Five of us elected to join Stuart for his ride to the Bounty despite his plan for 3 nobby lectures on the day. Our small peloton was nearly bowled over in Old Rectory Lane by two piglets that burst out of the hedge before diving back in before we could catch them. Arriving at Crumbs for our morning break we were met by Terry who apparently, while his wife is away, has got himself involved in a category four situation with someone called Nathan - say no more.
Joining the Thames at Cookham, we followed the river to our lunch stop the Bounty at Cockmarsh. I was just thinking that Stuart had forgotten about his nobby lectures when he produced a book on the artist Stanley Spencer - Sally spotted some licentious paintings as he flicked the pages, so we grabbed the book and admired the fine paint strokes and details while Stuart droned on. Tim came up with some flimsy excuse about a dentist appointment and fled.
That left four of us to follow Stuart along the Thames back to Eton and a very nice ride that was too. There was a halfhearted effort to give a nobby lecture on a Brunel bridge, bizarrely by means of mime and another lacklustre attempt at St Mary Magalene’s church. Following refreshments in the Waterman's Arms the group headed back to Uxbridge dispersing along the way.
A very nice ride with Stuart with a bit of his trademark swooping and some excellent riverside cycling. The lack of nobby lectures may have been down to Stuart worrying that Jim Swan was trying to usurp his nobby lecturer crown by organising a blue plaque ride on the same day (the unmitigated bounder).