M7 Cycling Club

Forty Second Ride: Sunday 25th December 2007
Routemaster: Rudolph
Choirmaster: Sue Hartland
Riders: Doug Freeman, Ian Hartland, Sue Hartland, Pete McDonald, Andrew Patrick, Jenny Patrick
Total mileage: 7.74 miles
Average Speed; 2.5 tots an hour
Fastest Speed; Nikko’s Dad’s peach water
Water Stops: McDonalds, Lamberts, Neills, Guys

The M4 met at 9am outside Harbury Co-op on a very wet but mild Christmas morning. We had just taken the obligatory photos and were ready for the tally ho ho ho, when Andrew and Jenny arrived to boost our numbers. After a couple more photos, the M6 set sail on their traditional Christmas morning ride.

We stopped a short way along Ivy Lane to serenade Trevor, but obviously he decided that our singing was not worth getting out of bed for. We instead headed for Bramley and our first water stop of the morning. Margaret offered us a choice of four almost non alcoholic beverages, and soon we were full of Christmas cheer. I must apologise on behalf of the M6 as we failed to burst into seasonal singing as we left for our next port of call, but I blame the weather.

We successfully negotiated the deep water on our way to Michael’s, only to discover that he was either asleep, or out, or hiding from us. There were a few clues from the Thwaite’s Marie Celeste; open door, lights on, non milk bottles on the door step. Having failed to perform our traditional greeting to Michael, we headed of to deepest Thwaites.

We were not disappointed when we arrived at the Lambert’s, and as always we were greeted with a warm welcome. We were offered generous portions of semi non alcoholic beverages, and spent a pleasant time chatting with our fine hosts. It had not stopped raining, and Sue’s hands were now getting very cold in her fingerless gloves. Fortunately Rudolph came to the rescue and offered his gloves, and then made himself two temporary gloves out of a Father Christmas hat and a scull warmer. M7 chivalry is not dead.

We said our goodbyes and set-off on our return journey to Harbury. Unfortunately just after ascending the hill near Kingston Barns, Ian got a puncture. The M5 decided to continue on to Celia’s house, leaving Ian to take a more direct route back to the Guy’s. At Celia’s we were very kindly invited in the out of the wet, albeit via the tradesmen’s entrance, and we were again treated to more pseudo alcoholic beverage and a cycling display by Celia’s grandson. For us though cycling was now becoming a test of nerve. Andrew and Jenny decided to head straight home, whilst the remaining M3 continued to the final stop at the Guy’s.

Ian was already there when we arrived, and Alan did not disappoint with various plastic bottles of clear liquid courtesy of Nikko. Ian and Doug went for the plum variety, which at the time seemed like a good idea, but Sue sensibly opted for the coffee and mince pies. It was a pity that Doug’s camera had given up the ghost at the Lamberts, so no digital record of the final two stops is available. We were though made very welcome by the extended Guy family which included Alan’s mum. Sometime before 11am we declared the ride complete, and all tried to remember our ways home.

A very wet wet wet Christmas morning ride, in many ways. Very good company and excellent hosts, and we only drank coffee at the final stop, but then Alan drank mine!

Happy New Year, Doug.