It's my ride, and I'm accompanied by Phil Hallewell, Chris Kinsey and Alan Potter. We head out of Uxbridge along the Oxford Road, then left at Denham roundabout. By Seven Hills Road, Alan has a puncture. With three of them involved in the repair, I figure they don't need a fourth, so I watch out for traffic, make sympathetic noises and crack bad jokes. Elevenses is at Sunrise cafe, Burnham Village. I am the only one who orders coffee, but gets tea anyway. I don't complain. At 80p per mug it all seems a bit churlish. After Taplow we take the pathway down Berry Hill. At the wooden bridge, I touch the brakes and hit decking instantly, taking out Phil who is right behind. No broken bones this time I think. Proceeding with extra caution we continue through Bray and Fifield, Lunch is at Windelsoria, Windsor. Service is rapid. We return via Datchet. At Horton Road, a passing white van man tells us that we should all be on the cycle track. I just wave as I normally do to people who aren't prepared to slow down long enough to hear our side of the story. We continue past Thorney to West Drayton. Swan Road marks the parting of the ways. I continue alone through the back streets of Yiewsley turning right at Hillingdon Hospital. Good company and pretty much unremitting drizzly rain. Bernie