I always enjoy the period leading up to 10.15 on Wednesdays by the aptly named “Anticipation” statue; the various riders assembling from all directions, discussion on routes and the venues & pubs to be stopped at, weighing up the weather, lots of banter and good humour; however as a leader today I understood something of how Michael Howard felt when grilled by Jeremy Paxman some years ago. Ray asked me 18 times “Will we be back by 4 pm”, I prevaricated at first but under his relentless questioning finally said yes firmly, then sought to limit this commitment. Ray is too old a campaigner to be taken in by such appeasement and so shot away with Lawrie’s gang to Kew ( leaving suspiciously early I noted )

Twelve riders braved the biting cold wind along the well known route out of Uxbridge, past Brunel, along the old rail line, across Cowley Road, through Iver and its impossible traffic, into the mobile home park with assorted gnomes but turning left to lift bikes over a stepped platform into a muddy path ( loud cries of distress!) over the canal and new railway bridge down Minster Path to the ancient Alms Houses and St Marys. The verger Joan Bostick was there to greet us ( I had thought that some of the “ungodly” amongst us might go straight to the Red Lion but no, it was God 12 – Heathens 0 ) Wonderful old church with parts dating from 12th century; huge Royal Coat of Arms, wooden pillars, many old brasses, the Kedermister Memorial and much more of interest; unfortunately the “rare and beautiful” library created in 1623 and visited by Milton, was closed (open first Sundays in summer) but the verger showed us its entrance in the Kedermister pew.

Coffee and refreshments in the equally old Red Lion opposite and here the leader made the mistake of mentioning an alternate lunch stop : the Jolly Woodman, in case the Blackwood Arms didn’t suit. Great debate and dissention raged among the coffee spoons until Don and Angela decided that we’d all go to the Blackwood – which was a bit rich since they then left the ride !

Hauling on our various layers of cold weather clothes ten little Injuns set out again : George Green, Stoke Green, past Stoke Place where Thomas Grey’s mother lived, a dangerous right turn well accomplished by all into Fir Tree Avenue, right into Northern Road (Alec was keen to find the house where Alan Johnson’s biography describes the topless women on his round every morning) left into Long Furlong Drive and the notorious Britwell Estate trying to identify where the ex-Home Secretary lived as a postman. Last week reccing I actually went to the local library but they had never heard of him ! We turned north onto Walton and then Crow Piece Lane ( much to Denise and Sandra’s disgust: “Covered in litter!”) Skirting round the west of Burnham Beeches we reached Littleworth Common and the Blackwood Arms, much to John Jenkins relief: “I’m cold and I’m hungry and I don’t know where I am and I........” at this point I raced forward out of earshot! . On the green opposite the pub we met Alex and Hector, Denise’s husband and Westy, in that order I think. Great welcome from the Kerri our bar gal and the landlord; table for 11 laid up; great range of bitters; great menu; great service, orders taken at the table; great food (well apart from Steve Cull’s runny eggs !) all matched by a great big total bill at the end !?!!? Oh well must remember : never order the Special Game Pie without checking the price first !

After a long and enjoyable lunch we geared up again for the off – weather still fine but bitterly cold – Lilo wended her separate way off here – the remaining ten toodled along with Hector the dog setting a slow pace until the leader shouted “Abandon the Westy” since Denise and Alex had already said goodbye expecting us to zoom off. Lovely swooping run through the Beeches and Egypt Lane, down through Hedgerley and then up over the motorway, down again reading the old griffiti on the wall alongside the M40 ( and wondering what message I would write there ?) and the hard haul up into GX – the monstrously large houses do not now create envy in me any more, just a huge relief that I don’t have their maintenance worries & bills – past St Huberts and Alderbourne Manor to the old Oxford Road – a last drink for the last four in the carvery pub where we admired the blonde gal’s baby, Holly and put the world to rights. Lights on for the final push home - we are surely much blessed to have had a full day out in the Buckinghamshire countryside in mid January.