My bike looks so cool, when I’m not on it!”

We took our usual route along the River Wandle to Putney and elevenses at ‘The Rocket’ pub.

After elevenses we proceeded to have a little fashion show trying on size examples of what would soon form the new club MTB designer tops. Various money was exchange at this point to secure the new tops from Bill ‘It’ll ride up with wear Sir!’

Time to leave the pub, some brimming with new enthusiasm after three to four large cups of coffee and looks of not taking any prisoners!

As usual the club members wisely chose the route that was right into the headwind for the next ten miles by way of  following the Thames Path to Kingston. No dogs, children or adults were harmed in our perambulation along the Thames.

I did however catch a very enthusiastic/sarcastic/angry ‘Thank You’ from a women in what appeared to be late fifties. She in all her years clearly had never learnt not to stand to one side to let cyclists past whilst facing opposite a large muddy puddle.

We cycled past slowly but the effects on her attire were cumulative. Lesson learned me thinks!

Andrew peeled off for home at Teddington Lock which was strange as he lives in East Molesey, but I know the secret of the cake shop with the tarts in Teddington, they’re very friendly!

At Kingston we joined our usual route back along the Hogsmill River and iggy wiggied our way back to Cheam.

A good ride mostly in sunshine, so a bonus, bit windy though.

For me 30 miles in 3 hours 35 minutes.

Paul, ‘My bike looks so cool, when I’m not on it!’