27 January 2010. Peter leads us in "Happy Birthday". Again

Today is my younger son Ed's birthday. Unfortunately, living in Wisbech he can't make it to buy the teas; so Peter is going to do the honours. Eager to help him celebrate are, Tiger Tony, Tom-Tom, Justin, Ann Fish, Ed Bucknell, Ron, Peter Gay, SJH, Richard Balaam & Sharon. We are to go to Clare, for the first time since 25th November 2009. As we left The No1 Delicatessen, in balmy Autumn sunshine, we had said "we'll be back before Christmas" . . . . . . . . .

Justin took us on a variation of the Cavenham/Kentford/Gazeley/Dallham/Stradishall route that we've used quite a lot, by going Risby/Barrow/Ousden. The Ousden bit was to avoid going down the hill to Dalham, which had a lot of slush and ice on Sunday. The weather was again cold - extremely cold first thing, and we had difficulty keeping warm. The climb from Stradishall to Hundon helped - and the descent to Clare kept me warm at 140 rpm (I had kidded myself on the outward journey that I was on the higher gear - and told people as much "I thought it was hard work this morning - then I realised that I must be on the higher gear". The truth was unavoidable on the long descent).

Peter had phoned ahead to book space for eleven and, sure enough, there were the tables pushed together; we should do this more often. A warm welcome to a warm Café, and further warmth provided by our spirited rendition of "Happy Birthday to Me" (this is Peter's personalised version). Some of us had already had a rehearsal at the start of the Pilates session on Monday - which was The Day itself. Peter got an extra portion of home made brownie (but no candle). Before beginning this Post, I actually found my notes from 2nd December (I mentioned having lost them). The one topic that I forgot, and can now share with you, is Peter's 2010 project to climb the height of Mt Everest during club runs in Suffolk using an altimeter to get the total climbed each ride. Is this still on, Peter?

We returned by going up Hickford Hill and through Foxearth to Long Melford. In Lavenham, we took the advice of Eddie Taylor's widow (whom we met outside the Café) and visited the cycle shop in which she had an interest - apparently it is about to close, and everything is greatly reduced. If there's one thing that is guaranteed to excite a cyclist's interest, then that one thing is something for next to nothing. If you take the right turn at the northern end of Lavenham to Preston St Mary, there is an industrial complex on the left. In a warehouse round the side, partly shrouded in camouflage netting, there seem to be three traders; a real, proper army surplus store with only the minimum of new stuff. (everything you could possibly need for your next BNP multiculturalism workshop) , A guy sitting behind a low counter surrounded with, well, 'stuff'' and the cycling bit, wich was being directed with a light touch by a friendly man restoring a Morris '8'. If you do go (and I recommend that you do; several of us bought tyres and tubes - no inflated prices) do not show interest in the Morris '8' project. I did, and if Tony hadn't approached with a purchase, I think I'd still be there. My big regret, now that I write with the benefit of hindsight, is that I didn't take a photo of the Birthday Boy with a spare tyre round his neck.

When I got home I was a yard or two shy of 62 miles - and I thought of Ann and Peter G who had another 10 or so to go. SJH