A low key start to 2017.

5th January 2017.

First HCMF Meet.

A cold and frosty start to the day and the frost lasted all day in the shade. As a result I postponed my start until after 11 to avoid any icy patches. A fair number of the others had done so too but there were a good number of riders there considering the conditions. Some had come by car too so we did have another good social gathering. I had delicious fish and chips with mushy peas. The portions were so big I only just managed it.

I had opted to ride Paris for a change as the roads were dry and I soon realised her potential getting to the pub in well under the hour. However, I don't think I would be much match for the 105 year old who has just set some astonishing new records.

I was glad I had worn my cap, as the sun was so low and in my face over the last few miles from Totford to Home. 
Not many other cyclists on Strava Flybys today. Bob being the only other one at our lunch.

Sunday 8th January 2017.

Helping with the Check In of the Watership Down.

I decided not to ride this event this year but to help instead. My task was to assist with checking in the finishers. We recorded their time of finishing and checked their brevets were completed and signed. We also took orders for finishing badges and medals. 

I rode to the start in a fine drizzle thinking I was glad I'd not ridden the event. Business was quiet at first but around three o'clock the bulk of the riders started arriving. There were about 160 entries in total but about 25 had decided not to start. I have not heard how many completed the course, but I know there were some who did not finish.The majority of riders seemed to have enjoyed the ride despite the drizzly and wet conditions. Many of them were pretty well plastered with muddy spray but a few seemed remarkably clean. I guess a lot depended on who had been wheel sucking and who had been using mudguards!

I knew quite a number of the riders from a number of different clubs, so it was nice to be able to greet them personally.

By four o'clock we were down to about 25 riders still to come. They trickled in over the next hour and just before 5 with only a few riders left unaccounted I decided to head home. 

My first ride in the dark for a very long time. I found my headlight was excellent giving me clear view for 25 yards ahead and having enough power to reflect of the cats-eyes and road signs. It was raining gently but I did not get my jeans too wet and my cycling top kept my other ordinary clothes dry.

I enjoyed the experience of helping and was pleased I had opted to ride almost 12 miles. Interestingly, according to my Garmin I appeared to have ridden a tenth of a mile less coming home than going on exactly the same route! I was much slower too, why was that, only a little more climbing, not enough to cause that much difference. See my Map and Data here:

Gridiroman.