4 Punctures and a Soaking

The Roaring Forties and three guys from work had a hack around the Christmas Common area on Sunday. A day of cold, rain, wind and 4 punctures - Adrian within 2 miles, then Jon to a snakebite and finally Andrew 300 yards from the car and this morning when he finally took his bike out of the car...

Luckily the forecast's predicted weather wasn't there first thing, otherwise I don't think some would have turned up - but a cold and damp car park got us moving, with a run around (1st puncture) Wormsley Park, and up onto Northend, then across a field into the teeth of a gail/rain and drop into the woods (2nd puncture)

and on across a (former) meadow... - then onto Pishill and the pub. How we managed to leave the pub and its real fire I've no idea.

Then up through a sunken lane and woods to Russell's Water, at this point Jon started to struggle - so again downhill through a tight and twisty between the hedges path, with a 3 foot drop-off in the dark, to catch the unwary (that woke them up!). From there it was a long climb to the Christmas Common road, where Duncan, Jon and Adrian elected to take the road back to the cars; while Garry, Andrew and I plummeted down to the Ridgeway via the bridleway next to Dame Alice's Farm.

From there it was a slog across to the M40, and then straight up the escapement (3rd puncture)

to the car park - meeting up with the guys.

By now the temperature had dropped and it was raining...

Home James (Garry).