A record 13 cyclists met for the first ride of 2019 from Beddington Park. We were joined by Mark who was planning to get back into cycling after a break and Janette who has recently taken it up. Colin decided on a fairly flat ride and we left Beddington Park on the recently reopened path alongside the Beddington Farmlands Nature Reserve towards Mitcham golf club. With no recent rain it was difficult to understand how the track could be so muddy and strewn with puddles. It was a challenging start to the ride and some chose to push their bikes part of the way rather than risk a fall.
We left the track at Beddington Lane tram stop to cross into Mitcham Common onto a short dry path. We crossed Mitcham Road and avoiding further possible muddy tracks cycled along the now car free Watneys Road to Commonside and made our way to Figges Marsh via Mitcham Eastfields station. We continued uneventfully through Merton Abbey Mills to Morden Hall Park where Paul, our back marker, slid off his bike crossing a wet wooden bridge. He soon caught us up at the Café where we warmed up and discussed thermal clothing.
Our return journey was along the Wandle Trail where we couldn’t fail to enjoy the beautiful winter's evening. One young man in a great hurry overtook each of us by turn on the narrowest part of the track -I hope he got to his emergency in time! A very pleasant surprise at the Hack Bridge was Claudio Funari's Community Garden. A special mention has to go to the Mother Goose.
We soon went our separate ways home. Will all 13 of us maintain our New Year's resolutions to keep cycle fit this year?
Happy Birthday wishes to John and Roy celebrating birthdays this week.🎂
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