MEMWNS, post lockdown event #2 at Chez Tomsk.
I arrived first, having ridden across on the fixed bike pulling a trailer ... I'd forgotten that I'd removed my rack as I'm not commuting at the moment, so when I came to put the pannier on the bike I had an 'oh no' moment. Plan B would have been a rucksack carrying my warm clothes for outdoor sitting, but that was incompatible with my rain jacket. So plan C it was, attaching my trailer and dumping the pannier into that.
First arrival ensured a chair under the parasol. Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge arrived next, and immediately set about blowing up his rear tyre. "Not a puncture" was proclaimed, just poor bike maintenance.
The evening was both light and rain free, so it was a shame not to see more attend, but it ensured some incredible tales could be told. My favourite was OD's recollection of a family cycling holiday in France, notable for adventures finding places to camp (who would of thought campsites become full along the coast of France in August!), and dispatching the family from a train one stop too early. Perhaps the poor sole couldn't read the station name in French!
There was also a reading from the 'Book of the Bivvy'. There are enough quotes in that book to last many weeks.
Tomsk again promoted the Windmill rides taking place in a socially distanced form from Chelmsford on 21st June. Be good to see a few familiar faces.
Huge thanks to Tomsk for accommodating us for the evening, providing dry seating, glasses and such like. Also for the guidance on the back route from his house back towards the big Tesco, which I didn't quite manage to follow to the letter.