A good ride - dry, always a good start - but I found the wind bl**dy irritating and combined with a bit of an "off" day, legswise, suffered rather more than usual. Got there good and early, so a leisurely preparation. Chatted with Arabella, Peter T., Annie and others (names unknown) before the off. Let the fast bunch go (no choice really!) and teamed up with Mick and Matt Cant, Jane S., Lucy, Dick and a couple of others. Stayed with them as far as the turn towards Wickham St. Paul where I stopped for a comfort break and never got back on, finally giving up when the rear tyre went soft. Rolled into Stisted and stopped for tea and cakes with Mick, Matt and Jane. Matt was on on 81" fixed and contemplating the headwind back to Henham sensibly decided to save his knees for another day! Mick and Jane towed me out of Stisted and Bocking but into the wind up the long drag through Panfield and Jasper's Green I gradually lost touch with them; and then the rear tyre flatted again.
Flogged on back to the HQ, spotting Wowbagger and another (DeltheBike?) enjoying the tailwind across Andrews Airfield. Got caught by a speeding toontra, who paused briefly to check the answer to the Stebbing Green info before racing off into the distance. After apple pie and custard at the HQ, set off into the bl**dy wind again. Also came to an unnecessary halt alongside some other riders, to look for the answer to the Chrishall info question before I realised we were in Elmdon and they were doing the 100k! Regaining the HQ after the second loop, Mick and Jane kindly paused for an extra five minutes for me to latch on and I then enjoyed having my legs ripped off again all the way around Furneaux Pelham and Great Hormead until we finally made Great Chishall after which my surplus avoirdupois came into its own and we tanked down the hill all the way home, pausing only to switch on the illuminations.
Still a good route, through pleasant country, although I didn't appreciate the extra kilometres at the time. No doubt I'll be back for more next year!