Rats in the ratatouille Bernie Green Attachment 10/08/2015 Keep this message at the top of your inbox To: Sandra Gladwin Outlook.com Active View 1 attachment (163.7 KB) Click for Options Chipperfield, Chartridge, Denham. 9th Aug 2015..gpx Download as zipSave to OneDrive Hi Sandra, Latest installment follows. Sunday 9th August 2015. A Chris Kinsey ride long ride. Followers are: John Hare, John Owen, Iain MacDonald, Jim Swan and me. Through Ickenham we hear words of encouragement or insults from what sounds like Stu Morgan. Can't see any flags waving though. The group is split as we try to get onto Breakspear Rd. A constant stream of traffic from both directions prevents us catching up with Chris. Eventually Jim manages to stop the traffic by wheeling his bike into the road. This is not a tactic to be recommended for the fainthearted, even though I have been known to take similar action. We manage to rejoin the group who are waiting for us at the top of the hill. We pass Harefield Hospital, descending a very steep and narrow road, a car comes up the hill and comes to a standstill, blocking the road. The driver looks nervously at her car's paintwork as we squeeze past. A little forward planning, and she could have pulled in at anyone of a number of passing places on her side of the road. Past Rickmansworth, we climb up to Chipperfield Common and have refreshments at Blackwells. As we arrive at 11:59 does that make it "twelveses". Dave Peck and Liliane Rausch have beaten us to it again. After drinks, Iain discovers a bolt which attaches the rack to the frame is missing. After much rummaging, Jim finds a bit of wire to effect a temporary repair. Onward we go minus John Hare, Dave and Liliane. through Chesham, and ascend the foothills of the Chilterns. Our lunch stop, is The Bell, pub at Chartridge, there is a direct route, but we are going the long way round, via Ballinger Common. Once there, Chris has worked up a thirst so has a liquid lunch. Iain and Jim have proper food, while John and I share a few bags of peanuts. The couple in the next table have brought a couple of white rats with them, not I hasten to add to supplement their lunch. The return is back through Chesham and the valley, up Stoney Lane, through the Chalfonts to Denham Church, where they are just calling last orders. We have a pleasant chat to Bob Warner, Liliane, and John Male before dispersal at Uxbridge. The track finishes at Denham Church. My apologies. I forgot to switch on the GPS again, but you get the picture. All the best Bernie G.