Walk Sunday 8th February

[Graham Dixon]

Hi all,
Took one look out of the window this morning and after listerning to the forecast decided against the clubrun!!Details for next walk are.Morning-4.2 miles, Afternnoon-4.0miles.Meet at Godstone Green (A22) (don't park in car park, park in main road) at 9.45am for 10.00 Sharp departure.Back to Godstone Green for lunch so just take what you need for 11's, ie flask,water and snack.After lunch a HILLY 4.0 miles.Look forward to seeing you. Graham

[Tim Coales]

Looked out the bathroom window about 3am this morning (Sat 10th Jan) and could hardly see 30m through freezing fog. Got up at seven to prepare for ride as fog had cleared, but as daylight fell the amount of frost made me think again. On the last two Saturdays I've struggled to get off the estate where I live because of the amount of frost and black ice on the untreated surface. Last week I only went to CSS to wish everyone a happy new year, a round trip of 8 miles. When I got home my fingers were so cold that I couldn't get my gloves off or unlock the door! My thighs were so cold that I went to bed and read for a hour or two before I stopped shivering.

SO; today I had an amazing two hour walk from my home (in Waddon) across the North Downs (as it says on the OS Map) AKA the Purley Way playing fields and Roundshaw Downs. There was an incredible hoar frost with fingers over 2cm long on the branches of the trees and you could see where you had walked by the foot prints in the frost. The sun broke through briefly then thought better of it - too cold! In some places there was still unmelted snow from Tuesday and on one bumpy track blocks of ice 2 inches thick! The only company I had was one runner out training and several dog walkers - I felt a bit out of place without a dog myself. I spoke to an elderly gentleman who was waiting for his dog to catch up and when I said I was usually out cycling at this time, he told me his older brother, who was 81, would be out at daybreak on Sunday doing 60 miles around Windsor before ham and eggs at an Italian cafe in Eton. Apparantely he still does 180 miles a week "never stopped you see". I told him about Jim. So, keep the wheels turning and I hope to be out next week for the freewheel comp, as long as I can feel my fingers!