Wed 9th Dec 2009. We wind up in Wymondham for a brief encounter.

The intrepid Wednesday regulars (New strap line "We do the miles so you don't have to") have decided, in the face of logic, sensibility and the certainty of returning into a headwind, to go to Wymondham. Peter Gay, who rides in from Rickinghall, could vouch for the wind direction - but the Tea Stop we have decided on was his idea and he has been keen to take us there for quite some time. The weather was chilly but supportable, and the eight of us enjoyed a steady ride with intermittent sunshine all the way to Attleborough. There was a pause for puerile humour as ride Members Ron, Richard, Gareth, Peter Heath and Tony posed to pose round the altered sign for Wiley road.

Some of us had been to Attleborough on the Espresso ride (20 September), when we had a jolly tea at tables on the pavement in the warm autumn sunshine. There was discussion about the wisdom of carrying on to Wymondham (I was puzzled at the un-wisdom of NOT going, since it was the whole reason for coming out this way in the first place). Little groups rode of in different directions looking for . . .er . . something or other and came back with nothing to report so at last we set off again, along a main-ish road for a disputed distance. I guessed about five miles, some said ten. It was around 6, and well worth it. We turned left, away from the town centre and towards the station where, to our delight, there was a Café/ Restaurant with a "Brief Encounter" theme, stuffed with railway memorabilia and serving good food and tea in quite lavish surroundings. Certainly a contrast for Ann Fish, just returned from a cycle tour of Thailand and Cambodia. The temperature difference was another shock to her system - steaming humidity to near-zero dry cold, plus Wheelers' speed as opposed to tourism pace.

After a tour of the 'Dining Car' themed area, and viewing of the many posters and artifacts, we reluctantly remounted and head home. The route was different,and maybe a touch bleak, but round these parts there's less choice than in our dear and more familiar Suffolk. Oh, and the headwind was there Ok. When I reached home my total was 62 miles, but as you can see from the snaps, it was worth it. SJH

Sunday 6th December 2009. A drenched Quartet leave their mark Hollowtrees.

The morning after the night before, and the rain is already heavy. It had been forecast several days ago that Sunday would be wet, and the majority of those who attended the WSW Club Dinner at Bury St Edmunds Golf Club on Saturday night the fifth had already decided to NOT go out. I thought that I was the only soft-headed idiot when I arrived at Cornhill and threaded my way through the Sunday Market stalls, clattering with the noises of setting up and abuzz with the shouts of greeting, commiseration, disgust at the weather and despair with the football. Possibly the reason, at the back of my mind, for turning out was the receipt of the Ensign Trophy for Club Run Attendance. A huge and impressive cup, for just turning up! Oh, and I picked up the Hill Climb Trophy, by default really. For just turning up. "Gotta be innit to winnit" eh?

No one else in funny clothes. Oh good, I can do a quick ride, straight home AND feel virtuously smug. Then I saw Nathan, accompanied by another Dr Tom who has been riding out with Il Cappuccini of late, and is from Woolpit rather than Ixworth. Then Julian hove into site , making a total of four soft-headed idiots. We discussed tactics. Julian and I won the brief discussion, and the four of us set off for a shortish (possibly no tea stop) ride. As we headed broadly southwards, the wind got stronger and stronger and the constant heavy rain was livened up by vicious squalls that nearly brought us to a standstill. Shouting "bring it on!" and pedalling harder seemed to be the only (and rather embarrassing, looking back on it) solution. We hardened in our resolve to skip the tea stop, with all the usual arguments around getting cold and not wanting to set off again being used to defeat poor Nathan who's mind's eye was dominated by cake.

Then, very very gradually the rain began to ease. As we rode through Lavenham it had stopped. We reversed our tea stop decision and took ourselves off to Woodlands Coffee Shop, at Hollow Trees Farm near Semer. There, got the complete and correct title in (see Wednesday 2nd Dec Blog).

The presentation of the baked beans was worth a picture (if not a thousand words) and flavour matched the flair. While munching away, we were joined by the Cappuccinos, and we graciously allowed them to accompany us home. Mark Eastwood was on 63" fixed, which rather upstaged me I have to say. His red Mercian road frame looking beautifully spindly and elegant and sporting an ingenious arrangement for the rear brake; because the caliper wasn't long enough to reach the rime of a 700c wheel if normally positioned, he had mounted it in front of the brake bridge instead. It was a while before I'd worked out what exactly it was that was different. By now the sun had come out and we had a bit of a tail wind and all was right with the world. How rides can change. You can be nearly dropped, wet, exhausted and aching - but half an hour later it's all sunlit uplands and a heart bursting with joy as you speed effortlessly in the good natured company of your co-equipiers.

Or something.

A nice round 50 miles SJH

Wednesday 2nd December

It was decided that we should call in at Hollowtrees Farm to arrange our booking for the Grand Wednesday Ride Christmas Luncheon Outing. Now I think I should point out that the correct title of catering outlet is "WOODLANDS COFFEE SHOP", I am guilty of referring to it as 'Semer' or 'Hollowtrees'. I think it's time we got it right, don't you? Richard sorted a slightly varied route to our current favourite watering hole which (and I'm writing this at Christmas, so