A wet and cold morning greeted the few Loiterers who cycled down to the starting point. A few joined Alan on his long ride and then what I thought were the remainder followed TC for his medium ride. "Yippee" I thought. "No one for my short ride, I can sneak off for the day, into the welcoming arms of the Former Miss Formosa 1968". Suddenly voices, "When are we leaving?" Turning, I find Don and Lawrie waiting with their bikes. "Listen lads, it's rotten weather, lets call it a day and go home". Oh but didn't they just go into one. "We have paid our club subs, there should be a short ride and a short ride we will have". Seeing my reluctance, they started to pull rank. "As chairman blah blah, outrageous dereliction of duty blah blah could be blackballed drone drone." "As former club secretary, many decades in club yabba yabba, nothing like it ever before, blah blah, club tradition etc etc." Visions of fun with the Former Miss Formosa 1968 started to evaporate, I led them off to Stockley Park, skirting close to Don's house hoping that he would pull out - but no luck there. "O.K. " I said, "lunch is at the Crown Northolt, but I'm not messing about going through needless parks, quiet residential roads,; it's main roads all the way". Sadly it did not put them off. I made sure that we passed close to Lawrie's house but he ignored the turn. At lunch we agreed to dump a tea stop. There was still time for a quick visit to you know who, so I said that I was going back via the Uxbridge Road. "So are we", they chorused". Blast! I was so miffed by the whole experience that I forgot to take any photos. Still better luck next Wednesday.